Their eighteenth-place finish in 2007–08 meant it was their fifth consecutive season League Two.

Paul Simpson, starting his first full season as Shrewsbury Town manager, made six permanent summer signings.

They finished seventh in the table, and after beating Bury in the play-off semi-final, they lost 1–0 to Gillingham in the final at Wembley Stadium.

Shrewsbury lost in their opening round matches in both the 2008–09 FA Cup and the League Cup, and were eliminated in the Southern section semi-final of the Football League Trophy.

32 players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition, and there were 17 different goalscorers.