Appleton keen to stay longer at Shrewsbury

Michael Appleton's only point so far in his four games as Shrewsbury Town boss came in a battling 0-0 draw at promotion-chasing Wycombe Wanderers

Shrewsbury Town boss Michael Appleton says he is keen to stay beyond the end of the season despite the League One bottom club's imminent relegation.

Town will be relegated back to League Two for the first time in 10 years with, four games left, if they fail to win at Appleton's former club Lincoln City on Saturday.

But, although only appointed for the final nine games of this season, after Gareth Ainsworth walked out to go to Gillingham, and with Town having only picked up one point out of a possible 12, Appleton has seen enough to sense that he and Shrewsbury can be a good long-term fit.

He is due to hold further talks next week with director of football Micky Moore and chairman Roland Wycherley about the way forward for him and the Shropshire club.

Appleton said: "It's one of them where when you're in a role and, rightly or wrongly, you start talking about next season. Even though my contract doesn't suggest that's the case, it's just a natural. It's what you do."

He told BBC Radio Shropshire: "You just start planning and thinking 'right, okay, if we got him here, we could do this and I could change this'. So, those types of conversations, quite openly, I've been having with Mick and the staff daily anyway.

"Now, whether that happens or not, obviously, is yet to be seen. But we're due to sit down next week, I think it's Tuesday, to discuss what potentially could happen. It's something that hopefully will be a positive discussion.

"When I first came in, the first interview, it had been a while. As an individual, you've got to find out if that fire's still burning, that passion. What I have found out is that it's burning more than ever.

"I love being on the grass, that's what I do best. But I've enjoyed the other side of it, trying to build and shape the team in a different way. The feedback I've been getting from players, staff and fans has been positive."

Appleton on his health scare at Lincoln

Appleton has had short spells with both Blackpool and Charlton Athletic since he left Saturday's opponents Lincoln in May 2022.

But it was when he was at Sincil Bank he got diagnosed with testicular cancer after leading the Imps to the League One play-off final in May 2021.

He recalled: "I could feel pain, went to the GP and spoke to the club doctor. After getting scanned, very quickly they were keen to do something about it because they didn't like what they saw.

"I got diagnosed with testicular cancer in the May and had the operation just after the Wembley play-off final.

"I was very lucky that we got it dealt with but the thing I did which I probably shouldn't have done was come back too quickly. I was supposed to have a couple of months off but I was back in work 10 days later.

"It was a difficult period as we had a young child as well. It does put a lot of things into perspective.

"I was alright, weirdly. I'm guessing it's always worse for the people who you love you, rather than actually you, yourself. I found it quite easy to compartmentalise it."

'I'm a lot less angry now'

Appleton is now three years into his five-year remission target and keen to continue his recovery and work towards the future - hopefully at up-for-sale Shrewsbury.

"I'm three years in now," he said. "We had a little scare about 12 months ago from a prostate point of view but it turned out to be an infection.

"I've got an assessment in a couple of weeks' time for bloods. Touch wood I've not been too bad so far."

He also maintains that it has helped change his managerial style.

"Personally, stepping away from football now, I'm able to look at things a bit differently," he added.

"I struggled at times before to park it and put it behind me but now it's easier. I'm a lot less angry.

"There's a few staff and players where there's a few fridges that might have got broken accidentally from being over enthusiastic, whereas now I pick my moments."

Shrewsbury boss Michael Appleton was talking to BBC Radio Shropshire's Nick Southall