Former Portsmouth boss Steve Cotterill to miss Shrewsbury's Cup trip to Southampton as he recovers from coronavirus

The 56-year-old is still recovering from Covid-19 after testing positive for the virus.

He is one of around 20 cases reported in the Shrews camp since the turn of the year, with the League One outfit out of action after beating Blackpool on December 29.

Players returned to training today following their enforced break, but Cotterill was not present as he continues his recuperation.

He will therefore not be present at St Mary’s, with assistant boss Aaron Wilbraham and interim first-team coach Dave Longwell taking charge in his absence.

Shrewsbury’s league game with Lincoln (tomorrow) – managed by his Fratton Park successor, Michael Appeton, who also tested positive for coronavirus this month – has already been called off.

Cotterill has been in charge at Greenhous Meadow since November.

He was named the Sky Bet League manager of the month for December after Shrewsbury went the entire month unbeaten in the division – moving up from 23rd place in the table, where they were four points from safety, to 17th and five points clear of the drop zone.

The former Blues boss failed to take charge of a south-coast derby during his time at Fratton Park between June 2010 and October 2011.