Steve Claridge backs Shrewsbury safety bid
Radio and TV pundit Steve Claridge has backed Graham Turner to steer Shrewsbury Town clear of the League One relegation zone.
Claridge was at the Greenhous Meadow earlier this week as guest speaker at the club's latest Legends Evening.
He spent some time talking with Town boss Turner, a man the former Portsmouth, Wolves, Leicester and Millwall forward greatly respects.
"I always judge people on their longevity as people come and people go," said Claridge. "It's all right when everything's great, but when things aren't that's when you see people's true colours.
"When you've managed for as long as he has things aren't always going to be great. People will doubt you, they'll question you, but you come out of that and he's proved what a good manager he is over a long period of time so he's someone I certainly admire."
Given his role on the Football League Show on BBC1 each Saturday night, Claridge is well qualified to pass comment on the race to avoid slipping into the bottom four in League One.
And he reckons Town are on course to consolidate in their first season in the third tier of English football since 1997.
"I said to Graham they're probably what I call a one-in-five club," said Claridge. "That's basically four times out of five the brief is to stay in this division.
"You might get one year when you might just have a pop. Things might come together and you might just have a bit of a go. But as long as you stay in it the more likely you are to do well. I'm sure they'll be fine."