NTFC Season in Review 2012/13: February

Mohsni…Sent off as Cobblers win at Roots Hall

After defeat at one promotion rival, Gillingham, at the end of January, the Cobblers travelled to another at the start of February with Rotherham the destination this time. The Millers were on a three game losing run going into the game but that was ended when Daniel Nardiello’s spot kick was added to by Ben Pringle and David Noble late in the game to give them all three points. Clarke Carlisle got one back in stoppage time for a Cobblers side struggling to find momentum away from Sixfields.

We were still well involved in the running for the top seven despite the back-to-back defeats and Sixfields was starting to become a fortress with Rochdale the next visitors. Clive Platt headed in from a Chris Hackett cross to give the Cobblers the lead but Jason Kennedy had ‘Dale, back on form after the return of Keith Hill as manager a few weeks earlier, on level terms. The scores didn’t remain level for long, though, as Kelvin Langmead grabbed the latest in a line of goals by poking in from close range. With fifteen minutes to go, Chris Hackett was tripped and Bayo Akinfenwa stepped up to seal the points.

There was an interesting sub-plot to the next fixture, away at Southend, with the Shrimpers’ mercurial talent Bilel Mohsni returning to the side for the first time in nine months. The controversial figure was always likely to leave his mark on the game and it proved to be in our favour when he was sent off half an hour in, this after new loan signing Roy O’Donovan had given the Cobblers the lead. There was never going to be a better chance to get back on track away from home for Town but Matty Lund equalised for the ten men mid-way through the second half. We looked to have let a massive chance go until that man Langmead once again headed in a stoppage time goal to nick a crucial victory and we were back in the playoff places having been knocked out of them in midweek thanks to others playing when we didn’t.

Next up was another away day, this time at AFC Wimbledon on a chilly Tuesday night. The game was delayed when the stadium’s lights went out just fifteen minutes before kick-off and when it did get going the Cobblers were slow out of the blocks. Alan Bennett gave the home side the lead as they looked to leap off the foot of the table but after a second half reshuffle by Aidy Boothroyd Town got back into gear and won a penalty through O’Donovan being brought down by veteran keeper Neil Sullivan. Akinfenwa stepped up to coolly slot in the spot kick and to earn a point, though Chris Hackett could easily have won it late on.

Still, four points from two away games was a big improvement and now we had to back it up at Sixfields again with two home games seeing out the month. First up came Plymouth Argyle and in a tight contest, Clive Platt got the only goal after a mistake from Jake Cole allowed him to scramble the ball home.

Bristol Rovers provided the last opposition of February and it was a similar, if more dramatic, story for this one with Town leaving it very, very late to win it through a neatly taken Ben Harding chip which meant that it was seven victories in a row at Sixfields.

With just eleven games to go we were right in the mix for the top three, sitting just a point away from Burton Albion going into the crucial month of March.

League Position (at the end of the month): 4th

Highlight of the month: Another Langmead moment at Southend, scoring the winner in stoppage time.

Lowlight of the month: The only defeat of the month, 3-1 at Rotherham United.

NTFC Season in Review 2012/13: January

Langers…late strike at Southend

2013 kicked off with a home game against Dagenham and Redbridge and the Cobblers would start the new year in style. Abu Ogogo scored an own goal to give us the lead and Chris Hackett had made it two before half-time with a fine finish. Ben Tozer’s long throw resulted in Kelvin Langmead sealing it with a third just after the break and despite a Scott Doe deflected effort at the other end beating Lee Nicholls Town had three points to start the year with.

We were back at Sixfields again four days later with sixth placed Fleetwood Town the visitors. Jake Robinson continued a good run of form by netting a first half brace that gave us another 2-0 half time lead. Clive Platt added a third and just as the week before the visitors got a late consolation, with Jamie Allen firing in for the Cod Army. It was back to back wins, though, for the Cobblers and Sixfields was starting to become a fortress with the beginning of a home run that would be the backbone of a push for promotion.

It was form on the road holding us back, though, and there was no more prime example than a trip to Chesterfield that saw us down and out within twenty five minutes. Marc Richards got his inevitable goals against his former club after Jay O’ Shea had put the Spireites in front and it was game over before we’d even go going with one saving grace that it got no worse than 3-0.

There was better things to come back at home, though, as a patient Cobblers battled to a 1-0 win over fellow playoff chasers Burton Albion with Bayo Akinfenwa’s header from a Tozer throw in enough to take us into the playoff places in League Two.

Snow was playing havoc with the fixture list with the Burton game only getting the go ahead late on and we would play in a complete snow storm at Aldershot the following Tuesday with the famous orange ball getting a run out! Daniel Lopez scored for the hosts after just two minutes but the Cobblers turned things around when Chris Hackett scored from the spot and Clarke Carlisle headed in from a corner. The victory took us momentarily into the top three with a promotion challenge now a genuine possibility.

