Shrews looking to conjure up same bounce at Blues

Birmingham City top scorer Jay Stansfield scored in Blues' trip to Oteley Road in November - but still ended up on the losing side

It was League One's shock result of the season... 23 November... Bottom club Shrewsbury Town 3 Top of the table Birmingham City 2.

'The new manager bounce' of Gareth Ainsworth right royally did the trick as the Shrews stunned the Blues.

Chris Davies's expensively assembled side have only lost three times in 36 league games this season - and that one, that bad day at Oteley Road, stands out by far of the three.

But, four months on, in the very week when the ambitious Ainsworth abuptly exited Shropshire for Kent as colourfully as he had arrived, comes the chance of the only possible result this season that would be an even bigger shock. Another Shrewsbury victory. Top against bottom again.

And this time the double-seeking leaders and EFL Trophy finalists have the home advantage of a 29,000 packed house.

Even a man as experienced as new Shrewsbury boss Michael Appleton knows that his team will be travelling to St Andrew's on Saturday with little more than hope that the same 'new manager bounce' can somehow conjure up even more magic.

"They're 19 games unbeaten at home in the league," he told BBC Radio Shropshire. "They've won all their last eight there.

"The players know it's going to be difficult but, at the same time, they're quite excited about it."

Birmingham City's Chris Davies (left) is in his first season as a soccer boss, while new Shrewsbury head coach Michael Appleton has previously managed at eight different clubs

"Everyone feels a bit sore and let down and I get that," Appleton added. "But the past is the past and I've always been very much one who likes to look forward.

"We've had a good couple of days. And one of the things I have said to the players is that I want them to feel comfortable with being uncomfortable."

Shrewsbury are 14 points adrift of safety, with only 27 more points to play for. In the worst-case scenario, they could be relegated as soon as 5 April - eight days before Blues go to Wembley.

"There are moments over the coming weeks that are going to be difficult," said Appleton at Friday's first public press conference since taking on the job for the last nine games of this season.

"But I want them to embrace it and almost enjoy it. That's going to be the case over the next nine games."

He added: "It's ridiculous of me to expect the players to immediately perform at once the way my three or four previous clubs have performed.

"Without boring everyone and coming out with cliches, it has to be taken game by game, just try to pick up as many points as we can and perform better with every game.

"Birmingham are going to have a lot of the ball. And we're going to have be strong and resolute. But we will have our moments. And we just have to go there and try to put a smile on one or two faces."

Blues boss Davies told BBC Radio WM. "We should be feeling positive, but we haven't achieved anything yet.

"And you have to respect the opposition. You can't just stroll out on to a pitch and expect to win any game.

"The good thing for us in that respect is that we are playing Shrewsbury again and we can remember what happened to us last time.

"It's very similar circumstances. It's the first game after an international break, they have a new manager having his first game in charge, and we paid the price for not being ready.

"But we're at home, we have our atmosphere, and, like we've said before every game this season, we have to go after them."

In that respect, Davies is happy to have top scorer Jay Stansfield fit, despite the 22-year-old pulling out of England Under-21 duty on Monday night.

Influential midfielder Paik Seung-ho is not certain to play after having to go off 38 minutes into South Korea's 1-1 home World Cup qualifier against Oman last Thursday night.

"It's not something that's going to keep him out for a long time," Davies said.

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

Chris Davies was talking to BBC Radio WM's Chris Coles.