Ex-Wolves man with 115 appearances joins League One strugglers as under-pressure boss makes plea to fans

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho claims his players should be excited about what they could achieve in the closing weeks of the season. The league leaders boast a five point gap over second place Derby and a six point lead over Bolton as they chase promotion to the Championship.

Mousinho’s men face a host of challenging tests in the coming weeks which include trips to promotion rivals Peterborough and Bolton, along with home clashes against Barnsley and Derby County.

This weekend’s round of fixtures promises to play a crucial role at both the top and the bottom of the league table. With that in mind we have rounded up all of the main headlines from League One.

Ex-Wolves man completes move to League One strugglers after five-year stint in the MLS

Shrewsbury Town have confirmed the signing of Jack Price on a short-term deal until the end of the season.  The 31-year-old is a product of the Wolves academy who made 115 appearances for the team between 2011 and 2018, with the bulk of those coming at Championship level.

Price has since gone on to impress in the MLS with Colorado Rapids, and has racked up over 123 appearances - earning the club’s MVP award in four out of his five seasons. The experienced midfielder is renowned for his free kick and corner ability and notably beat David Beckham’s MLS record for the most set piece assists in a single season.

This trait could prove to be key to Shrewsbury’s hopes of survival, but Price will have to work to return to full fitness after only recently recovering from a ruptured achilles.

Manager Hurst commented: “Jack is coming back from a long-term injury but we believe his quality could play a part for us in our remaining games. He’s been out for a long time. He is not suddenly going to be playing 90 minutes. But whether he is starting, or more likely coming off the bench, the quality Jack has can help us.”

Oxford United boss urges fans to back the team after recent slump

In the early months of the season, Oxford United were one of the frontrunners for promotion, but the departure of former boss Liam Manning has led to a downturn in form.

Current Oxford boss Des Buckingham has so far managed just eight victories from his first 26 games in the dugout, in a run which has seen his side fall out of the play-off places down to eighth.

The U’s are still within touching distance of the play-offs with just one point separating them and Stevenage, but fans are concerned after a run of two wins from 12 matches, including a demoralising 5-0 defeat to Bolton in their last match.

Buckingham is determined to turn his side’s fortunes around and has urged supporters to stick by the team during a difficult period. He told BBC Radio Oxford: “We have to shake this result off very quickly. Look at what we are, what we’re doing and where we’ll be at the end of the season. Stick with us, it’s important we stay together.”

Oxford take on relegation strugglers Port Vale, who are on a 12 game winless streak and remain without a victory under new boss Darren Moore.