How have Shrewsbury done on their last four opening day fixtures?
The start of the League Two season is almost here as Shrewsbury kickstart their campaign with an opening day clash against Bromley.
Salop will want to start in a positive fashion as they play in League Two for the first time in a decade.
Pre-season clashes against Stoke City, Leamington, Telford, Kidderminster, Bolton and Burnley were merely preparation for the main event as the football season begins around the country in the third and fourth tiers.
What is Town’s record like on the opening day of the league season?
Stevenage 1-0 Shrewsbury - 2024
Paul Hurst’s side made the trip to Stevenage on the opening day of last season in a game which kicked off in the evening, with all League One matches moving for broadcasting.
Elliott List scored the game's decisive goal in the 58th minute as Town did not threaten their hosts.
It was an eyesore of a match, as games against Stevenage normally are. John Marquis, Luca Hoole, Mal Benning all started in the game and there is a good chance they will play this weekend at the Croud Meadow.
Shrewsbury 1-0 Cheltenham - 2023
Matt Taylor’s first game in charge of the club saw him oversee a victory on the first day of the campaign against the Robins.
Ryan Bowman, who has now been banned from playing football for breaching the FA’s betting rules, scored the only goal of that game.
It was a big match for Town, the first since Micky Moore, their director of football, had been appointed after leaving Cheltenham.
Morecambe 0-0 Shrewsbury - 2022
Much of the talk heading into this clash was whether Town’s talisman Dan Udoh would be fit for the start of the campaign. In the end, he did not play, and Town got a draw against the Shrimps in the pouring rain on the Lancashire coast.
Salop would go on to have a really successful season under Steve Cotterill as they finished 12th in League One before he left the following summer.
George Nurse started on that day against Morecambe, and he is the only player remaining from that squad.
Shrewsbury 0-1 Burton - 2021
If Town’s opening day history is anything to go by, then goals are likely to be in short supply.
You would have to go back to the game against Millwall in August 2015 to find the last match Salop played in at the beginning of a league season that had more than one goal in it.
The 2021 clash against Burton was decided by John Brayford’s goal in the 31st minute.
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