Shrewsbury appoint National League boss as new head coach after sacking Michael Appleton

Shrewsbury Town have quickly made the decision to appoint National League boss Gavin Cowan as new head coach after sacking Michael Appleton.

The former AFC Telford United manager had a spell playing for the Salop 20 years ago. Former Town favourite Dave Edwards will be his assistant, supported by Jamie Haynes.

Salop sacked head coach Michael Appleton with the club currently placed 21st in League Two. Appleton’s side had won just one league game in their last eleven and are two points above the drop zone.

🚨 Shrewsbury Town are delighted to appoint Gavin Cowan as head coach, following agreement of a compensation package with Brackley.

Club favourite Dave Edwards joins as joint assistant head coach, alongside Gavin’s long-time number two & former Salop youth player Jamie Haynes.

— Shrewsbury Town FC (@shrewsburytown) January 29, 2026

Michael Appleton fumes at ‘unfair’ stoppage-time penalty decision in defeat to Cambridge

CLUB STATEMENT:

Shrewsbury Town can confirm head coach Michael Appleton and his assistant Richard O’Donnell have left the club by mutual consent.

Michael and Richard have conducted themselves with professionalism and integrity since arriving in Shropshire in March last year.

We would like to thank them both for all their hard work during their time at the football club. We wish them the best of luck for the future.

Shrewsbury are delighted to announce the appointment of Gavin Cowan as head coach, following the agreement of a compensation package with Brackley Town

Joining Gavin as part of Salop’s new-look management team is club favourite Dave Edwards, who will take on the role of joint assistant head coach.

He will be supported by Jamie Haynes – Gavin’s long-term number two and a former Shrewsbury Town youth-team player.

A former Salop defender, Gavin began his managerial career at AFC Telford United, where he defied the odds to guide the Bucks to the brink of the National League North play-offs. He also took them to the semi-final of the FA Trophy.

The boss then moved to Brackley Town, leading The Saints into the National League North play-offs in his first season.

That was followed by a historic campaign in which Gavin guided Brackley to the National League North title, securing the club’s first-ever promotion to the National League.

Gavin also enjoyed an outstanding FA Cup campaign with The Saints that saw him lead them to the second round of the competition – beating Notts County on the way.

This season, despite operating as one of only a handful of part-time teams at that level, Brackley currently sit in mid-table.

Gavin said: “It’s an honour and a privilege to be Shrewsbury Town’s head coach.

“The last few days have been a whirlwind, but I’m incredibly excited about the challenge ahead and the opportunity to represent this special football club once again.

“Whenever I’ve been successful in the past, it’s been by uniting the fans, the hierarchy and the players.

“That is what I’m determined to do here. We all need to be together. But I promise, we will build a football club to really make you proud.

“Working alongside Dave Edwards and Jamie Haynes gives me huge confidence – Jamie has been with me for 17 years and is outstanding in everything he does, while Dave’s knowledge, passion and love for the club speak for themselves.

“The three of us have an immense desire to see this football club do well, both on the pitch and in the community.

“We are determined to deliver success.

Club Statement: Gavin Cowan.

Brackley Town Football Club has accepted the resignation of manager Gavin Cowan.

Chairman Matt Wise said, “We thank Gavin for his commitment and work at the club and wish him well in his next endeavour.”https://t.co/CXHulOA1xe#WeAreBrackley 🔴⚪️

— Brackley Town FC (@BrackleyTownFC) January 29, 2026

BRACKLEY STATEMENT:

Brackley Town has accepted the resignation of manager Gavin Cowan.

After three successful seasons at the club, leading the team into the National League for the first time, Gavin Cowan has resigned as first team manager with immediate effect. Assistant manager Jamie Haynes has also departed with the club in 15th place in the National League.

Chairman Matt Wise said, “We thank Gavin for his commitment and work at the club and wish him well in his next endeavour. The priority at the club now is to recruit a new manager. A unity and a togetherness have always been strengths at our club. I urge all supporters to come together and to get behind the team in these coming weeks.”

