Former Burton Albion defender Paul Hurst has played down speculation linking him with the managerial vacancy at Sheffield Wednesday.

Hurst - who played for the Brewers under Nigel Clough during the 2007-08 Conference campaign - has overseen Shrewsbury Town's unlikely push for promotion to the Championship this season.

After 24 games, the Shrews sit second in the League One table and have lost only three times.

Shrewsbury Town manager Paul Hurst

That form has not gone unnoticed, with Sheffield-born Hurst quickly linked with the Wednesday hotseat following the departure of Carlos Carvalhal on Christmas Eve following the Owls defeat to Middlesbrough.

But the Town boss says there is nothing in the links and is instead focusing on his side's clash with Southend United this weekend.

"I know about the speculation because when the manager was sacked, my wife's phone was going mad - she wondered what was going on," the ex-Albion defender told the Shropshire Star.

"But that's just friends that would like to see me at their hometown football club

"It's a massive club that I would love to see in the Premier League again along with, as much as they're not my team, the other side of Sheffield because it's good for the city.

"But there's nothing in it as far as I'm concerned.

Sheffield Wednesday parted company with Carlos Carvalhal after Saturday's loss to Middlesbrough
Sheffield Wednesday parted company with Carlos Carvalhal after Saturday's loss to Middlesbrough

"I'm certainly fully-focused on going to Southend and getting another result."

At the time of writing on Wednesday, Hurst - who led his Shrewsbury side to a pre-season friendly win over Burton - was 10/1 for the Sheffield Wednesday job with SkyBet.

The Brewers travel to Hillsborough on New Year's Day.