Paul Simpson has set his sights on a winning end to Shrewsbury Town’s home campaign against relegation-threatened Chester City on Saturday to whet the appetite of the club’s supporters for next season.
Boss Simpson is fully aware of Chester’s desperate plight to avoid the dreaded drop from the Football League but he’s not in the mood to show any sympathy as Town look to give their loyal home fans something to get excited about.
“We couldn’t have asked for two better fixtures for our last two home games than Wrexham and Chester,” said Simpson. “We’ve got to make sure we finish it properly and I want three points. I’m not even going to say I want to stay undefeated as I want the three points on Saturday.
“The players have to want it. They have to realise the importance to the fans of a local derby and, regardless of the situation Chester are in, we have to go and try and finish our season properly to try and encourage the fans to come back again next year.”
Simpson knows Chester’s players will be feeling the heat as they try to prevent tumbling into the bottom two and following their near neighbours Wrexham into the Blue Square Premier.
“Fortunately it’s not us in that position and I’m delighted about that,” said Simpson. “We can go and get on with the game, hopefully play relaxed.
“It’s a difficult situation for Chester to be in, but as I said with Wrexham no-one would have felt sorry for us if we were in that situation so there will be no feeling sorry for them. We’ve just got to go and do the job professionally.”
Simpson is waiting to see whether skipper Ben Davies, a former Chester player, will have recovered from the back spasm which forced him to pull out of the team shortly before last weekend’s disappointing 3-1 defeat at Mansfield, another of the division’s strugglers.
“Ben has a slight chance,” said Simpson. “He went to see a chiropractor on Monday and it was recognised as a bit of a strain in one of his lower vertebrae which has caused the spasm.
“He has another appointment with him and we’ll see whether or not it settles down enough to enable Ben to train. If he isn’t available it will open the door for somebody else.”
Simpson, who yesterday saw on-loan defender Graeme Lee recalled by League One promotion contenders Doncaster Rovers, is currently holding a series of meetings with club officials as he starts to make plans for next season.
“I’m just trying to get a full picture of everything that goes on at the club, but all the signs at the moment are very good,” he said. “There are just little bits that need tinkering with to do it how I would like to do it.
“Some of these things cost money, some don’t. It’s a case of just putting everything into place and come the start of July we’ll all be ready to go full steam ahead.”
Rob Styles, one of the Premier League’s best known referees, will take charge of Saturday’s derby clash with Chester at Oteley Road, which is no longer all-ticket.