Shrewsbury's Tyler Roberts is happy to listen and learn

The reason? Referring to Paul Hurst as "Paul", rather than "gaffer".

It's tough to remember at times that the West Bromwich Albion youngster has recently turned 18, meaning he would be studying for A-Levels in another life.

Instead, under 'the gaffer', Roberts is flourishing into a fine footballer. He came to Shrewsbury Town with the tag of being a prospect. Four goals and four assists in nine games suggests he's very much about the here and now.

The Welsh teenager shares a close working relationship with Hurst. Town's boss promised Roberts more game time than he got with Oxford before Christmas.

Roberts has rewarded him, but the manager doesn't want him to stop there. Hurst is pushing the 18-year-old to produce even more, beginning tonight at Port Vale, where Town can severely boost their survival hopes by creating an eight-point advantage over the Valiants.

"When I came in the gaffer said that he liked me and the way I played, so I hoped to get more game time (than at Oxford). But to get this much has been an added bonus," said Roberts.

"He's good. He's got into me when I needed getting into and when I need an arm around me he's done that.

"He's talked about how I can improve and what I can do better – he's been a massive help during my time.

"It's definitely different (having a manager on loan to under-23s manager). There's more on the line for the manager here and knowing that, and him putting that across, is maturing me massively. It's good.

"We've had a few serious chats about how I can give more on the pitch and what more there is to do on the pitch.

"It's definitely helped. It's a massive learning curve."

Hurst heaped praise on Roberts at the recent supporter Q&A at Greenhous Meadow.

The youngster has netted at a ratio of almost every two appearances, including missing a spot-kick against Coventry.

But Hurst is constantly pushing Roberts to reach new heights.

"Tyler's a young boy. I said at the fans forum he'll go on and I'll be extremely disappointed if he doesn't play in the Premier League," said the boss. "But he's learning. Compare this loan to Oxford, he's played a lot more already and scored a lot more goals.

"Every day should be an element of learning and developing into a professional footballer.

"He's obviously got a very good environment at the club he's at but this is a different scenario and, for me, it's trying to get him to see the importance of every day in training and every match.

"Within a game, the importance of minute one to 95 or whatever it is, not just playing in spells. The work rate, willingness to do a job for the team – it all comes into it.

"Ability alone gets you so far but it won't get you as far as you can go if that's all you've got.

"When he came in his stats increased straight away. I'm happy with him. I think back to Sir Alex Ferguson and how he used to get on at certain players.

"The ones he got on at, they're often the ones he felt were the best players.

"Maybe take an idea of what I think of Tyler from that."