The final game of January was a tough one, though, at high flying Gillingham and Town succumbed to goals at the start and end of the game by Cody McDonald and Myles Weston. That win took the Gills back to the top of League Two whilst the Cobblers dropped to fourth place, though it had been an excellent month for the club.

League Position (at the end of the month): 4th

Highlight of the month: The snowy win at Aldershot.

Lowlight of the month: The 3-0 first half collapse at Chesterfield.

NTFC Season in Review 2012/13: December

Duffy…late goal for Rubies

As December began, the Cobblers appeared to be putting last season’s relegation battle well and truly behind them and we found ourselves fighting for position at the right end of the table.

The month began poorly though with a disappointing exit from the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy at home to League One Leyton Orient thanks to three second half goals in quick succession of one another. David Mooney’s brace knocked the stuffing out of us and then Michael Symes wrapped things up for the O’s with a penalty fifteen minutes from time. Orient would go on to reach the area Final before losing out to Southend United.

Back in League Two and it looked like Town were on the way to getting right back on track when we took a two goal lead against high flying Cheltenham at Sixfields. Bayo Akinfenwa opened the scoring before Billy Jones’ own goal made it two within fifteen minutes. But the Rubies fought back and Darren Carter’s close range effort halved the deficit. Chris Zebroski headed in from a Jones cross to level things up before half-time and with ten minutes to go Darryl Duffy, on as a late sub for Zebroski, slotted in the winner to complete a memorable turn around for his side.

One of the key turning points of the season came next as the Cobblers travelled to Torquay United. Former Cobbler Ryan Jarvis put the Gulls in front and it looked like it was to be four defeats in a row for Aidy Boothroyd’s men until Kelvin Langmead scrambled in a last minute equaliser to earn his side a much needed point.

Because of postponements, the home game with Aldershot Town ended up being the final game that the Cobblers played in 2012 and the year was to end on a high as goals from Jake Robinson and an injury time second from Clive Platt earned a solid 2-0 win that built on the momentum of the point at Plainmoor.

As 2013 beckoned, we were still battling in the top half of the table and were creeping that bit closer to the playoff places with just two places and one point separating us from the top seven.

League Position (at the end of the month): 9th

Highlight of the month: Langer’s injury time leveller at Torquay – a massive moment in the season.

Lowlight of the month: Cheltenham coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Sixfields.

NTFC Season in Review 2012/13: November

Moult…winning a place in the first team

It had been a tough month of October so November needed to be one where we kicked on again but it wouldn’t be easy with injuries mounting and youngsters being given a place in the starting line-up on a more regular basis.

Alex Nicholls had just had his season ended during the home game with Port Vale but Louis Moult continued his claims to take his place up front as he notched the equaliser in the opening game of the month against Bradford City in the FA Cup First Round. Will Atkinson had given the Bantams the lead but Moult got on the end of a Danny East cross to head home and earn a replay.

A trip to York City was up next and it was all going downhill when Matty Blair gave the hosts the lead and then Moult was sent off for a lunge on Chris Smith. But Bayo Akinfenwa saved the day, and a point, for the Cobblers in the second half, pouncing on a mistake from City keeper Michael Ingham to hand us a point.

There followed one of the more memorable games of the season at Accrington Stanley and for Akinfenwa it would be one to treasure. The big man put Town in front but goals from George Miller and Rommy Boco turned the game in Stanley’s favour. The Cobblers weren’t done yet, though, and substitute Jake Robinson – having just returned from a loan spell at Luton Town – levelled before Bayo’s big moments came. He headed home an Emyr Huws cross to make it 3-2 and then scrambled in his third of the game to seal a first ever career hat-trick. The header for 3-2 was something of sheer beauty and the victory gave the team a much needed boost in a busy period.

The Bradford replay the following Tuesday was full of drama with the Cobblers fielding a notably youthful side featuring the likes of Lewis Hornby, Lewis Wilson and, later, Ivan Toney. Will Atkinson, scorer at Sixfields in the first game, put his side in front again but Ishmel Demontagnac equalised before the break. In the final minute of normal time, Bradford won a penalty and Nahki Wells looked certain to have put his side in the Second Round by scoring it but the Cobblers went straight up the other end to make it 2-2 through Clive Platt which sent the game to extra time. Kelvin Langmead produced a moment of magic from distance with ten minutes of extra time to go but Town couldn’t quite hold on, succumbing to a Carl McHugh header in the dying seconds which took it to penalties. That was all we had left in the tank and Langmead missed the crucial spot kick to send Bradford through but it was a magnificent effort from the young Cobblers side.

Back to league action and Wycombe Wanderers were next up at Sixfields. It was to be another good home performance as Bayo scored twice, one a penalty, before Chris Hackett made it 3-0. Wycombe grabbed one back through a spot kick of their own, converted by Joel Grant, but Town had done enough to seal an important three points.

