Paul Simpson feels the Shrewsbury Town side he will be plotting to overcome as Stockport County boss this weekend is stronger than the one he had at his disposal last season.
Simpson, sacked as Town manager at the end of April following a disappointing campaign, admits he has been impressed by the quality of the squad put together by Graham Turner, the man who replaced him in charge at the Greenhous Meadow.
And while Simpson is concentrating all his energies on trying to steady the Stockport ship after a couple of turbulent years at Edgeley Park, he believes Town are capable of pushing for League Two success this season.
“I’ve looked at what Graham Turner has done and he’s assembled a really good squad,” Simpson told the Chronicle.
“He’s made some good signings to add to the players already there. I think he’s got a stronger side than I had there last year.
“One side of me is really pleased to see Jake Robinson doing so well and he’s showing the form I always knew he could produce. He’s a really good lad, a good fella, but he had a lot of issues last season. He seems to have a good partnership with Matt Harrold.
“The two wide players are a real threat. I looked at Mark Wright when he was a young lad when I was at Carlisle, and I would have liked to bring Lionel Ainsworth to Shrewsbury last season but his wages were too much.”
Simpson is fully aware he will be heavily in the spotlight on Saturday given his recent association with Shrewsbury, although he insisted the games against Town were not the first ones he looked for when Stockport’s fixture list was released.
“It was the first fixture I was told about,” he said.
“They’re all big games but everyone wants to make an issue about it when you come up against a former club.
“I’ve got absolutely nothing against Shrewsbury Town. It was a good experience and unfortunately it didn’t go as well as we would all have wanted last season.
“I’ve been really heartened by the amount of letters I’ve received from Shrewsbury Town supporters thanking me for what I did at the club. I also had messages from nearly every single one of the players when I left.
“I always tried to remain as totally professional as I could in my time there but it didn’t turn out as we all wanted.”
Simpson, who led Town to the play-off final at Wembley in his first full season in charge, admits he hopes the travelling fans afford him a decent reception this weekend.
“I would like to think it will be a good reception,” he confirmed.
“I hope they all remember the football we played a couple of seasons ago and the forward players we had who could get goals at that level.
“It’s irrelevant what I say but I would always hope supporters support their team and have respect for other people.”
Simpson has much different expectations on his shoulders as Stockport boss this season after accepting the challenge to try and revive the club’s fortunes.
While at Shrewsbury, the aim was promotion, but at Stockport it’s all about stability and holding their own in League Two.
Simpson, quick to recruit former Town coaches Dave Timmins and Stuart Delaney to his backroom staff at County, goes into Saturday’s game still seeking his first competitive win as Stockport boss.
He’s presided over draws at Southend and at home to Wycombe while last weekend saw a 3-1 defeat at Football League newcomers Stevenage.
County also lost 5-0 at home to Championship Preston, another of Simpson’s former clubs, in the Carling Cup.
“It’s been a tough start for us but I knew when I took the job it would be tough and I’m delighted to be back in football,” he added.
Simpson and Timmins were among the crowd at the Britannia Stadium to watch Town’s brave Carling Cup exit against Stoke on Tuesday, but he expects a different looking Shrewsbury team on Saturday.
Harrold will return from suspension to lead the attack while winger Ainsworth stands a good chance of recovering from the groin injury which meant he missed the 2-1 defeat.
Shane Cansdell-Sherriff is also expected to keep his place at the heart of the back four after impressively deputising for Danny O’Donnell.
Town travel to League One high fliers Oldham Athletic in the first round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on Tuesday (7.45pm).
Meanwhile, the Greenhous Meadow will host the home leg of England women’s World Cup qualifying play-off next month, with the date and the opponents yet to be confirmed.
By Stuart Dunn