Future of Salop players depends on mentality - Cowan

Gavin Cowan left Brackley Town in the National League to take over at Shrewsbury Town in January [Getty Images] Shrewsbury Town head coach Gavin Cowan says the future of players at the League Two club will depend on them showing more of a winning attitude in the light of Tuesday's 2-1 defeat by leaders Bromley. Victory would have put Salop within one point of all-but mathematically guaranteeing their place in the fourth tier next season after being only two points clear of trouble when Cowan was appointed at the end of January. Bradley Ihionvien's sixth-minute goal had put Town in front against the Ravens before strikes from Marcus Ifill and Kyle Cameron either side of half-time completed Bromley's comeback.

Cowan, who won six of his first nine games in charge to propel Shrewsbury towards safety, was not happy with some of his players' mentality against Bromley, having previously warned them not to "check out" thinking they were safe. "I just got a bit of a sense maybe there's some in there that would come away [losing] 2-1 to top of the league and [think] maybe that's acceptable. For me it's not," he told BBC Radio Shropshire.

"If people want to play at this football club next year, they need to show a little bit more bravery, a bit more courage and we need to have more of a winning mentality. "I understand it's a really difficult place to come, it's a big ask, top of the league. I know where the lads were when we came in [to the club] but we've moved forward, we've had some success.

" Not done until it's done - Shrewsbury boss Cowan Shrewsbury squad 'must not mentally check out' 'We're not safe yet' - Shrewsbury skipper Boyle Cowan's immediate impact at Salop - where five of his first six wins came in row - earned him the manager of the month award in February and he said he is determined to change the feeling around the club after last season's relegation from League One and their struggles in the first half of this term. "I don't want this culture around a football club that we're getting used to losing," he said. "It needs to change.