Dave Edwards: Good Easter will complete the big Shrewsbury Town turnaround

Everyone will have been hoping that Shrewsbury could consolidate this season and make sure they’re in League One for next season, and then have the chance to try and build.

As with every season, there’s been ups and downs, but if you look where the club is now and the feel-good factor that Paul Hurst has brought in, the fans are on-side.

They’re just a good Easter weekend off almost guaranteeing survival and every Shrewsbury fan, like myself, would have taken that at the start of the season.

You get embroiled in the emotions of the week-to-week and day-to-day at the football club, but going into next summer the club will be in a lot more positive place after a season of a lot of change.

They will start next season, hopefully, from a much better place with a manager in charge and the crux of a strong team.

There will be some players leaving, but Town should be reasonably happy with how the season has gone.

Shrewsbury have a very, very strong spine to the team. It will be difficult to keep that spine next season when you look at the quality of it, but going into the last seven games Hurst will look to them as a reliable part of the team.

You can build players around them, knowing they are very solid through the middle of the pitch.

It starts with Marko Marosi, who has had another terrific season in goal.

He makes big saves in big moments and has probably won Shrewsbury the most points of any individual.

He’s had some big moments and can be counted on. Harry Burgoyne has come in a couple of times and done really well, but Marosi has built on what he did last season.

In front of him you have Mr. Consistency in Chey Dunkley, who has also gained Town a lot of points from goals he’s scored and goals he’s kept out.

He’s very aggressive in both boxes and is a beacon of consistency at the heart of that defence. Building on what he did last season, he’s been a terrific signing for the football club.

Will he be here next year? Who knows and we expect lots of changes, but whatever happens he’s been excellent for the club since joining.

Carl Winchester has played all over the pitch this season, but when he plays in central midfield he gives Shrewsbury another dimension because of his calmness on the ball.

He’s a bundle of energy as well and will massively help with the addition of Jack Price.

Price is a wonderful footballer who will go under the radar in games, but is so integral to how a team operates. He keeps the ball, dictates the tempo and defensively he’s absolutely brilliant. Hopefully he’ll still be here next season, but he has the quality to play in the Championship if he’s fit.

Then, up front, Dan Udoh has got some vital goals in recent weeks.

It’s not just about his goals, he gives so much to the team and he works so hard.

I love it when he gets the goals and he’s been unlucky with injuries, but his overall contribution is brilliant. He tops off a very strong spine.