There was another good chance for more points a few days later with Morecambe in town and the Cobblers duly obliged with another comfortable victory. It took until the 56^th minute for us to get off the mark but it was Bayo who was on target once more with a header from a Ben Tozer throw in – a combination that was yielding plenty of goals already. Kevin Ellison headed into his own net from another Tozer throw before Ishmel Demontagnac’s late free kick put the seal on a 3-0 win.

After two good home win it was back to the road for the final game of the month at Oxford United. James Constable had the home side in front early on with a simple tap in and they could have had more in the first half. Clive Platt looked to have given the Cobblers a point with a goal fifteen minutes from time but John-Paul Pittman arrowed in his first goal in ten months to edge us out at the Kassam Stadium.

It had been a busy but reasonably successful month for the Cobblers who were now back in the top half and into the top ten thanks to some improving form as Christmas approached.

League Position (at the end of the month): 10th

Highlight of the month: Bayo’s hat-trick, particularly the diving header, at Accrington.

Lowlight of the month: The FA Cup penalty shoot-out defeat at Bradford.

NTFC Season in Review 2012/13: October

Nicholls…horror injury in October

The Cobblers would kick off October by suffering back to back defeats for the first time in the season.

First up, a home game against runaway leaders Gillingham saw us come up short as the Gills continued their 100% away record by winning 2-1 at Sixfields. Deon Burton got on the end of a long ball from keeper Staurt Nelson to put the Gills in front before Jack Payne made it 2-0 with a long range effort. Bayo Akinfenwa scored from a Ben Tozer throw in but there was to be no late fight back.

A trip to struggling Bristol Rovers followed with the Gas going into the game having not won at home all season. That was soon to change as Rovers took advantage of Anthony Charles’ red card for the Cobblers to go on and comfortably win the game thanks to three second half goals. Tom Eaves got the ball rolling before Garry Kenneth made it two shortly after. Bayo got one back with fifteen minutes to go with a carbon copy of his goal against Gillingham but Oliver Norburn headed in the crucial third for the home side.

There was a brighter moment the following Tuesday night when Town put Colchester United out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. The League One side took the lead in the first half with Freddy Sears volleying in past Dean Snedker in the Cobblers goal. But second half goals from Bayo (from the spot) and loanee Henoc Mukendi, with a glancing header, turned it around and we were in the hat for the next round.

Back in the league and there was some catching up to do with Exeter City in town. After two defeats in a row in League Two there was a big emphasis on getting back to winning ways and we did it emphatically. Akinfenwa volleyed in to open the scoring and Kelvin Langmead made it 2-0 before half time. The Grecians threatened to get back into it briefly after the break but Chris Hackett’s free kick was headed in by Alex Nicholls for the cherry on the cake late on.

Next up was the dreaded fixture away at Barnet and with the Bees without a win all season and with Edgar Davids making his first appearance as player/manager this one was always going to go one way. Davids captained his new side to a 4-0 demolition of Town with Krystian Pearce, Andrew Yiadom, John Oster and Anthony Edgar on the score sheet on another dire outing at Underhill to add to a long line of Barnet nightmares!

Bradford were next up at Sixfields and if Aidy Boothroyd was looking for a reaction after the Barnet debacle he certainly didn’t get it as Nahki Wells got his obligatory goal against us to nick it for the Bantams.

The final game of the month, at home to Port Vale, saw an agonising and season changing incident involved Alex Nicholls steal the headlines. Nicholls raced onto a back pass and rounded City keeper Chris Neal to put the Cobblers in front but just as he put the ball in the net Vale defender John McCombe clattered into him and broke his leg, ending Nicholls’ season in the process. There was a fifteen minute delay as Nicholls was taken away in an ambulance and some unsavoury scenes of Vale fans abusing Nicholls as he lay on the floor didn’t help matters. Nicholls’ team mates went on to win the game 2-0 (McCombe was sent off for the challenge) with his replacement Louis Moult finishing well for the second goal but all thoughts on that day were with the striker who had, until that point, led the club’s scoring charts and contributed a major part to some of the early season successes.

The Cobblers ended the month in the bottom half and needed a big month of November to get back in the running.

League Position (at the end of the month): 14th

Highlight of the month: The 3-0 home win over Exeter City.

Lowlight of the month: Nicholls’ injury and all that came with it.

NTFC Season in Review 2012/13: September

Robinson…wonder goal against MK

After an unbeaten start to the league season, the Cobblers were brought down to earth at Plymouth Argyle in the opening match of September. Alex Nicholls scored the latest in a run of goals to give the Cobblers the lead but Warren Feeney headed in an equaliser just after half-time. Argyle then took complete control and were in front soon after when Rhys Griffiths side footed home. Curtis Nelson’s header made it 3-1 and despite a late consolation from Dave Artell the Cobblers went home with nothing.

The following Tuesday night saw MK Dons come to town for the First Round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and it was to be a platform for Jake Robinson to finally score his first goal for Town, over a year after signing on. His stunning long range effort settled the contest but Robinson was then shipped out on loan to Luton Town a couple of days later!

