Dad

It’s taken me eight months to get this done. Having started and stopped many, many times over that time it felt like it just needed to get written so here we go. As my silence on here probably indicated, this will officially be my last blog here. I’ve tried to keep up in a world of busy family life but having found a new outlet for my Cobblers ramblings and given the circumstances it’s absolutely the right time.

So here goes…

It’s 24 May 1997 and John Frain has just changed everything. With one swing of his left foot (at the second attempt) he’d created a moment that will last forever under the twin towers of Wembley. Within the 32,000+ strong Northampton Town support was a man lifting a 12 year old boy into the air in a moment of unbridled joy that only moments like this can create. The boy’s football watching life changed that day and the man’s pride at sharing the moment with his two sons was evident on his beaming face.

The man was my Dad. The boys present were my brother and me. As Dad lifted us into the Wembley air, a bond was sealed. Having been taken to the County Ground and having caught the claret bug through Dad’s passion for the Cobblers this was a culminating moment and one where I knew there was never going to be a moment to turn back or to join the other kids at school who donned their Premier League shirts on mufti day, taking the piss at my haggard Cobblers effort.

As many others will have bonded with a parent through their football passion, we bonded with Dad over the Cobblers and when I went away to university in Southampton there was never a weekend that I didn’t call home to chat through the game with him. Saturday phone calls after a win, Sunday phone calls if I wanted to wait for him to calm down after a defeat or poor performance. Plenty of Sunday phone calls, I’m sure you can imagine!

For fifteen years or so, as I moved around the south of England, this tradition continued and it was a treat every time I got to come back and re-join Dad in the stands of Sixfields or on the terraces of an away day. Sharing moments like the incredible double away day at Mansfield, promotion at home to Chester, the Anfield win and the title winning season was special but there were, of course, times when the ‘big manly hugs’ were of consolation rather than joy.

As I grew away from the weekend result being the most important thing in life, these times together became more and more special. Even a simple thing as a pre match pint was something to really look forward to because I saw the joy it gave Dad to be able to go and support the club he loved and his happiness at being able to share it with us, and later with his grandsons. It became more about the fact that I was getting to spend that time with him and while we both had a good old moan when things went wrong I hope it was the same for him.

In early 2018, Dad found out that he had stomach cancer and would attend what would be his final game in April last year at home to Oldham Athletic on the final day of the season. Though there was nothing to play for barring a miracle score line that would have been needed to keep us up, that joy amidst what must have been physical and emotion pain was clear on his face.

This is what football does. It gives a space for us to escape, for ninety minutes at least, whatever else is going on. It gives us special moments with loved ones and a bond like no other.

Dad passed away in late August last year and he couldn’t have been more surrounded by those he loved. The pain of those months have been the main reason why I haven’t been able to bring myself to write this but I hope that one day someone will read it who needs to see it and it brings them an ounce of comfort.

Because what I’ve learnt in these months is that it’s OK to not be OK. It’s OK to be OK. It’s OK to laugh. It’s OK to go to matches again and feel the same happiness when your team scores. It’s OK to feel sad and angry after a defeat or get emotional thanks to a last minute winner. It’s OK to escape into the world of football for a while. It’s all OK. Because the bond you have with a club is often more than a two way thing and there will always be that attachment filling up within you when you go to matches.

There won’t be a moment when I don’t think of Dad whenever I make that walk down to Sixfields or get on a coach for a big game. This was always our shared passion and that will never go away.

I thank you all for reading these blogs over the last ten years. You have no idea how much every single comment has helped me.

Huge thanks go to Northampton Town Football Club for everything including the way that you were so accommodating and thoughtful to us all last year.

I also thank my brother, Chris, his boy Harry and my son Isaac who have been with me in the West Stand all season, an emotional season despite nothing much happening on the pitch.

I thank Charles and Neil, who I’ve been working with on the ‘It’s All Cobblers to me’ podcast over the last seven months – venting and laughing about the Cobblers every week with you guys has become my new tradition.

