You have to battle on...football can be a way out
SHREWS SKIPPER SEES HOPE AFTER PERSONAL TRAGEDY AND NATION’S STRUGGLE WITH COVID
OLLIE NORBURN is dreaming of an FA Cup fairy tale after a year of heartache.
The Shrewsbury captain, fiancee Lucy and daughter Lilly were rocked by tragedy in September with the passing of newborn son Louie.
He tweeted at the time: “The first and last time I held my son. No words to describe the pain right now.”
Tonight the League One midfielder will lead Shrewsbury out at Premier League Southampton dreaming of an upset and a fourth-round home tie against Arsenal on Saturday.
It is the Shrews’ first match of the year after a Covid outbreak and, asked if he was due a fairytale win, Norburn said: “It would be good for me and great for the club and the lads too.
“It has been a weird year with a few difficulties and problems. You have to overcome things in life and battle on. It is in my DNA.
“Football is a way out and when it stops it is not good. It has been a tough year but it has been a tough year for everybody. Let’s hope 2021 is a bit better. Southampton will be a special night.
“It is our first game in 2021 and hopefully we can get off to a good start. We are the underdogs and we quite like that.”
Town’s original trip to the South Coast was postponed after the outbreak in their ranks.
It floored manager Steve Cotterill, 56, who remains in a Bristol hospital after spending the weekend in intensive care. Several players also had the virus but returned to training four days ago after 10 days self-isolating.
Norburn, who tested negative, said: “The most important thing is that everyone is safe.
“We know the situation the gaffer is in. He is not well. But we now have to try to carry on everything he has implemented.”
Norburn has been in touch with Cotterill on behalf of the squad. Assistant Aaron Wilbraham will be in charge tonight.
Norburn said: “I dropped the gaffer a message over the weekend to say we were thinking of him and hopefully he has a speedy recovery.”