The real Wimbledon were the next visitors to Sixfields a few days later and the Cobblers again came out on top. Nicholls was on target yet again on the hour mark when he got on the end of a Bayo Akinfenwa through ball to fire in on the hour mark and Chris Hackett’s superb solo goal, seeing him beat two defenders on a winding run before slotting in, sealed a good victory that lifted us into eighth place in the early standings.

A trip to Fleetwood was always going to be a tough examination of the early good form and it got even harder when loan defender Danny East was sent off for the Cobblers on the half hour mark. It looked like we had held out for a solid point but Andy Mangan’s injury time header dramatically won it for the Cod Army in a defeat that was more than a little harsh on the battling ten men.

There was a quick chance to put things right, however, on the following Tuesday at Dagenham and Redbridge and the Cobblers duly obliged with a scrappy 1-0 win thanks to Bayo Akinfenwa’s bullet header from a Chris Hackett corner mid-way through the second half.

Next up was a home game against in form Chesterfield and despite good chances at both ends it ended in a stalemate that the visitors could arguably have won on another day. Jack Lester hit the crossbar in the best effort of a close contest but both sides had to settle for a point.

The final game of September saw the Cobblers travel to Burton Albion and it would be a much more dramatic affair. Calvin Zola put the Brewers in front early on before a Kelvin Langmead own goal made it 2-0 and the game looked dead in the water. But Langmead went up the other end to score almost immediately and Dave Artell scrambled in the leveller. Zander Diamond put the hosts back in front with ten minutes to go but there was still time for Town to pull it back again when Alex Nicholls scored one of the goals of the season with a wonderful chip to grab a point with seven minutes to play.

It was a hectic month but one that took the Cobblers back into the mid-table clutch of teams, though with so few games played we were still just a couple of points away from the top few sides.

League Position (at the end of the month): 13th

Highlight of the month: Jake Robinson’s wonder goal against the Dons.

Lowlight of the month: The stoppage time sinker at Fleetwood.

NTFC Season in Review 2012/13: August

Nicholls…on fire early on

While the transfer window clicks into action, players decide their futures and contracts are discussed, it’s a good time to have a look back on the season just gone…one of Sixfields joy, away day trauma and of unexpected conclusions. It all started back in August when the eventual Championship title winners were beaten at Sixfields…

August

The Cobblers kicked off the 2012/13 campaign in a less traditional way than the usual curtain raisers of football seasons. The League Cup began before the league season got under way so the first fixture of the new season would come against Championship side Cardiff City at Sixfields – a stern test for the new crop of Town players.

Aidy Boothroyd had been busy in the transfer market over the summer, releasing many of Gary Johnson’s signings and bringing in his own squad to try and erase memories of another close call the previous season in terms of battling the drop. Michael Jacobs had departed to Derby County whilst the likes of Arron Davies (Exeter), Lewis Young (Yeovil) and Byron Webster (Also Yeovil) were also allowed to leave. Coming in the other way were the likes of Clive Platt, Dave Artell, Ishmel Demontagnac, Alex Nicholls, Chris Hackett and Joe Widdowson whilst Lee Nicholls signed on a season long loan from Wigan Athletic.

Dean Snedker was in goal for the opening game of the season, though, with Widdowson, Artell, Hackett, Platt and Alex Nicholls all starting against the new look Cardiff side who had changed their first choice kit to red over the summer as they began a season that would end in promotion to the Premier League. Heidar Helguson put the visitors in front from the spot early on but Artell marked his debut with the equaliser, heading in before half-time. Alex Nicholls won it for the Cobblers with his own header, beating former Peterborough man Joe Lewis in the Cardiff goal just after the break to send Town through to Round Two.

The first league game of the season came at Spotland with recently relegated Rochdale looking to begin their fight to return to League One at the first attempt. Clive Platt went closest for the Cobblers but both sides cancelled each other out in a goalless draw that reflected a positive start for Aidy Boothroyd’s men.

Hackett…making a mark

Back at Sixfields and a quick fire home double header was up next, starting with Steve Evans bringing his new Rotherham side to town. Chris Hackett struck a superb volley in for the opening goal mid-way through the first half but Ben Pringle equalised for the Millers thanks to a big deflection that beat Lee Nicholls just before half-time. It was to be end to end stuff in the second half and it was the Cobblers who nicked it late on thanks to a well taken Alex Nicholls goal after the striker latched on to the end of a flowing move involving Hackett and Platt.

A few days later and Southend United were battling to a dramatic draw at Sixfields with all six goals in a thriller coming in the second half. Britt Assombalonga put the Shrimpers in front before Bayo Akinfenwa scored his first goal of the season to level it up shortly after. Kane Ferdinand made it 2-1 to Southend before Dave Artell scoring his second of the campaign after a mistake from visiting keeper Cameron Belford and Alex Nicholls headed in with four minutes to go with a goal that looked to have won it for Town. But Ryan Cresswell’s header earned his side their first point of the season and denied the Cobblers deep into injury time.

