Gareth Ainsworth: This run will not define my Shrewsbury Town tenure

Salop are currently seven points from League One safety, and they have three huge League One games coming up in the next 10 days.

Ainsworth, who was named Shrews head coach in November last year, always has a positive outlook.

And while a poor run of results in the next few League One matches could end Shrewsbury's chances of staying in the third-tier of English football, he says all that means is it will take a little longer to get the club where he intends.

"They're not going to define everything because my aim is over a period to get this club challenging in League One," he said. "Can we get to the next level? That's my aim, right?

"These games are just going to make it either a bit of a longer process to get there or a shorter process to get there.

"That's all these games are going to do now, and if that means we're either going to have to have a promotion next year, brilliant, that'll be great, or we're going to have to have a survival and build. That's where we are."

Salop head to the Weston Homes stadium this weekend to take on 20th-placed Peterborough United in a huge relegation six-pointer.

It is their first of three fixtures of the same ilk in the coming week as they welcome Bristol Rovers to the Shropshire on Tuesday night before they head to St James Park to play Exeter City a week on Saturday.

The big games just keep on coming for Salop as they welcome fellow bottom-four club Burton Albion to the Croud Meadow a week after their game against the Grecians.