Record signing Grant Holt wants Shrewsbury Town to improve their away form at Darlington on Saturday – but one man unlikely to figure in the north east is Darren Moss despite rejecting a loan switch to Jimmy Quinn’s Bournemouth.
Holt, the £170,000 summer recruit from Nottingham Forest, has been encouraged by Town’s early season form which has them handily placed in third spot in the table. Such a start, he says, has not come as a surprise but he stressed the importance of Town continuing to pick up points on the road.
They have claimed five points from their four excursions in the early weeks of the campaign compared to a maximum 12 points from their four home clashes.
“We’re doing well and I’m happy with some of the performances, but we’ve just got to keep it going now, work on little bits and bobs and make it even better,” said the hard-working striker.
“If you win your home games and can pick up points away from home, the odd win and draw, then you’re going to do well. At the moment our home form is very, very good, and our away form is all right but could be better.
“I’m not surprised at the start we’ve had. The manager got a lot of us in at the right time with the chance to build over pre-season. He’s since brought in Graham Coughlan and Sean Thornton and we’re starting to gel.”
The only unfortunate aspect of Holt’s strong early displays has been picking up yellow cards which have taken him to the brink of suspension. “I’ve had a chat with the manager about it and some of the bookings have been a little bit harsh, two of them definitely I’ve been a bit picked on,” he said.
“We’ve had a chat about it and the gaffer’s told me I need to be aware of what teams are going to do, and the referees are looking to put me in the book for some reason.
“I’ve curbed it in the last couple of weeks and I don’t want to miss games as it’s not going to help the team.”
As for Saturday’s trek to Darlington, Holt feels the travelling supporters have an important role to play.
“I’ve been there before and you have to go and make your own atmosphere as it’s a big ground but there won’t be many people there,” he said.
“We’ve had great support so far this season. A good group of supporters can take you a long way and I’ve been very impressed. Hopefully they’ll continue to follow us and we’ll hopefully give them their rewards at the end of the season.”
Meanwhile, former Wales under-21 international right back Moss, unable to oust the in-form Ben Herd, has turned down the opportunity to link up with his ex-Town boss Quinn at Bournemouth.
“They enquired about taking him on loan but at the moment Darren feels it’s not right for him,” said manager Paul Simpson. “I felt it would have been a good opportunity for him to go and get some first team football.
“But it’s his decision, we’ve chatted about it, and he just felt it wasn’t right.”
Guy Madjo has also rejected the chance of a temporary switch, even though Simpson has told the Cameroonian striker he’s well down the pecking order.
“Conference clubs have come in for him but he doesn’t want to go,” said Simpson. “I’ve told him he’s a long, long way from being involved with me and I thought he would like to get some first team football. But he’s turned down the chance to go and, again, I have to respect that.”