The final game of August saw Wolverhampton Wanderers knock us out of the League Cup at Sixfields. Clive Platt had equalised Danny Batth’s early goal but Frank Nouble put the Championship side back in front in first half stoppage time. A debut goal from Bakary Sako made the win complete right at the death.

That was to be the only black mark against the first month of the season, though, with Town collecting five points from some tough fixtures as well as beating the eventual Championship title winners along the way. It made a change to start pretty positively and we would take an unbeaten league run into September…

League Position (at the end of the month): 9th

Highlight of the month: Making Steve Evans’ frown that bit larger by beating Rotherham at Sixfields

Lowlight of the month: League cup exit and Southend’s late, late equaliser

Retirements, retained lists and releases…

Bayo – will we ever know what his celebration was all about?

So we’re just under a week removed from Wembley and already the wheels are well and truly in motion for next season with some big decisions made on the retained list. Over the last few days there’s been one or two surprises, some very expected goodbyes and even some early signatures gained for Aidy Boothroyd’s 2013/14 squad.

The biggest news of all, met by very differing opinions all of this Interweb is that Bayo Akinfenwa was one of seven players released at the end of their contracts with the club. The others, Jake Robinson, Paul Turbull, Nana, Louis Moult, John Johnson and Lewis Wilson, wouldn’t have made too many of us flinch though I personally would have liked to see Moult given another season after he showed spots of real potential around November time.

But Bayo is of course the big one and he will leave huge boots and arguably an even bigger shirt to fill. Whatever you think of the big man the one thing that can’t be debated is the giant hole he leaves in the dressing room in terms of a personality, a voice and a central figure. On the pitch, he did tail off in 2013 goals wise but at Wembley on the biggest stage of all (plus in the semi-finals) he appeared back to his best. Boothroyd had a decision to make and he’s taken it ruthlessly. Mrs Akinfenwa certainly had something to say about the exclusion from the starting line-up after the final defeat: (1 min 40 in)

(Also, at around 36 second in, you can see the thoughts of two honorary Cobblers, Jamie and Mark, who I made the journey to Wembley with. I was unavailable for comment at the time due to severe glumness.)

Will this now mean a change of tactic from the start of next season or will we be expecting another beast through the door any time soon? Time will tell but I expect the latter with the likes of Torquay’s Rene Howe being talked about. I can’t see the Wembley defeat in itself having too much of an effect on the manager’s thinking tactically – just getting into the top seven can be seen as a fine victory for his outlook whether it’s popular or not – and so long as Clive Platt isn’t expected to last the entire season as our ‘big man’ I’m willing to give this time to sort out.

So it’s farewell again to Akinfenwa and he should be remembered for his scoring record, leadership and forming a unique connection to the Cobblers supporters that is difficult to find in this day and age. We’ll miss you Bayo!

Another big character to depart is Clarke Carlisle who announced his retirement on Thursday. For anyone that saw his interview in the Wembley tunnel on Cobblers World on Saturday evening it wouldn’t have been as much of a shock. Carlisle seemed genuinely upset by the defeat and was at a loss for words that you don’t generally associate with him. He still had a year left on his contract but has decided to call it a day. What’s certain is that it won’t be the last we see of him with media duties and the PFA role likely to keep him busy.

Carlisle was one of the key reasons for us staying in League Two last season, almost single handily dragging the defence from a mire that we hadn’t seen in years to create a solid wall on which we built our survival campaign. We will forever be grateful for his contribution there and in the latter months of this season since re-joining from York City – another superb run of form from the former Burnley man.

For the rest of the released bunch, I was most surprised by the aforementioned Moult who seemed to stake his claim in November when Alex Nicholls suffered that awful leg break. He, I feel, has a bright future. For others, it’s a tough day and one that as a player must be a hugely disappointing. John Johnson, once the rock solid right back that you wouldn’t have dreamed of removing, Jake Robinson, the first marquee signing under Gary Johnson and Lewis Wilson, all have good time to reinvent themselves and come back.

Paul Turnbull seems an honest professional and would have seen this coming more than others so I would expect him to have lined something up whilst Nana has apparently, and very strangely, tied himself up with a move to Championship bound Yeovil with former boss Johnson.

As for those who have been offered deals, both Kelvin Langmead and Lee Collins have quickly jumped on the claret train for next season by signing two year deals. Having a fully fit and focused Langmead and a pre-season trained Collins at the heart of the defence for next season would go a long way in placating Carlisle’s exit with Nathan Cameron also offered a deal. If we manage to have all three on board that’s an excellent start to the rebuilding process following Wembley.

