Shrewsbury Town begin their 2026/27 competitive campaign with a Carabao Cup first-round tie at Salford City. The fixture marks the start of the new season for both clubs, which shared the spoils across their league meetings last season — Salford claimed a 3-1 victory at the Croud Meadow, while Shrewsbury responded with a win in the reverse fixture in February thanks to goals from Tom Sang and Will Boyle.
Salford head into the season with promotion firmly in their sights after suffering heartbreak in last season's League Two play-off final, where they were beaten by Notts County. The summer has brought significant change at Moor Lane, including a refreshed club identity inspired by Salford's historic colours and the appointment of Australian coach Peter Cklamovski as manager following Karl Robinson's departure.
Cklamovski's appointment and coaching background
Cklamovski begins his first season in charge of Salford after building an impressive coaching CV across Australia and Asia. He worked with Ange Postecoglou's coaching staff, with the pair working together with the Australia national team and at Yokohama F. Marinos, where Cklamovski developed a reputation for an energetic, attack-minded style of football. He took charge of Australia's Under-17 side in 2017 before moving into senior management in Japan, where his teams became known for their high-tempo, front-foot approach. Following an 18-month spell with the Malaysia national team, Cklamovski now takes on his first managerial role in English football.
Key players for Salford
Ben Woodburn, a former Liverpool youngster, remains one of Salford's most creative players. Capped 11 times by Wales, Woodburn joined the Ammies from Preston North End in 2024 and offers quality in possession, excellent vision and a threat from set-pieces.
Macaulay Langstaff arrived as one of League Two's standout summer signings with an outstanding goalscoring record. After prolific spells with Gateshead and Notts County, where he scored 71 goals in 97 league appearances, he spent two seasons with Millwall before returning to the fourth tier.
Dan Udoh, a familiar face for Town supporters, made 181 appearances and scored 38 goals during five seasons with Shrewsbury before joining Wycombe Wanderers. He signed for Salford on transfer deadline day last summer and made an immediate impact, scoring twice on his return to the Croud Meadow, though injuries disrupted the second half of his campaign.