Dave Edwards salutes Gavin Cowan and admits surprise at speed of Shrewsbury Town’s revival

Former Town favourite Edwards stepped into his first coaching role in late January, joining Cowan’s staff alongside ex-Salop youth player Jamie Haynes.

The trio have overseen an impressive resurgence in League Two, steering Shrewsbury clear of danger and confirming their survival with three games to spare.

Having gone from co-hosting a podcast together to sharing the dugout, Edwards reflected on his experience of helping to guide Town’s revival.

“The way Gav has led, not just the players, but the staff and the whole football club to safety is so admirable,” he told the Shropshire Star.

“I've been lucky to see it from the inside and the effect he has had, because whilst we were all excited to come into the football club and try and make a difference, I don't think we realised the enormity of it until we were actually in the doors.

“It was nothing to do with the quality of the players, it was the mentality that was at the football club, just because of what's gone on in previous seasons.

“You saw the players, they really needed lifting, they needed confidence, and Gav has changed so much within the training ground itself and the culture that he's trying to build into next season.

“We are probably a little bit surprised at how quickly things changed. That five-winning game run was obviously huge and we picked up 25 points in 16 games, from when we arrived and we were only on 22 points.

“It's been a remarkable turnaround. To be safe, 14 points clear of relegation with three games to go, that would have seemed nearly impossible after our second game where we lost to Colchester and we were on the way back, thinking ‘how can we turn our season around’.”

In February, Edwards admitted that he never envisaged moving into coaching, but could not turn down the chance to help Shrewsbury in their "hour of need".

The 40-year-old enjoyed two spells with his boyhood club during his playing career and has remained closely connected since retiring, working across several media outlets.

Victory over Oldham Athletic last Saturday marked the eighth win of the Cowan era, and Edwards admitted he is proud to have played a part in the turnaround.

“I'm really proud to be a part of it but my role in the grand scheme of things is minimal compared to the amount of work that Gav, Jamie and all the staff have put in,” Edwards continued.

“The players also had to listen to the messages, then take them on board and really commit to them. They could have easily stayed on their own agenda but they didn't. They've been brilliant.

“The fans have also been magnificent. At the start, they could have easily waned a little bit, but they stuck with us all the time and they were rewarded with some wins.

“Even when we had the four-game losing run, they stayed with us again and I'm really proud to be a part of it.”

Away from the pitch, Edwards is currently training in preparation to run the London Marathon on April 26. Edwards has set an ambitious £10,000 fundraising total for the Little Rascals Foundation.