WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
We catch up with Shrewsbury Town’s 1993-94 Division Three champions
DEAN SPINK was Shrewsbury Town’s leading scorer as they won only their second ever piece of Football League silverware.
The Shrews, admitted to the Football League in 1950, had only previously won the Third Division title in 1979. Their other promotions in 1958 and 1975 were achieved without finishing top.
The club had a history of cup giant-killing but it was their league exploits that took centre-stage under new manager Fred Davies.
He was in his first season as manager after replacing his previous boss John Bond.
Davies had European experience with Cardiff City as a player and had spent 11 years between the sticks with Wolves before joining Bond in management.
Shrewsbury didn’t plan on losing their opening three games, including a 6-1 hammering at the hands of Preston North End.
But Spink says that it didn’t take Davies long to sort out the problems and they soon started to move in the right direction.
“We had a poor start, but then we seemed to start working together – we got together as a team.
“We started to pick up re- sults and suddenly we turned into a strong team.
“Fred Davies gave confidence to a lot of players. He gave the players permission to go and express themselves and developed a team spirit.
“Once we got into the swing of things we seemed to be able to turn draws into wins and we soon started to shoot up the league.
“Defensively, we were very strong and we stopped leaking goals.
“That was another big help to us,” he said.
Spink partnered Wayne Clarke, the brother of former Leeds striker Allan, and he reaped the rewards of his best ever return for a season of 18 goals.
Clarke, signed pre-season from Walsall, chipped in with 11 goals and that proved to be the springboard for the success.
From the start of November to the season finale and winning promotion at Scunthorpe, the Shrews only lost two games which propelled them from ninth to top spot.
It helped clinch the Division Three – fourth tier – title by five points from Chester City, who finished just ahead of third-placed Crewe Alexandra.
Spink remembers a game at Wigan Athletic right at the start of the run which saw him score a hat-trick in a 5-2 win.
“Wigan were always a very big and strong team.
“Fred Davies told us to get at them and that gave you loads of confidence as a forward.
“I think the goals I scored that day were pretty straightforward, running onto balls.
“It was great playing alongside Wayne because he had played in a higher division and was very experienced. I think he also got a couple against Wigan.
“It was good to win something. Shrewsbury is a nice club, good fan base. It was a great experience that season,” he added. 5. Dean Spink: The forward helped Shrewsbury reach the FA Cup fifth round and became a physiotherapist with the Shrews and Solihull Moors. Now runs a private practice. 6. James Mulvey: The goalkeeper ran JBS Transport in the West Midlands but is now serving 32 years for his part in a drugs smuggling ring. 7. Paul Edwards: The goalkeeper won a promotion with Crewe. Is now a qualified chartered surveyor and a regional director for the West and Wales for NHBC. 8. Mark Williams: Central defender played for Chesterfield in an FA Cup semi-final. Lives in Marbella and runs a golfing holiday firm after a spell as a player agent. 9. Jason Yates: Is now a director of civil engineering company Highway & Solar Solutions in Telford. 10. John Brough: Central defender who has settled in the West Country and is currently on the coaching staff at Lydney Town. 11. Steve MacKenzie: The England under-21 midfielder scored in an FA Cup final for Man City. Worked in IT and has coached at WBA academy while covering games for the Press Association. 12. Malcolm Musgrove: He remained with the Shrews until retiring in 1998 but took his own life in September 2007 aged 74 after showing early signs of Alzheimer’s. 13. O’Neill Donaldson: The forward lives in his native Birming- ham. Has worked in schools with children with special needs and young offenders. 14. Mark Smith: Winger, after returning to his native Scotland, he ran a car hire business then set up his own sports injury clinic. 15. Nicky Brookman: A midfielder based in Frodsham who has coached at Chester City’s centre of excellence. 16. Paul Evans: The midfielder won promotions with Brentford and Swindon Town and became a sports massage therapist working at Leeds United. 17. Mickey Brown: Midfielder also won a promotion with Preston. Had a spell as Shrewsbury’s fitness coach before working as a personal trainer and a male model. 18. Carl Griffiths: Striker won a promotion with Luton Town. Is now living in Essex where he has managed Brentwood and Aveley, while driving luxury limousines around London. 19. Kevin Seabury: Full-back continues to live in his native Shrewsbury and is a production worker. His grandfather Sam Rogers was a Football League referee. 20. Joe Gallen: The Republic of Ireland under-21 striker has been Kenny Jackett’s assistant at a number of clubs. Is now at Portsmouth. 21. Mark Taylor: Midfielder who won promotion with Walsall. s back in the West Midlands and is working in the NHS as a carer for children with behaviour problems.