Bread and Loaf bakery in Castle Gates has produced the FA Cob, to celebrate Shrewsbury Town’s FA Cup draw with Manchester United. 

The fifth-round FA Cup clash with Premiership giant Manchester United will take place on 22 February. Baker Martin Priddy’s celebratory FA Cob is a yeasted football-shaped white loaf, flavoured with Shropshire Blue cheese for ‘the shrews’, who play in blue, and red pepper for Man U, who play in red, both seasoned with red chilli to add spice.

Priddy said: “We thought it would be a bit of fun and a way of showing our support for the blues. Not since 1990 has Shrewsbury Town got to this stage in the competition and we wanted to mark this achievement.

“We truly believe the blues can pull this off. They’re going to be no push-over and will be giving Manchester United everything they’ve got.”

The FA Cob, baked using organic flour from Shipton Mill, in Gloucestershire, gets its shape from rising in a round banneton proving basket, before being scored to look like a football and baked in the oven.

The match will be the town’s first-ever competitive match against 11-time cup winner Manchester United.