On-loan Blues right-back Josh Emmanuel’s Rotherham United face prospective new Town manager Paul Hurst’s Shrewsbury in this afternoon’s League One play-off final at Wembley (Sky Sports Football, 2.30pm).

Emmanuel has enjoyed an impressive campaign with the Millers and carried off their Young Player of the Season award.

While the 20-year-old’s main focus will be helping his loan side to return to the Championship at the first attempt, the Londoner may also have one eye on making an impression on Shrews boss Hurst, who is expected to be his manager by the time he returns to Suffolk for the start of pre-season at the end of June.

Town will hold formal talks with the 43-year-old and his club in the week ahead having kept their distance during the Shropshire side’s play-off endeavours.

However, it’s long been understood that they have been given a strong indication that negotiations will progress positively whatever the outcome of Sunday's final and barring a late hitch Hurst seems set to be named Town manager later this week.

Those talks with Blues owner Marcus Evans seem unlikely to take place face to face with Hurst, who is understood to be on a rolling contract at Shrewsbury, flying to Dubai for a delayed family holiday on Monday.

“I think I might struggle to get on the plane if it goes well!” the former Ilkeston, Boston and Grimsby boss told the Shropshire Star.

“I know some managers have not had a holiday before, but I think it’s needed. Every experienced manager I’ve spoke with said you 100 per cent go on holiday.

“I’m certainly going to take that advice. You need it. It’ll be just over a four-week turnaround [before pre-season] for us. It’s no time at all.

“It’s my decision but I’ve sacrificed quite a lot of family time over the course of season and since joining.

“But I’ve changed the holiday once, I genuinely didn’t think we’d be involved in the play-offs. I think I should’ve been going on holiday on Wednesday. It’s the same holiday but it’s cost me more money! Of course, I’d take it.”

Once he returns from to the UK Hurst will continue an LMA Football Diploma course prior to the start of pre-season, whether that’s at Montgomery Waters Meadow or, as seems likely, Portman Road.

Hurst wants his team, who finished third in League One, to write themselves into Shrewsbury folklore this afternoon by winning promotion into Championship, a level at which they last played in 1988/89.

“It would be great for that team,” he added. “If we were successful I’m sure you’d see pictures that would be in place here for many, many years.

“If I’m still here and came back and visited in 20 years' time, I’d like to think the chances are you’d see memories from that day. There may be some from [the play-off semi-final victory over] Charlton, I don’t know.

“There may be some from the Checkatrade [Trophy, in which they lost to Lincoln in the final at Wembley], but that won’t sit as proudly compared to winning promotion.”

Hurst remains the odds-on favourite to take over at Town at 2-1 odds-on with Bet Victor, while Tim Sherwood, who was among those interviewed by Evans, is now the second favourite at 9-4 but having slipped from 6-4 yesterday.

Chris Coleman is at 12-1 and Mark Warburton, Frank Lampard and Tony Mowbray 16-1, while Scott Parker is at 25-1 along with Simon Grayson, George Burley, Graham Potter, John McGreal, Paul Cook, Shefki Kuqi and Alan Pardew. Of those, only Lampard and Parker are believed to have been among those interviewed.

Elsewhere, Hurst was yesterday reported to be in Barnsley’s thoughts as they look for a new manager having sacked Jose Morais following their relegation to League One.

However, former Peterborough boss Grant McCann is the 2-1 odds-on favourite to take over at Oakwell with Hurst seventh in the betting at 20-1.

Photo: Action Images

runningout added 09:51 - May 27 and if Hursts interview isn't a good one.. ???
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12th_Man added 09:53 - May 27 What happens if Shrewsbury win and Hurst stays
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runningout added 10:00 - May 27 I'm as clueless as our club seems
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alfromcol added 10:03 - May 27 Just seen Bart outside the Liver Building in Liverpool!!!
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CavendishBlue added 10:04 - May 27 Agent Emmanuel wins it for Rotherham and steals Hurst for us....you heard it here first....
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leftie1972 added 10:38 - May 27 Good luck Josh!
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Kropotkin123 added 10:49 - May 27 He'll want to play well to impress his new boss
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Churchmans78 added 10:54 - May 27 I hope Josh gives Paul good reason to come to PR
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 10:54 - May 27 Sherwood looms again. Oh dear!
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Dissboyitfc added 11:00 - May 27 Come on Rotherham is what i say!
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 11:08 - May 27 As an Ipswich and Shrewsbury fan I'm a bit torn today,odd situation. I hope Shrewsbury win but if they do I fear we will miss out on Hurst
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dirtydingusmagee added 11:35 - May 27 well ,reading it likes its a done deal, [not a good thing].There will be a great deal of wailing and gnashing of teeth if we don't get Hurst now. Personally although I would go with Hurst if appointed I do tend to think [and worry a little] that Hurst is already being hailed as our messiah ,without really having achieved anything at Championship level ,hope it dosnt prove to be a bridge too far. Anyway we will soon know our fate as regards as who will be manager. Will be interesting week I think .

