Shrews boss Paul Simpson spoke to the official Town website about his side's intriguing Carling Cup first round tie at home to Carlisle tonight, Simpson very much looking forward to the match after Shrewsbury's excellent opening day win over Macclesfield :
Paul Simpson
"There were seven lads who made their debut and it's never easy, you don't know whether it's going to take time to gel, or whether they're going to get together straight away. We've done a lot of work over pre-season, not just the games but in the training, my plan for pre-season was to play less games but get more and more training time.
"You can have more intense training sessions if you are not so worried about games, so maybe that's helped, I don't really know. I am sure there are games that we will get where they might not gel together so well and we have to deal with that as well but I was pleased with Saturday and I hope we can do that going forward for the game against Carlisle.
"It's a really good game for the football club, Carlisle are a really good footballing side. A number of the players are still there from my time at the club who are still doing a good job for the club and we know it's going to be a tough test but it will be a challenge for us to see where we are at and see whether we are good enough to compete with teams at that level. It's a game I am really looking forward to.
"I think we have to concentrate on how we are going to do it and we think we can cause them problems. I think that if we play like we did on Saturday and we have the movement like we had on Saturday and the quality of the passing and set-pieces, I think we can give any team a game.
" It's a great draw for us, I was delighted when it came out. There has been a bit of time that has passed between me leaving so hopefully the ill-feeling and the disappointment when I did leave has all passed, and we can get on with just enjoying what should be a fantastic game of football. Carlisle have a tremendous season last year and John Ward will be looking to go one better this year, but we are looking to be better than last year as well. I just think that it is a great game for our supporters.
" I think that if you are involved in cup competitions then you have got to go out to try to win every game you possibly can. So I will be putting a strong side out to go and try win the game. Ideally I'll hope to keep it as similar to Saturday as possible, but we'll just have to see how everybody is, whether or not there is any reaction from the game. If that is the case then hopefully we will be able to go out and perform to a decent level.
" I don't care about the next round yet, let's deal with Carlisle United first. I think that we will get a good crowd for that one, and once we've got that out of the way, and hopefully progress through to the next round, then we'll have a look and see at who we can get then. If we can go and make some money out of a cup competition though then that will be good for everybody. It's a fantastic game for me but the fact that it is my old club doesn't really come into it. The main thing for me is that I want to be in the second round of this competition. "
Shrewsbury started off their League Two campaign on Saturday with a thumping 4-0 home win over Macclesfield Town at the Prostar Stadium. Of the numerous players with links to Carlisle, former trialist Graham Coughlan played the full 90 minutes and scored one goal, while Grant Holt was substituted with three minutes to go having converted a penalty earlier in the game.
Paul Murray featured from the kick-off, and was then replaced on the 70-minute mark by Stephen Hindmarch. Then, last but not least, Kelvin Langmead was an unused substitute, and Marc Tierney was involved from the first whistle to the final whistle.
Over the years United have had a reasonable record away to the Shrews, winning six and drawing nine of the 22 games contested in Shropshire. Perhaps the most memorable of these matches being the infamous Brian Wake hat-trick in the late April 2003 winner takes all game that relegated the home side into the then Nationwide Conference.
In team news for the Shrews Paul Murray picked up an achilles injury problem against the Silkmen and he will endure a late fitness test. Meanwhile midfielder David Hunt is still sidelined with a knee problem. In better news for Simpson though, goalkeeper Luke Daniels, on loan from West Bromwich Albion, has been given the all clear by his parent club to play in the Carling Cup.
The referee for tonight's match is Karl Evans from Leigh in Greater Manchester, and he will be assisted down the lines by Carl Dunn from Stoke-on-Trent and Paul Norris from Altrincham in Cheshire. Meanwhile the fourth official is Michael Murphy from Coventry.
One new job for the officiating crew tonight is to see oversee an official teamsheet that will allow up to seven substitutes named on it. That rule coming into force this year in the Premier League, Carling Cup and FA Cup only, 43 years after the first substitution in the Football League when Charlton's Keith Peacock replaced Mike Rose in August 1965.