Graham Turner predicts a Shrewsbury FA Cup giant-killing against Wolves
Former Wolves and Shrewsbury boss Graham Turner believes Town’s appetite for FA Cup success could bring on a giant-killing tomorrow.
Turner was Shrews player-manager 40 years ago when the clubs met in the FA Cup quarter-final and thinks their hunger for the Cup could be the difference this time round.
The 71-year-old later managed his boyhood club Wolves, leading them to successive promotions and the Sherpa Van Trophy in his eight years at Molineux.
Sam Ricketts and Nuno Espirito Santo lock horns at a sell-out Montgomery Waters Meadow tomorrow, with Salop tasked with turning the tables on Premier League Wolves, some 54 places higher in the pyramid than their hosts.
And Turner reckons Wolves could have bigger fish to fry. He said: “I look at Wolves, they’re going well in the Premier League, can they get a Europa League place, every game in the Premier League is a massive game.
“For Shrewsbury, struggling at the wrong end of the table, it will mean more than it means for Wolves.
“Wolves will go back and it’s another big league game, then another and another.
“The Cup is quickly forgotten.
“For Shrewsbury you don’t want the continued fight against the bottom places – you want the boost of a good Cup game and result to give everyone confidence to get away from the foot of the table.
“I think it means more to Shrewsbury.”
Legendary boss Turner masterminded Town on more Cup runs in the early 1980s.
He added: “A lot will depend how Wolves treat it. There’s a possibility that they don’t put out a full-strength team.
“What you want from the day and the atmosphere – from a supporters’ point of view – is for the game to be close
.”