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Palestine added 11:52 - May 27 Wow, this article is VERY confident this in the bag. Let's hope so! Apart from the fact that it might mess up the deal I actually would want the Shrews to win...
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Mark added 11:52 - May 27 Hurst is flying to Dubai on holiday tomorrow?! So Evans will interview him over the phone, when others had two face-to-face interviews? That seems an odd process, but if that's how it is I don't mind so long as we get him. Losing out on Hurst would be rather painful, and for that reason I would be glad to see Rotherham win today to increase our chances of getting him.
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tags added 12:17 - May 27 Wasn't there another person interviewed twice who really impressed but mysteriously no one knows the identity? By all accounts he hasn't even interviewed Hurst. Im hoping Mr Evans has diverted everyone away from the real target.
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Ploarbear1 added 12:20 - May 27 Haven't looked forward to League 1 playoff before...anxious to get Hurst through the door!! Hoping for positive news this week.
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dirtydingusmagee added 12:33 - May 27 surely he cant be taken on over the phone ! unless he has already talked with ME , which seems odd. Certainly the fact that nobody has yet been appointed indicates that ME is set on and confident of getting Hurst. May be no announcement now till Hurst has returned from Holiday.'' Funny old game ''. Alfromcol please don't talk that one up, lol.
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itfcserbia added 13:07 - May 27 I don't see why some people think Hurst would rather stay at Shrewsbury if they win promotion. Surely we can offer more than Shrewsbury. I'm far more afraid that Rotheram would take Emmanuel off us if they win promotion to Championship. So, here's to Shrews' win today and having both Emmanuel and Hurst here for next season.
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itfcserbia added 13:09 - May 27 And regarding the interview with Hurst - like it's a problem for Evans to pop over to Dubai and close the deal. Come on. :)
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shortmarine1969 added 13:26 - May 27 or Face time , video conferencing is easy enough as well ,
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tractorboybig added 14:05 - May 27 Ironic.... if Ipswich had not been so keen to cash in on moore then shrewsbury would also be facing that divisions by now top scorer??????? If shrewsbury win and hurst is this super guy most here seem to adjulate, then surely he would stay at shrewsbury//// just a thought.
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ricardo55555 added 14:11 - May 27 ShropshireBluenago In exactly the same position being an Ipswich and Shrewsbury fan but do want Shrewsbury to Win as I'm pretty confident well get Hurst either way
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jas0999 added 14:19 - May 27 So, we haven't had a manager in place since Mick left - what, 6 or 7 weeks. Now, our potential new manager won't be here for a couple as he will rightly be on holiday. All seems very odd to me.
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The_Great_Cornholio added 14:25 - May 27 Marcus Evans will have a shock if he tries to use either FaceTime or Skype whilst Hurst is in Dubai as they are both blocked. The UAE have unblocked an app called BotIM which is notoriously unreliable. Let hope someone buys him a plane ticket out to seal the deal!
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Seasider added 14:43 - May 27 Not long to wait now folks hopefully,as pre season only month away ! Hurst is entitled to a holiday for goodness sake,even if he hadn't done so well with Shrewsbury ! Still a lot of names mentioned above except Steijn. If we don't secure Mr Hurst's signature,then there are plenty more to choose from. However,I wouldn't want any of Sherwood Coleman,Warburton,McGreal,Kuqi or Pardew,and out of Lamps and Parker would prefer the former.Think a lot of fans agree with me. Its a gamble to a certain extent whoever we get.It's just like unlike Hurst,most of the others have failed somewhere,apart from John McGreal who has kept Col U comfortably in League 2;but has rarely looked like gettiing them out of that division,and former players Parker and Lampard.who are just starting out.

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