Respect is key factor at Shrewsbury

They were together during his first stint at the club and Skitt went with them to Ipswich when they were given the role at the then Championship club.

And Skitt says he feels fortunate to have worked with the duo on multiple occasions.

“I think it is gaining respect, and I think that is a two-way street,” he said.

“I am very fortunate that I have worked with the gaffer and Doigy for a long time across various stints now.

“The one thing that has always been underpinned by our relationship is respect.

“Having got to know them very quickly when they first came in at Shrewsbury all those years ago, one thing I was taken aback by was their was a brutal honesty to our relationship.

“There were times when I would give a timeline of a player for example and of course, I would get questioned on it, but ultimately as long as there was a clear justification and an honesty to it, there was never a problem.”

Relationships between coaches and medical staff can be strained.

The coaches come under immense pressure to get results, and being without your best players can be a challenge.

And Skitt says he is a key stakeholder in deciding when players can return from injury.

He continued: “I think a lot of it comes down to having respect for each other.

“There are times, and there have been circumstances where I have said four weeks for a player for example and then I know management have put pressure on the player to play.

“That is a very difficult situation because you have to ensure you have that difficult conversation with the management team to say, look I would not consider telling you how to manage your team and put tactics out.

“The reality is we are a team. I would be the major stakeholder in the decision on whether a player is ready to play or not based on the knowledge that I have.

“But ultimately, I would be very naive not to listen to other people’s views.”

Town take on Birmingham City this weekend in the second of their six pre-season games – their first at home.