Just days before resigning, Cowan said Brackley ‘had to look after ourselves’ after a much-changed team suffered a 5-2 National League Cup quarter-final defeat at Boreham Wood on Tuesday night.

He told the club’s media: “From our perspective it was a little bit of round pegs in square holes. I think we prioritised minutes for players as opposed to maybe progressing in the tournament.

“We have been really respectful of the competition, we have seen a lot of value in it, going back to Manchester United game and so on, it has been brilliant.

“But at this stage of the season the league becomes the priority for us, so we just felt minutes for players we might have to call upon at some point takes priority.

“We didn’t anticipate that Boreham Wood would go so strong, which they did, and they were paritcularly impressive at times.

“But I am really happy with the second-half performance, I thought we had a lot more snap in our press.

“Like I said, we have been very respectful of the competition, and we were tonight, but we just felt we had to look after ourselves a little bit.

“We played all of our squad players, a couple of players out of position, and it was really valuable for us, even though as soon as we saw their starting line-up it was going to be a tough test.”

Asked if he had enjoyed the National League Cup as a competition, Cowan added: “I really see the value in it, even in this game, as we are a part-time team so we haven’t seen the lads since Saturday.

“Boreham Wood will have had the luxury of coming in as they are full-time, which is great for them, but I have been able to have a trialist (Okera Simmonds) in for the game and I thought he did really well when he came on for half an hour.

“We don’t get the opportunity to do that, we can’t do 11v11 in training very often, we can’t really sacrifice the current players’ time with trialists and bringing them in to have a look at them.

“So hopefully that changes in the future, going into next year, but the competition has been really valuable for us, and we have been able to look at a number of players that we have been able to register for a short period of time and give them an opportunity.

“The lad did himself no harm on Tuesday, and it was really valuable for us.”

Looking towards their trip to Sutton this Saturday, which he now won;’t be in charge of, he said: “We will be a little bit more like ourselves.

“I felt we were a bit fatigued against Hartlepool last Saturday, having played three games in seven days, and obviously the trip to Truro in midweek and getting back at 4am.

“But we have spoken to the players about making sure we are back to our best, have a snap in our press, being aggressive, being at top speed, so that is what we will be looking to do.”

Here’s how fans reacted as Shrewsbury appoint National League boss as their new head coach after sacking Michael Appleton…

@blees877: I thought things couldn’t get much worse but clearly they can…

@janepittaway777: Its a gamble thats for sure but can they do any worse ‘yeh no, yeh no’ ? Irrespective of the decision that has been made every single supporter needs to get behind the new coaches and the squad #salop 💙🧡

@jontifree: Wishing them all the very best of luck. Gav is a motivator, which on the surface appeared to be desperately lacking previously. A brave move from both the club and from Gav. I really hope it works.

@hughhayward: Telford away next year be tasty

@stfchewitt: For a club that has no money, to be paying off yet another manager and then paying compensation to Brackley mind boggling! I hope this works out! Like that Dave Edward’s is involved!

@BH2thecliffe: Haa this is hilarious. Just when you thought our club couldn’t get more of a joke. April fools? RW needs to go.

@willthomas67: Fuck me. I love Dave and Gav but this is a massive Hail Mary from Roland. I pray to god this works out.

@georgestfc: horrendous appointment sorry. we’re down.

@realguysmith: Thank you Gavin for all your hard work during your time with us and for helping us get promoted into the NL. Good luck to Gaz, presumably, for Saturday. Andy Whing, Darren Moore next boss?

@bobbycameron0: Thank you for everything Gavin. Right time to move on while we’re in a good position. Best of luck at Shrewsbury

@JamieSe76621350: Gavin has done a remarkable job at the club. When you consider the mess Johnson left it in when he came in. Just the timing is such a concern given the relegation 6 pointer at the weekend!

@ShaffnerCameron: Absolutely gutted. What a job he’s done – not many managers nowadays get to choose when they leave & on good terms. Gaz & Ali Worby in as interim? I would go for Andy Whing long term.