Luke Guttridge, Ben Harding, Ben Tozer and Roy O’ Donovan have also been offered terms and I would imagine all would sign soon barring perhaps O’ Donovan who may yet have offers from elsewhere. Guttridge has already stated his desire to stay whilst I would imagine Harding and Tozer to be happy at the moment. Tozer is a tricky one – Boothroyd seems to have a fondness for his long throw that he slots him in wherever he can. Whilst Tozer’s adaptability is admirable he tends to get lost in a four man midfield and sometimes beaten all ends up at right-back by pacey wingers. We simply cannot get dragged into that trap again and Tozer must step up on the pitch to add to his game, something that must admittedly be tough when he never plays in his preferred position.

I would very much like to see O’ Donovan stay…his form in the run-in was outstanding and he’s one that given a full season could well notch double figures.

Hopefully all of this contract talk won’t take too long and with the big decisions already made I would imagine by the time May turns into June we’ll know where we’re starting from in terms of the squad for 2013/14.

For now, let’s cheer ourselves up with something that happened sixteen years ago today:

Big freeze at the very last for Cobblers

Bradford City 3-0 Northampton Town

League Two Playoff Final 2013

There were no heroics. There was to be no drama. There was nothing of anything really to be brutally honest. This latest instalment of Northampton Town’s Wembley history will likely be buried in the annuls of time, locked away and shuddered at whenever someone mentions May 18^th 2013. This day could have been so memorable but it turned out to instead play host to one of the most disappointing days in recent football memories.

It wasn’t even like there was a bad referee decision, a cruel twist of fate or a late deflection off someone’s backside that we could blame everything on. We wrote no extraordinary runners up story. Quite simply, Bradford City decided to turn up at Wembley Stadium this time and Northampton Town did not.

It had all started so well. A jubilant convoy of coaches, trains and cars containing quietly expectant Cobblers fans had reached Wembley in excellent time and by the time our coach pulled up at 10:45am there were plenty of supporters from both sides milling around  as I made my way towards Wembley Park station to meet the two honorary Cobblers – Jamie and Mark – who are both at different stages of their Northampton Town education yet both as excited as any well-travelled Town fan.

Walking down Wembley way was just as special as it was fifteen years ago when I was a wide eyed thirteen year old. The awe of the grand old stadium had something extra about it but the Wembley version two still features plenty to get the heart racing. It took a while to realise that my team were playing there even after two weeks of waiting but as game time grew closer (and probably helped by Jamie’s excellent picking up of beers en route) and we had had a quick look out at our seats the nerves really began. This was happening.

And then…it just didn’t happen!

The team line ups were announced and the one surprise was Bayo Akinfenwa being dropped to the bench in favour of Clive Platt. It was an odd one to say the least and made me more concerned than I already was before the game had even started. Dropping your leading scorer and talisman for a man just coming back from injury and someone who isn’t mobile at the best of times was questionable to say the least and it kind of set us up for a fall before a ball was kicked. Whether Aidy was trying to catch Bradford off guard or something I don’t know. Maybe we won’t ever know his thinking but it just didn’t work.

From the start, the Cobblers just were not at the races. Passes were going astray, attacks breaking down far too easily and the same defence that so good in the semi-finals looked shaky and nervous despite the wealth of experience they share. The goal that started fifteen minutes of sheer agony was as simple as they come. Town didn’t clear their lines well enough and the ball was lobbed back in for James Hansen to nod over Lee Nicholls.

Almost as quick a bullet as the first came the second just four minutes later. Nathan Doyle’s cross was nodded in at the near post too easily by defender Rory McArdle. The uphill task just became a mountainous one and we had been caught like the proverbial rabbit in the headlights on the grand stage.

Of course it wouldn’t be a Bradford-Cobblers game without Nahki Wells getting on the score sheet and he duly obliged to round off a terrible first half an hour for Town. Wells found that extra bit of space in the box to fire in number three and once again the Cobblers defence will be left holding inquests into how the key danger man found that much time.

To say we were shell shocked was an understatement. The only thought in my head was hoping that we got to the break with no further damage. We were being completely overpowered in every area of the pitch and it was starting to become uncomfortable. Fortunately there was no further damage before half-time but the game was all but over.

Bayo was introduced with ten minutes of the second half gone but Bradford had settled into their stride of taking what they had. Unfortunately they didn’t even need to break back into first gear and were as organised and solid as they needed to be against a Cobblers attack who were struggling to find a way through. Akinfenwa did seem to have more of a presence than Platt and at least looked like he may do something but that was as good as it got.

Town didn’t register a shot on target all afternoon and the game petered out to a backdrop of celebrating Bantams fans who started their party of Wembley redemption with around fifteen minutes to go.

It was ultimately the biggest disappointment on the biggest stage and for Cobblers players, supporters and everyone involved in this day it will take a full summer just to get over what happened this afternoon under the Wembley arch.

It’s unfair to judge the entire campaign on this showing, though. Throughout this season we’ve fought into a position where we’ve been able to bring genuine hope to the place again. From relegation candidates to Wembley is not a bad return at all and though this defeat is so hard to take it should be remembered that this has been a real season of progression.

What we need to do now is to ensure that there’s no hangover at the start of next season. To signal our intent there has to be a consolidation of the squad that’s taken us this far and Aidy Boothroyd must try to convince potential new signings that this upward curve can continue towards League One in a year’s time.

