Steve Cotterill: Shrewsbury Town manager may not return this season

Steve Cotterill was appointed Shrewsbury Town manager on 27 November

Shrewsbury Town chief executive Brian Caldwell admits there is a strong chance that manager Steve Cotterill may not return properly to work again before next season.

Exactly three months on from Cotterill testing positive for Covid-19, Town have now played 20 matches without their manager in attendance.

There is still hope that he might be fit to attend a home game this season.

But Caldwell told BBC Radio Shropshire: "Steve's health has to come first."

He added: "There is a possibility that he might come back and watch a game before the end of the season, but we don't want to put any timescales on it.

"If it's next season that he returns to Shrewsbury, then it's next season.

"It's been a long road to recovery for him and the most important thing is that he comes back next season fit and well."

Since first testing positive for Covid-19 on 15 January, Cotterill has spent a month in hospital near his Bristol home with Covid pneumonia, followed by a further two weeks hospitalised in March.

Steve Cotterill's year so far . . .

• 15 Jan - Tests positive for Covid-19

• 18 Jan - Admitted to hospital

• 16 Feb - Leaves hospital

• 22 Feb - Begins working from home, via Zoom

• 1 March - Readmitted to hospital

• 15 March - Leaves hospital again

In between times, while allowing his number two Aaron Wilbraham to manage the day-to-day running of the playing staff, he has tried to remain as hands-on as he can, while working from home, via telephones and Zoom calls.

But working too hard was the cause of his March relapse - and Caldwell is keen to avoid another one.

Shrewsbury have won just seven of the 20 games they have faced without Cotterill - compared to just one defeat in nine matches after taking over following Sam Ricketts' sacking on 27 November.

But their League One safety is all but assured. They are 10 points clear of danger with only seven games left (five of which are at home) before their season is due to end on 9 May.

And Caldwell insists that it is now just about Cotterill coming back to the club when he feels the time is right.

"Anyone who knows Steve knows he's 100 mph," added Caldwell. "It's difficult to get him to calm down.

"It's great for him to speak to the players before a game and at half-time and then after the game too. It gives him a goal too.

"But, to be honest, from Steve's point of view, he's making small steps of recovery.

"He realises that, having been in hospital for a second time, he's having to be very cautious.

"It's really important that he only comes back when he's fully fit and well."

Shrewsbury's final seven games

Shrewsbury chief executive Brian Caldwell was talking to BBC Shropshire sports editor James Bond