Shrewsbury Town v Gillingham: Familiar face returns for crunch Meadow clash

There will be a pantomime villain in the away dugout at Croud Meadow when Gareth Ainsworth brings Gillingham to Shropshire on Saturday.

The brief former Shrewsbury boss is 18 months or so on from his sudden Salop departure for Kent in March 2025, but the situation still stings, at least a little, with some Town fans.

Ainsworth’s first return to Shrewsbury after his departure was notable in more ways than one last November.

It was the Gills boss’ return to the dugout in general following unexpected open-heart surgery. The procedure was a success and all connected wish the 53-year-old well in his health.

It was a lively afternoon in Shropshire with Ainsworth in the away dugout some 11 months ago.

Town, then under Michael Appleton, threw away 2-0 and 3-1 leads as the visitors fought back for a late point.

Current boss Gavin Cowan will be keen to pen a different script.

Ainsworth will remain a less than popular figure at the Meadow following the manner of his sudden departure as he plots a positive afternoon for Gillingham.

The high-profile former Wycombe and QPR boss promised Salop fans a reign full of passion and continued improvement but, instead, a move to Priestfield came calling.

Gillingham beat Shrewsbury in the final minutes of the League Two curtain-closer last May to finish four points above Cowan’s Town.

This time around there is precious little to separate the clubs after 13 matches of the fourth tier campaign.

Two places and just a single point separates Shrewsbury, in 10th, and 12th-placed Gillingham.

Form over the last month has been below-par for Ainsworth’s side following a brighter start to the season. There has been only one victory, at Rotherham, in the last six league games and no wins from the last three.

Cowan’s troops have instead found momentum in the same period, with some critical victories lifting them away from the lower reaches of the table and instead towards the play-off places.

Tuesday’s last-gasp 2-1 victory over Everton under-21s with a much-changed side helped aid rhythm and a continued feelgood factor.

“It’s a word I used in the changing rooms - momentum,” Cowan told the Shropshire Star after the Everton win.

“But that comes from a football process. What you can’t do is go into Tuesday with a load of different players, (because) they have to know what you are doing on a Saturday.

“You can’t rip it up and start again.

“We have a football identity. Our process. Obviously you have to have outcomes and I was really appreciative of it on Tuesday, the lads were so committed to what they do.

“No matter who you put out there they know what their jobs are. That’s certainly a big platform to go on and be successful.”

Cowan will make a decision on whether to involve in-form striker George Lloyd after his concerning head injury at Rotherham last weekend.

The striker was released from hospital soon after and around the Town training ground before the midweek EFL Trophy clash but whether he has sufficient training to feature remains to be seen.

The blow did not lead to a concussion concern, so such regulations do not need adhering to.

A huge positive for Town saw the red card for loan starlet Kian McMahon-Brown from last weekend overturned and he is available to play. Jay Turner-Cooke and Isaac Fletcher serve the last match of their ban.