Shrewsbury Town's Revival Continues Under Gavin Cowan Despite Walsall Setback

March 5, 2026 – Shrewsbury Town's impressive resurgence in League Two hit a temporary pause last weekend as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to local rivals Walsall at the Croud Meadow. The loss ended a remarkable five-game winning streak that had propelled the Salopians from relegation danger to mid-table security under head coach Gavin Cowan.

The derby match, played on February 28, saw Walsall's Priestley Farquharson score twice to secure the victory for the Saddlers, despite a spirited response from Shrewsbury. Town pulled one back through a goal in the second half, but it wasn't enough to salvage a point in what was a fiercely contested Midlands clash. Cowan, who took charge at the end of January, acknowledged the disappointment but remained positive about the overall progress.

"We've had a fantastic run, and one defeat doesn't change the direction we're heading," Cowan said in his post-match comments. "The players gave everything, and the supporters were magnificent as always. We learn from this and move on to the next challenge." The head coach highlighted the raised expectations following the winning sequence, noting that the squad has embraced the shift in mindset from survival to building momentum.

Shrewsbury currently sit 17th in League Two, comfortably 12 points clear of the relegation zone after their recent form. The transformation since Cowan's arrival has been stark. Replacing Michael Appleton, who departed amid a poor run, the former Brackley Town boss has instilled defensive solidity and attacking intent, winning five, drawing one, and losing one of his first seven matches in charge.

Off the field, the club continues to show financial improvement. Recent accounts revealed a reduced loss of £600,000 for the year to June 2025, a significant step forward from previous figures. Chairman Roland Wycherley and vice-chairman Duncan Montgomery have provided substantial interest-free loans, ensuring stability with no external debt. Chief executive Liam Dooley has praised the progress, linking on-pitch success to better financial health through increased attendances and performance-related income.

Looking ahead, Shrewsbury face a tough trip to Chesterfield on March 7, with the away allocation nearly sold out, signaling strong fan support. Upcoming fixtures include home games against Cheltenham and an away match at Bristol Rovers, offering opportunities to regain winning ways. Cowan has emphasized youth development as a core principle, describing the promotion of academy talents as a "no-brainer" for the club's long-term future.

Additionally, the club announced the return of Harry Burgoyne as goalkeeper coach, adding experience to the backroom staff. Season tickets for the 2026/27 campaign are already on sale, reflecting optimism among supporters for continued progress.

While the Walsall defeat stung, it serves as a reminder of the competitiveness in League Two. Cowan's pragmatic yet ambitious approach has already delivered results, pulling the team clear of trouble and igniting hope for a stronger finish to the season. Fans remain buoyed by the revival, confident that their side can build on the foundations laid since the new year.

As March unfolds, Shrewsbury Town aim to recapture their winning form and solidify their mid-table status, with Cowan at the helm steering them toward stability and potential growth in the seasons ahead.

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Home of Shrewsbury Town FC

Opened 2007

Capacity 10,361

History (from Wikipedia)

Naming[edit]

The stadium had no official name during the club's first season at their new home, before being christened the "Prostar Stadium" in a four-year deal with the sports kit manufacturer of the same name in July 2008.[1] The club had initially distanced themselves from the unofficial name of "New Meadow", preferring to sever links with the old Gay Meadow ground,[2] however when the naming deal with Prostar ended two years earlier than scheduled, new sponsors Greenhous gave supporters the opportunity to vote for a new stadium name, with "Meadow" added to the shortlist after feedback from fans.[3] From May 2010, the stadium was officially known as "Greenhous Meadow",[4] until Greenhous announced they would be ending their sponsorship of the club and stadium in November 2016,[5] with local firm Montgomery Waters taking on the naming rights from July 2017.[6]

Design and construction[edit]

Proposals to move to a new stadium site at Oteley Road were first drawn up in the late 1990s,[7] with planning permission granted in September 2003.[8] A covenant protecting the Gay Meadow site for sports use was transferred to Oteley Road in 2004, clearing the way for the sale of the old ground to property developers to finance the building of New Meadow.[9]

The stadium was designed by WDW Partnership architects, with the project awarded to Hall Construction, at a cost of £11.2 million, with a brief to build a 10,000 capacity all-seater stadium, with banqueting facilities for up to 300 people. The project consisted of erecting four stands, including hospitality boxes, function rooms, kitchen, bars, offices and a club shop as well as adjoining community and training pitches, a 670 space car park and access roads. Work was completed for the new stadium to open in time for the beginning of the 2007–08 Football League Two season.[10]

Stands[edit]

The East and West stands run the length of the pitch; the South and North stands face onto the ends of the pitch. All stands are fully seated and covered; each stand also has its own catering and toilets. At present the stands are detached from one another.
  • "Roland Wycherley Stand" - East stand, named after the present chairman; includes the club's hospitality facilities, the changing rooms, club offices and club shop. Blocks 1−7. Capacity 2,741.[11]
  • "Salop Leisure Stand" - South stand, named after a local business sponsor. Houses the new safe-standing section of the ground. Blocks 8−12. Capacity 1,955.[11]
  • "DM Recruitment Stand" - North stand - the away supporters' stand; also has stadium control room and scoreboard, resulting in fewer seats than the South stand. Blocks 20−24. Capacity 1,796.[11]
  • "The Assist Group Stand" - West stand, named after a local company. Blocks 13−19. Capacity 3,317.[11]
Expansion and developments[edit]

After the first nine seasons hosted at New Meadow, the average attendance for first-team league matches stood at 5,612, approximately 57% of capacity (see table below), with no confirmed prospect of stadium expansion in the foreseeable future as of July 2016.

In September 2014, Shrewsbury drew Chelsea at home in the fourth round of the League Cup. With the club anticipating a high demand for tickets, C.E.O. Matt Williams proposed that temporary seating could be erected in the corners between the existing stands. In order to maintain segregation between home and away supporters, and to allow access for emergency vehicles, the proposals were later reduced to two temporary stands at the South (home) end of the ground,[12] With match tickets selling out on their first day of general sale, the club confirmed the plans on 13 October 2014, which temporarily raised the capacity of New Meadow to 10,361.[13]

Subsequent developments on the stadium site include 5G 5-a-side and 7-a-side pitches currently operated by Powerleague,[14] and a community centre run by "Shrewsbury Town in the Community" which opened on land behind the South stand in 2016.[15] A memorial garden area to remember fans, staff and players who have died was also relocated near the entrance to the stadium in the same year.[16] Shropshire Football Association are also based at New Meadow, with their county office located in a building at the rear of the South stand.[17]

The food retailer Lidl submitted plans to build a supermarket at the stadium site in May 2016, however this was partly reliant on the local council agreeing to move land earmarked for community use at the North end of the ground to another part of the site.[18] Planning permission for the Lidl development and a new community pitch was approved in April 2017, with building work due to begin the following month.[19]

Things to do in Shrewsbury.