RICHARD HOPE is treating Sunday's derby against former club Shrewsbury no different to any other game.

Hope made 78 league starts in two seasons at Gay Meadow and there was an element of surprise among the Shropshire club's supporters that the 29-year-old centre-back was not offered a new contract in the summer.

Shrewsbury, led out by captain Hope, had just been beaten 3-1 by Bristol Rovers at Wembley in last season's League Two play-off but he was allowed to move on.

Wrexham quickly stepped in to sign Hope on a three-year deal and he is more focused on helping the Reds improve their lowly position than concerned about facing his former club.

"Obviously a lot has been made of Shrewsbury being my old club but it is work as usual," said Hope today. "We are desperate for three points and we are going all out to achieve that.

"Times change in football. I had two good years at Shrewsbury and have some great memories. I will never forget some of those days and my fondest memory in football is the final at Wembley.

"The feedback from Shrewsbury supporters was that they were surprised I was allowed to go. I don't think they expected that after reaching the final and me being captain.

"But there was no contract offer and I am happy to be here. I am 100 per cent behind Wrexham and all my thoughts are with this club.

"The only people I want to please are the Wrexham fans, my team-mates and staff.

"If Shrewsbury fans boo, they boo. If they cheer, they cheer. The reception I get does not bother me. Times change, you move on and I am 100 per cent committed to Wrexham."

In the two seasons he spent at Shrewsbury, Hope was in the side on the two occasions the Shropshire club recorded victories over Wrexham at The Racecourse.

Determined to help lead his new club to a change in fortunes in the fixture, skipper Hope also knows second from bottom Wrexham need to start picking up three points.

"I know Wrexham's main derby is against Chester, but this is Shrewsbury's biggest game of the season," said Hope. "Their fans will do their bit and get the players up for it like in previous years, whereas we want the reverse result.

"I had a couple of wins with Shrewsbury in this fixture but am looking to put that bed and help get Wrexham the three points to get out of the bottom two.

"It is a derby but we will treat it like any other game and play with the same attitude. We are desperate for points and that overwhelms the fact it is a derby."

Wrexham have lost their last three matches and have been beaten in nine of their 12 League Two outings this term.

Hope admitted that Wrexham have under-performed for manager Brian Carey who has been put under increasing pressure by the poor run of results.

But Hope said the Reds are still confident that they can turn the corner, adding: "We are not on the best run and have had a bit of bad luck but we know the capabilities in the squad." he said.

"It is frustrating for the manager and the players, and we know we have only shown what we are capable of in dribs and drabs. It has not been the greatest start but even though we are in the bottom two, there is still a lot of confidence, and we know what each other can do.

"We are all pushing in one direction and know we have to cut the errors out that have costs us points.

"It all comes down to the gaffer but we are the ones on the pitch, and if there is anyone to blame for the lacklustre results it is the 11 players out there.

"We have had a couple of games that should have been draws but we threw it away. We have to be more responsible and help each other out on the pitch."

A Wrexham side drew 1-1 with a Liverpool XI yesterday.

Matty Done scored the Wrexham goal while Ryan Valentine, Juan Ugarte and Andy Fleming continued their comebacks from injury.