Comeback man Terry Dunfield hopes his impressive midweek display will push him to the front of Shrewsbury Town boss Paul Simpson’s selection thoughts for Saturday’s home clash with Bury – one of the midfielder’s former clubs.
Dunfield enjoyed a successful first team return for Town in Tuesday’s Shropshire Senior Cup final victory at Telford and, now he’s recovered from the dislocated shoulder which had sidelined him since August, the Canadian is keen to make up for lost time.
Dunfield concedes Town fans have yet to see the best of him since Simpson snapped him up from Macclesfield in January, but he’s now ready to make an impact and play his part in the club’s promotion push.
“I’m ready now and I want to play,” said Dunfield. “If the gaffer needs me, I’ll be there.
“All I can do is give him a problem but I feel I’m ready now and I’m only going to get stronger. Hopefully I can show the Shrewsbury fans what a good player I can be and also show the manager who put a lot of faith in me.
“I possibly let him down a little bit last season but hopefully when I get a run in the team I’ll be able to take it. I’ve come here for one reason and our goal is promotion – I want to play in League One.”
Dunfield, who started his career at Manchester City, has since become a League Two specialist during spells with Bury and Macclesfield.
He admits he failed to do himself justice when he joined Town midway through last season, but he’s now determined to really show what he can do.
“Last season I was living out of my car as I didn’t move down here and I found it difficult to settle,” said the 27-year-old. “I couldn’t quite get to grips with playing with Holty maybe.
“I could make a hundred excuses but that’s behind me now and hopefully we can get promoted. That’s what I want and what the fans want. The town’s ready for it and hopefully we can do it.”
He added: “I know this league inside out. I’ve played all these teams loads of times and I know what it takes to win. With the players we’ve got here, when everyone’s fit, we’ve got one of the best squads in this division. We can do it and if we have the same support we had at Telford at home every week, I’m sure that can only help.
“Hopefully I can do my bit and help us get three points on Saturday to get us into those automatic (promotion) places which are only three points away.”
Meanwhile, boss Simpson continues to chase an on-loan goalkeeper to deputise for Chris Neal, who faces six weeks out after breaking a finger. He was delighted with the midweek display of youngster Andreas Arestidou but would like to bring in another keeper ahead of the clash with Bury.
Simpson is also hopeful Paul Murray, Dave Hibbert and Jamie Devitt, all absent at the Bucks Head, will be available to return as Town face Bury for the first time since pipping them for a place at Wembley in May.
“We want a performance on Saturday that reminds everybody that we’re actually doing not at all badly,” added Simpson, who takes Town down the A49 to Hereford United on Tuesday (7.45pm).
By Stuart Dunn