That won’t be easy but you know what? We’ll all be back to see it through. I would wager that most reading this blog will be back in August and just as excited and bold as we were at the start of this season.

We’ll be ready to travel to Morecambe, Rochdale, Newport, Dagenham (on a cold Tuesday night) and Hartlepool. We’ll shake hands with old friends at random football stadia around the country, we’ll make new friends on terraces and coaches and we’ll laugh, cry, hope, dream and be Northampton Town together come rain or shine. It’s what we do and however much you try to fight it you know that deep down you still love this game.

What I felt that I needed to do after the match today was to watch as Bradford City took their place in League One. I needed to watch as their ascended the steps to collect their trophy and watch as they lifted it, celebrated and began their party. This was for two reasons: To applaud the rightful winners of the match and to make sure that in a weird and twisted way I took in all of the feelings associated with losing at the last. From past experience, it makes the great, great times that bit better when you remember the painful moments and pitfalls that have hit you along the way and this could well be a key image to draw on in the future.

Hopefully it won’t be long before this day is consigned to the memories and used only as a marker for better times.

Northampton Town v Bradford City: Match Preview

Northampton Town v Bradford City

League Two Playoff Final

Wembley Stadium

Saturday, May 18^th 2013

This is it! After two weeks of build-up, debates, nerves, ticket panics and excitement. After forty six league games and two tense playoff encounters. After facing the very real fear of relegation just over a year ago. It all comes down to an afternoon at Wembley Stadium as Northampton Town and Bradford City go into battle for the final place in League One for the 2013/14 season.

With just one day to go I’m still in somewhat disbelief that twelve months on from both of these sides battling it out at the wrong end of the table we are set to go head to head in the playoff final. Since the final whistle at Cheltenham I’ve been going through different stages of emotion that started with utter jubilation, then excitement and then actually trying to focus on the football match that will take place before us tomorrow afternoon.

The line between what could be one of the great days of Northampton Town history and one of disappointment is so thin that it makes you nervous just thinking about what happens after 1:30pm and the first whistle of the final so we must enjoy every single piece of the day that leads up to kick-off. If there is to be the happiest of endings to this season then every single member of the 22,000 or so claret army that takes their place under the arch, every player that dons the shirt and every member of staff will have to be at the very top of their game. Bradford go into the game as favourites and as a team that has done the league double over us whilst also ending our progress in the FA Cup but the desire shown at Cheltenham shows that there’s much more to this Cobblers side than long balls and hoofing it.

You never know when this may happen again and I’m so lucky to be able to say that it will be my third trip to Wembley with the Cobblers. Treasure it, remember it and do your wonderful football club proud on what could become a date of Northampton Town folklore!

Here goes…

 

Bradford City’s path to Wembley…the long road back…

Bradford weren’t supposed to be in League Two for this long. Relegation to the fourth level of English football in 2007 came as quite the shock to a club that, six years earlier, had been playing in the Premier League. It was more of a gradual decline than an instant one with three campaigns spent in the Championship and three in League One since those two seasons in the sun with the elite. In 2007, though, the Bantams slipped to the bottom tier and were looking for an instant return and for a new dawn to begin a climb back up the league pyramid.

Stuart McCall, a Bantams player during two spells – one of which included taking them into the Premier League- was appointed manager. After a tough start to life in League Two he eventually took them to a tenth place finish in the first season in the basement division. A year later and McCall was getting closer to his promotion dreams but City finished two points from the playoff positions and after a poor run of results the following season he left Valley Parade the following February.

Peter Taylor, Peter Jackson and Colin Cooper all tried their hand but the fallen giant was proving harder to awaken than originally thought with Bradford finishing 14^th in 2010 and 18^th in both subsequent seasons with an exit from the entire Football League the a very real threat at times during the last couple of years.

Phil Parkinson’s appointment in August 2011 looked like being the one to bring back stability to the club, though, and despite last season’s disappointing league finish he has reinvigorated the Bantams this time around and completely changed their fortunes. This season will already be going down in history for them after Parkinson led the club to the League Cup Final – the first fourth tier side to achieve this since Rochdale in 1962 – with the likes of Wigan Athletic, Arsenal and Aston Villa all beaten en route to Wembley.

What is perhaps just as impressive is that, following a 5-0 hammering by Swansea City in the final, City have picked themselves up to mount a playoff challenge. Days after Wembley, they salvaged a late home draw against Dagenham and Redbridge and were still ten points from the playoff places. Three games in hand were still there to be played but it would still take a monumental effort for City to get back into contention.

One defeat in twelve certainly helped in the games after the League Cup final and by the time Bristol Rovers had been swept aside 4-1 in early April, days after the Cobblers had been beaten at Valley Parade, Bradford were back in the top seven and genuine contenders once again. A home defeat to Rotherham briefly threatened to give the chasing pack something to aim at but victory over Burton Albion in their final home league game ensured a playoff place with a final day draw at Cheltenham Town rounding off the league fixtures.

