ShrewsWeb broke the news at lunchtime that Paul Simpson had been appointed as the clubs new manager.

Shortly afterwards Paul was introduced to the waiting media by Town chairman Roland Wycherley and Managing Director Rob Bickerton.

After it had all calmed down a little ShrewsWeb sat down with Paul to see what had brought him to the club: "I think the ambition of the football club is a thing that makes it very attractive.

"It is a wonderful stadium and what we have to now try and do is put out a football team that fills the stadium and starts to get a run of positive results."

Paul has played against Shrewsbury on a number of occasions and was manager of Carlisle when the two clubs met. We wondered if he knew much about the current Town set-up: "I must admit I don't know a hell of a lot about the club but I'm sure I'll pick it up very quickly.

"It's a squad that I think has got some decent footballers and is something to work with.

"I won't make any bones about it that I will be assessing the squad between now and the end of the season. That gives me a head start on things and if I feel change needs to made then I will do that.

"It is a case of everyone pulling in the same direction and putting a team out that is worthy of the stadium."

The current Town squad is a young one which shows a lot of potential throughout. Paul is aware of the squad and has worked with some of the players before but the focus now is to pick up points until the end of the season: "There are some good footballers here but only a couple who I have worked with before, Kelvin Langmead, Marc Tierney and Dave Hibbert three decent young footballers

"We need to add to that and make it better as for whatever reason the club isn't in as strong a league position as it would want to be.

"We need to start picking up points quickly as the tally of points over the recent run of games is poor and we need to make sure that gets better, firstly to guarantee that we stay in this league and secondly something to build on for next year."

Paul inherits a backroom staff that includes John McMahon, Stuart Delaney and Joe Hinnigan but he has no plans to change this: "Without a doubt I want to work with the staff who are already here, I don't know much about them but I have come across them in my footballing career.

"I am the sort of person who will treat people as I find them and if they are right with me I will be right with them.

"Hopefully we can all get on together and I have no plans to be changing the existing staff.

"There are a couple of things we need to look at because at present I believe there is no scouting network in place. We need to make sure that is there as recruitment is a major part of taking the club forward."

With the new stadium in place Town Chairman Roland Wycherley has built a facility that deserves to be seen in a much higher league. He and Rob Bickerton have spoken about their ambitions for the club and Paul's ambition matches theirs: "That is something that came across very clearly in the conversations I had with the chairman, Rob and Keith last Wednesday.

"They are ambitious; the want to take the club forward and what we have to do is build on all of the hard work that has been put in to put the club where it is now.

"We've got to make sure we are in a stronger position come the end of the season and build something that will make the Town fans want to come into this stadium.

"With the fans help we can take the club forward and we have to get them through the turnstiles because being selfish the more that come means the bigger a budget I have to work with on players."

Town's new manager took in last night's Town v Darlington game and he was impressed with what he saw, but was more impressed by the support that came out in such atrocious conditions: "I was very impressed by what I saw last night and to get over 4,500 turn out in such horrendous weather conditions shows there is the support here.

"The club has averaged around 5,500 for the season which is in the top three in the league and that shows the support, and it would be even better if we could get more coming through.

"If we could get 6-7,000 fans coming in each week it makes it easier for me if I need the finances to strengthen.

"We can all play a part together as I know from experience as a coach, player, manager and as a supporter that it's much easier when a club is winning things and achieving a level of success."

Having been in charge of Carlisle and then Preston North End Paul has had success in League 2 and in the Championship. Some might see the move to Shrewsbury Town as a step down but Paul doesn't agree and it looking forward to the challenge:"I see it as the next part of my career.

"I've managed football clubs in the Conference, League 2 and in the Championship and it's the challenge that I am looking for.

"I lost my job at Preston because of mistakes that were made by me and also things that influenced the football club and I accept that is part and parcel of football.

"What I want to do is move on, I've learnt a lot in my time in all of my jobs and that will hopefully make me a better person and manager and hopefully Shrewsbury Town will benefit from that."

One thing that has impressed the new manager have been the facilities already in place at the club, ones that he thinks wouldn't be out of place in any club outside the Premiership: "It is a very good set-up and it's obvious things have been done properly and that can be a real bug bear for managers and coaches everywhere.

"It's about having facilities to work on and here we have the pitches at the stadium, the Powerleague courts, the training ground, the set-up for the Centre of Excellent, all things that I need to have a look at and work out what is the best way to use those.

"There are definitely facilities in place that I feel can help the football club to go forward."