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Shrewsbury Town have appointed Michael Appleton as their new head coach until the end of the season.

The 49-year-old former Manchester United midfielder replaces Gareth Ainsworth, who left to take over at League Two side Gillingham.

This will be the eighth appointment of Appleton's 14-year managerial career after spells at Portsmouth, Blackpool, Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City, Lincoln City, Oxford United, where he earned his first promotion, and Charlton Athletic.

He will work with assistant head coach Richard O'Donnell, who was also with him at Lincoln, Blackpool and Charlton.

Town director of football Micky Moore said: "It's been a difficult seven days.

"But once Gareth Ainsworth made the decision to leave, it was important we acted quickly to find the right man to guide us through the remainder of the season.

"I know the past few days have been difficult for supporters. Nobody likes confusion and uncertainty. But hopefully now, by making this quick appointment, we can all get behind Michael and Richard for the remaining nine games of the season."

Ainsworth was only in charge for four months, winning five and losing 12 of his 22 games.

Shrewsbury are 14 points from safety with nine games left.

Appleton's first game will be at League One leaders Birmingham City on Saturday, just as Ainsworth's was in November, when the bottom club stunned the table toppers to win 3-2.

Making his first public comments since his appointment, talking to the Kent club's in-house media team, he also revealed that the first contact with the Gills began long before he arrived in Shropshire in November.

"The last week has been crazy," he said. "Coming here was a huge decision.

"Last summer Gillingham approached me and [assistant] Richard Dobson when we were both out of work.

"We held out for something that didn't happen.

"It's a move that excites me because there's a plan in place for the next two seasons.

"And the bonus of living at home is big. Being away from home has been tough for me."

[themaclad]

Now Potted

[themaclad]

Shrewsbury Town have parted company with head coach Michael Appleton with the club two points outside the relegation zone in League Two.

Tuesday's 1-0 defeat by promotion-chasing Cambridge United was their sixth in their past seven games in the league and followed Saturday's 5-1 hammering by MK Dons.

Shrewsbury's only win in their past 11 league matches was their 1-0 victory over relegation rivals Harrogate Town on 17 January.

Former Blackpool, Oxford and Lincoln boss Appleton leaves after less than a year in charge and with the club uncomfortably close to the drop with 19 games remaining.

Appleton's assistant Richard O'Donnell has also left.

In a statement,, external the club said: "Michael and Richard have conducted themselves with professionalism and integrity since arriving in Shropshire in March last year.

"We would like to thank them both for all their hard work during their time at the football club. We wish them the best of luck for the future."

The club added the process of appointing a new head coach was already under way.

Shrewsbury sign Wolves' Ojinnaka on loan

Appleton's departure brings an end to a difficult spell in charge that began when the 50-year-old was brought in on a short-term basis last March after the shock exit of Gareth Ainsworth to Gillingham, with Town 14 points from safety in League One.

Despite not being able to reverse the club's inexorable slide to relegation, Appleton signed a two-year deal in May and was confident the club could recover and have a decent shot at being in the mix for promotion this term.

But that never materialised, with only one win in their first 11 League Two games setting the tone for another tough campaign, their first in the fourth tier for a decade.

After successfully negotiating two pressurised ties against non-league sides in the first two rounds of the FA Cup, hopes that a run in the competition might ignite their season were ruthlessly ended by a 6-1 thrashing in the third round against Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers.

With only four more league victories in their past 16 games, the club are now fighting to preserve their Football League status.

There is no doubt Appleton's 10 months at Croud Meadow coincided with a turbulent period on and off the field.

Ainsworth's sudden exit to Kent after four months in charge left Town reeling, miles from from safety in League One with nine games left, and Appleton with a near-impossible job to keep them up.

After a summer rebuilding the squad for life in League Two, director of football Micky Moore left three games into the season and has not been replaced, with the club now moving on without anyone in that role.

Added to that shift in direction, the ongoing search for new owners drags on following the collapse of two takeover deals in six months.

Owner and chairman Roland Wycherley, celebrating 30 years at the helm in 2026, is still hopeful the club can be sold, but, for now, the more pressing search is for a fifth head coach in two and a half years.


Michael Appleton knew when he became the Shrewsbury head coach that he was going into a tough job.

Previous high-calibre managers with proven track records like Paul Hurst and Gareth Ainsworth struggled to stem the run of losses which ultimately led to relegation from League One, with that downward momentum continuing in League Two.

All three worked under director of football Micky Moore, up until his departure just weeks into the new season.

By that stage Moore had already been a big influence, managing last summer's poor recruitment campaign.

Appleton's win ratio doesn't look good but he will argue that this current transfer window is his first where only he controls who he signs. His staunchest allies will say that he probably needed three transfer windows to assemble a squad fit enough to wear the blue and amber. Sadly, many managers aren't afforded that time these days.

He signed six players in January and the majority look good additions.

But, it's not ideal having to conduct major surgery to a squad not entirely of his own choosing last summer, whilst embroiled in a relegation battle.

Ultimately, time ran out.

The risk of falling out of the Football League has prompted Shrewsbury to act.

Time will tell if the change works, or whether the least risky option was in fact to stick with Appleton.