Their seventh place finish meant that Burton would be their opponents in the playoff semi-finals and it was to be yet another dramatic couple of games for the Bantams. Calvin Zola had the Brewers 2-0 up inside half an hour in the first game at Valley Parade before Nahki Wells gave them hope with a spot kick. But before half-time, Robbie Weir had made it 3-1 and there was everything to do once more. Garry Thompson scored arguably the most important goal of the tie in the second half to mean that they would at least go to the Pirelli Stadium with just a one goal deficit, though.

The second leg saw Wells in inspired form again, scoring mid-way through the first half to drag Bradford right back into the game. James Hansen put his side in front for the first time in the tie before Jacques Maghoma levelled the aggregate score from the spot. But two minutes later Wells struck the decisive blow, turning well in the area and slamming the ball home from a Hansen knock down. They survived for the remaining half an hour and had booked their second trip to Wembley in three months for what will be their 64^th game of a marathon season.

The time between the two finals has seen Bradford play seventeen times. They’ve won seven, drawn seven and lost just three of those games and head into Wembley as favourites to finish this extraordinary season by making the giant leap back to League One.

The Cobblers will hopefully have something to say about that, though…

 

Club Links…

City keeper Matt Duke was on loan with the Cobblers last season, playing nine games during our bid to avoid the drop. Despite only staying a short amount of time, Duke was a popular figure with Town fans.

Cobblers striker Louis Moult was on loan with Bradford in 2010, scoring once in ten outings with the Bantams.

 

Team News…

The Cobblers report to Wembley with a full bill of health barring long term absentee Alex Nicholls whose season was cruelly ended in October when he suffered a broken leg against Port Vale. Nicholls is one of the reasons why we are at Wembley in the first place, though, after his early season form and hopefully he is able to be with the squad at least. Elsewhere, Aidy Boothroyd has some nice dilemmas to deal with, particularly at the back with the decision to either bring back skipper Kelvin Langmead or stick with Nathan Cameron who was so impressive in the playoff semi-finals.

Bradford have been keeping an eye on winger Kyel Reid who only returned from a groin injury in the second leg of the playoffs. Reid is the only injury concern for the Bantams though who also come into the game with pretty much a clean bill of health despite a mammoth season and they could name the same side that started the playoff semi-final second leg against Burton Albion.

 

Wells…Cobblers troubler!

Previous six meetings…

06/04/13: Bradford 1-0 Cobblers (League Two)

Nahki Wells continued his fine form against the Cobblers by scoring the only goal of the game in a crucial contest at the start of April which helped the Bantams towards the playoff places while denting our hopes of automatic promotion.

13/11/12: Bradford 3-3 Cobblers (FA Cup First Round Replay – Bradford win 4-2 on pens)

A youthful Cobblers side took to the field at Valley Parade and did us proud by pushing the hosts all the way before bowing out on penalties. Will Atkinson had put Bradford in front but a penalty from Ishmel Demontagnac levelled before the break. Nahki Wells looked to have won it with a ninetieth minute penalty but Clive Platt took it to extra time seconds later. The drama continued when Kelvin Langmead put us in front in the extra period with Carl McHugh pulling it back for the Bantams. Langmead would miss the crucial spot kick in the shoot-out to send Bradford through but it was a top effort from Town’s young guns.

03/11/12: Cobblers 1-1 Bradford (FA Cup First Round)

Will Atkinson fired the visitors in front in the first cup game between the sides this season but Louis Moult’s second half goal ensured the tie would go to a replay ten days later.

23/10/12: Cobblers 0-1 Bradford (League Two)

Nahki Wells scored the only goal of the game back in October in the first of what will end up being five games between the clubs this season.

14/04/12: Cobblers 1-3 Bradford (League Two)

In April of last year, both sides were fighting to avoid going out of League Two at the other end of the table and it was that man Wells once again who proved to be the difference. He scored a hat-trick to fire Bradford to victory with Clarke Carlisle’s solitary strike not enough for the Cobblers.

22/10/11: Bradford 2-1 Cobblers (League Two)

Michael Jacobs scored a screamer at Valley Parade to put Town into the lead at Valley Parade but the game had completely turned on its head within ten minutes with Craig Fagan’s penalty and James Hansen’s winner nicking it for the home side.

 

The man in the middle…

Taking charge of the big game is Keith Stroud. Stroud was last in action in the dramatic Championship final day match between Hull City and Cardiff City that saw the Tigers eventually win promotion to the top flight. He last refereed a Cobblers game in April 2012, a 1-1 home draw with Gillingham which was the final home fixture of last season. Throughout this season he has shown 155 yellow cards and 10 reds, including three in the Sheffield United-Brentford game a couple of weeks ago.

 

Prediction…

No chance! I’m staying away from any sort of prediction for this I’m afraid.

Que Sera Sera…