Shrewsbury Town have rolled out a 15% wider pitch at Croud Meadow ahead of the new season, and manager Gavin Cowan is convinced the extra space will help his young, athletic squad play a more expansive style.
What changed at Croud Meadow?
The enlarged pitch was first used on Tuesday night as Salop beat Everton Under-21s 3-1 in pre-season. Cowan admitted he had no chance to tweak the dimensions while fighting to keep Town in League Two last season, but once survival was secured, plans were fast-tracked for the new campaign.
Why the bigger pitch matters for Shrewsbury
Cowan insists the new surface is noticeably larger than before. “You might be sitting up there thinking it’s a little bit smaller, but those dimensions are a lot bigger than what they were,” he told reporters. “We feel like we’ve got a group that wants to play expansive football at the right times.”
Shrewsbury finished 19th in League Two last season with 49 points from 46 games, conceding 69 goals and scoring 42. Their recent form reads LLDWL, and they lost their last two matches, including a 1-0 defeat at Gillingham on 2 May 2026.
How the squad reacted to the new pitch
Cowan praised the ground staff for delivering a surface that let his players express themselves. “We’ve played three games on two pitches that have been really poor,” he said. “When you’ve played on poor surfaces, you look at our pitch and how well the guys have done. The lads were just in their element.”
He also highlighted the contrast with training-ground conditions. “It’s like this at the training ground as well. We’re really lucky to have excellent ground staff. The players loved it.”
What comes next for Salop?
Cowan stressed that expansive football must be earned first. “I’m all for playing good football, but you have to go out there and earn the right to do so,” he said. “That’s the plan: go out, earn the right, then get into the rhythm of playing well.”
Shrewsbury kick off their League Two campaign on 9 August 2026 against Forest Green Rovers.
