Tom Bradshaw looking for Shrewsbury Town to finish with a flourish

Shrewsbury Town striker Tom Bradshaw insists there is no such thing as a meaningless game ahead of tomorrow's 'dead rubber' at Gillingham.

Town will make the long 200-mile journey south to the Priestfield Stadium a week after their relegation from League One was confirmed by defeat at home to Peterborough United.

placeholder image

The Gills, meanwhile, are already assured of their place in the English third tier for next season and are destined to finish in lower mid-table regardless of tomorrow's result.

But Bradshaw refutes suggestions that there will be nothing at stake and says a win would do everyone the power of good at the end of what has been a disappointing campaign.

He said: "I think it is impossible to go into a game not wanting to win. You are born with that hunger to win games, to score goals, to win your tackles and your headers.

"That doesn't go away just because there's supposedly nothing at stake. There's a lot at stake for the fans, whether it is just seeing a good last game or having something to cheer about or to get a win.

"It would do us the world of good just to get a win. Obviously we can't avoid relegation now, but why not take a win into next season?"

"Everyone is going to be putting everything into it, trying to get personal goals and team goals."

One personal goal that remains in Bradshaw's sights is that of top scorer, although he would have to score a hat-trick to overhaul nine-goal midfielder Jon Taylor to do so.

It would round off what has been a mixed season for Bradshaw in which he has netted a career best seven goals in 29 appearances, but also endured much of the campaign on the fringes of the starting XI as well as a six-week spell on the sidelines because of a knee injury.

Bradshaw, who is one of several players out of contract in the summer, made a prolific start to the campaign netting five times in his first 11 games, but didn't score again until April 18, when he grabbed a late consolation goal from the bench in a 3-1 loss at home to Crewe.

A further strike followed in the 4-2 defeat at Peterborough last weekend and Bradshaw said he will be striving to break double figures for the club in the next 12 months provided he is offered a new deal.

Bradshaw, a graduate of the club's youth team, would like to help lead the club's fight back in League Two next season

"I have been here five years, I know how the club works, I love the club so hopefully I will be part of that fightback.

"I have had 18 starts this season and scored seven goals. That's the best return of my career. In pre-season I scored three in four, in the reserves I scored two in three.

"I have been scoring goals all season and if I had maybe played 30-35 games in the first team who knows how many I might have scored?But it is one of those things you look back on and think 'what if'.

"I think any striker would be happy with seven goals in 18 starts, but I want to break that next season.

"I would have liked double figures this year, but I haven't had the most starts. Every striker wants to score as many goal s as they can so that is always what I strive for."

Local news you can trust
Follow us
© 2026 Iconic Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice