Town defender insists promotion is up for grabs

Shrewsbury Town have transformed themselves from battling it out at the wrong end last season to set the division alight with an unbeaten start and nine wins from their opening 12 games.

Fleetwood have won six of their opening 11 games and lie ninth with Eastham anticipating another season of cheer at Highbury as they look to build on last weekend’s 2-1 win at Plymouth Argyle with another three points against his old club Rochdale today.

He said: “I think (Shrewsbury’s start) sums the league up.

“I don’t think there is any one standout, runaway, team.

“Last season we looked at it and we thought Sheffield United and Bolton were the standout candidates for the league and then the play-off spots behind that could have been four from any of 12 teams.

“This season I think it is a real mixed bag. I think it is important that we can look at that and think, so far, we have been a bit up and down with results but there is nothing to worry about because a lot of teams are in the same boat at this stage of the season.

“We know that if we can turn things around within the next couple of weeks and stick to winning football then we can have a really good season.

“We are still finding our feet. I look at our squad and I think we can have a hell of a season if we are mentally right on it from game day.

“The staff here have the experience and the knowledge; they know how to be successful and with a young squad, if you can buy into that – really take everything in – you can have a good season.”