https://www.shrewsburytown.com/news/201 ... -sold-out/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;FA Cup tie sells out
Tickets have now sold out for our Emirates FA Cup clash against West Ham United on Sunday 7th January.
The remaining tickets went on general sale yesterday (Wednesday 3rd January) and were quickly snapped up after priority had been given to Season Ticket holders, Fan Card holders and supporters with loyalty points.
The club are starting a waiting list for tickets in case of any returns and if you would like to join that waiting list you should email tickets@shrewsburytown.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Shrewsbury Town CEO Brian Caldwell is delighted that the game will be a full house.
“I’m really pleased that we have sold-out for the game against West Ham”, said Brian.
“It is an exciting cup tie against a Premier League side and it’s great that our fans have really got behind it.
“The game is live on BBC One as well, so it is a great opportunity to show off Shrewsbury Town in a good light across the country and having a full crowd will look good on the TV cameras.
“Paul’s team have done brilliantly this season, so who knows what could happen, but most importantly it will be a great occasion for everyone connected with Shrewsbury Town Football Club.”
Paul Hurst Pre West Ham United
https://www.shrewsburytown.com/news/201 ... am-united/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;Shrewsbury Town boss Paul Hurst has called on his players to be ‘positive’ when they take on West Ham in the Third Round of the Emirates FA Cup on Sunday.
A full house will attend the Montgomery Waters Meadow to see League One’s second-placed side take on Premier League opposition.
Town have exceeded expectations already this season with their form in the league Paul admits that the game could be seen as a ‘free hit’.
“I don’t really like that phrase, but in a lot of ways it is,” Hurst told ShrewsWeb.
“We aren’t all going to go home and think that’s the end of the road and our season’s over if we lose against West Ham on Sunday, so I want us to try and be as positive as possible, but with it in mind that we are playing against higher quality players and if we leave too many gaps the chances are we will get exploited.
“At the same time, we are at home and I think all the cup upsets that I can remember start off with the underdogs trying to take the game to the fancied team. I don’t want to become a team that sit back and then a lucky clearance goes over the goalkeepers head and wins the game.
“I want us to really try and be on the front foot and ask questions, but we know there will be large parts of the game where West Ham will dominate possession and that’s when we need to be in a good shape, have a focus and have a concentration about us.”
Hurst is well aware that the game has been chosen by the BBC with an upset in mind, but he feels that could make it even more difficult.
“They think there’s a possibility of an upset don’t they”, admitted Paul.
“That’s not lost on myself, but I think it makes it slightly more difficult if anything because that won’t be lost on West Ham. If I was David Moyes’ shoes I would be saying to my players that the TV cameras are here for one thing and one thing only, so it doesn’t happen today.
“From that point of view I think it make things a little bit trickier and maybe reduces the odds of it happening, but it’s happened in the past to teams and we just want to see if we can be the story of the weekend and cause that upset.”
A busy Premier League schedule could see David Moyes rest one or two players for the FA Cup game, but Paul expects them to be very strong regardless.
“I think it might be alright still”, joked Hurst.
“Even if it is some younger players that haven’t cut their teeth yet play they should still have some quality about them and I can’t think for one minute that David Moyes would send a team out that he doesn’t think is capable of beating us.
“Professional pride and the desire to win are all going to be there still, so yes there might be some names that we aren’t as familiar with, but I still think there will be some very good players on show and ones that will no doubt punish us if we aren’t on our game.”
The difficulty of the game isn’t lost on Paul and he feels his players will need to defend well to give themselves a chance of getting a positive result.
“I think we’ve not got to be overawed first and foremost by the occasion”, Paul said.
“We can’t stand and be in awe of the players in front of us if there are some well-known names out there. We’ve got to be positive in our mind-set, we’ve got to stay focussed and concentrate in terms of the team shape and defensively.
“Touchwood, we’ve been very good defensively this year and not really given too much away, certainly not glaringly at least, so from that point of view we’ve got to make sure we’re not making any really basic errors and if we do all of that and try and get on the ball ourselves then I think we’ve got players that on their day can cause problems for them.”
Mat Sadler Pre West Ham United
https://www.shrewsburytown.com/news/201 ... am-united/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;Shrewsbury Town Club Captain Mat Sadler has admitted that he is excited at the prospect of taking on West Ham on Sunday.
The third round tie will be live on BBC One and pits high flying Town against Premier League opposition.
Mat admits that the main focus remains the League One campaign, but he is looking forward to the occasion.
“It is a really exciting game”, said Sadler
“We haven’t been thinking about it up until now purely because of how big the league games have been and that without question being our main priority, but it’s a game we are really looking forward to.
“We are looking forward to seeing the stadium full, we are looking forward to seeing the addition of BBC cameras and most of all we are just looking forward to the next game and we want to put on a good show.”
Tickets for the game sold out on Thursday and Sadler is looking forward to playing in front of a full house.
“Hopefully this is the first of many big games this season”, said Mat.
“I’m chuffed to bits that the grounds going to be full. Hopefully, that will then continue the attendance increases that have been happening and will culminate with us hopefully doing well and full houses here every week.”
West Ham’s busy fixture schedule may mean that they rest some players for Sunday’s game, but Mat knows how tough it will be and believes the Shrewsbury players will have to be at their best.
“In some respects it is a free hit because the league is our priority and we make no bones about that, but this is the next game that we want to try and win”, Sadler said.
“Whoever plays, they are in their squad for a reason. They have got vast budgets that they use and people on significantly higher wages that ourselves and for that reason you expect them to be a better calibre of player.
“It’s up to us to prove that’s wrong and hopefully give the fans something to really sink their teeth into and to really get behind us for. There’s no point us having 8,000 of our own fans here and selling out the ground if we don’t put on a show ourselves, so that is what we are looking to do.”