I thank my incredible Mum for being there for everyone in her worst times and for constantly encouraging my work.

And of course, I thank my wife, Martha, who not only encouraged me to buy a season ticket this season knowing what a tough year it was going to be but who stands by my side through all of life’s struggles and happiness. We’ll be welcoming the latest member of the Brothers family into our lives in August and I sign off from this blog with prayers that her safe arrival will be a rainbow of hope for the family.

With this turning into an Oscars speech, I best go into the internet wilderness now.

Up the Cobblers, and Dad, this one, and all the other ones on this blog, are all for you.

Danny x

Slow start but promising signs for Cobblers

It’s not been the barnstorming start that we wanted in our return to League Two – with two games down the Cobblers have collected just a solitary point – but considering the way in which the fixtures have fallen Dean Austin should still have plenty to be encouraged by in these early knockings of the campaign.

The opening day saw Lincoln come and do a job on us and welcomed us back to League Two by producing an away performance that Danny Cowley would have been delighted with. The Imps came to Sixfields to be physical and outmuscle Town with their height and power key in their victory. The Cobblers started brightly and could well have had an early lead but Shaun McWilliams’ withdrawal through injury seemed to shake our flow and broke up a midfield trio involving himself, John-Joe O’Toole and Matt Crooks that had the right balance to take control of the centre of the park.

It was perhaps the wrong move from Austin to replace McWilliams not with the strength of Sam Foley but with the more technical Jack Bridge but we still created enough to win the game, let alone claw back a draw. We ended up with neither thanks to a sucker punch from Matt Green who got on the end of a cross from the right to nod in the only goal of the game. The Cobblers could have had three or four thanks to some clear opportunities going begging for Dan Powell, Sam Hoskins and Andy Williams but the positive news from the first game was that chances were being created and forwards were breaking through a tough Lincoln backline who will keep out plenty of League Two sides this season.

It all felt like a little bit of a false start but it wasn’t an awful performance by any means against one of the favourites for promotion. The absence of Junior Morias, still not up to speed thanks to a slight knock, didn’t help and the striker was again missing for Saturday’s long trek up to Carlisle.

Transfer deadline day came and went and it was a case of no news is good news as the clock ticked on with no departures. There were a few nibbles of a rumour about Crooks leaving but nothing materialised and we go with what we have pending any loan moves in the next couple of weeks.

Ironically, two of those at the top of the rumoured departures list, Crooks and Kevin van Veen, both found the net at Brunton Park in what should go down as a good point taken from Cumbria on Saturday as long as we can build on it next Saturday back at Sixfields.

Both goals were well taken by the Town men with van Veen nodding in to level following Jamie Devitt’s opener for the Cumbrians and Crooks getting on the end of a good move and pass from Sam Hoskins. It was a case of lacking concentration from the off though as United hit back to grab a point straight away thanks to former Cobblers loanee Hallam Hope.

With the McWIlliams injury news not as bad as first thought and the likes of Morias and Shay Facey to come in there’s reason to think that Town have plenty still in the locker ahead of a busy few weeks of league and cup action. Victory on Saturday at home to Cambridge would be very welcome!

 

League Two Season Preview: Part Four

It’s the final part of this season’s League Two Preview and today we look at the final six teams: Oldham, Port Vale, Stevenage, Swindon, Tranmere and Yeovil.

Oldham Athletic

Last season…

After twenty one years in League One, Oldham finally exited the division but it was at the opposite end than they would have wished thanks to a stop/start campaign that saw them relegated on the final day at Sixfields.

John Sheridan started the season in charge but lasted only until late September following a 5-1 humbling at Rotherham and Richie Wellens was tasked with dragging the Latics away from the bottom four. The new manager bounce worked in the immediate aftermath of his appointment with four wins and two draws from his opening six games and continued to hold firm until Christmas when a late Eoin Doyle goal earned a point at Doncaster to send them up to fifteenth in the table and clear of the drop zone.

But six defeats in the next eight games took them right back down to 22^nd with the club by then taken over by Moroccan businessman Abdallah Lemsagam. Another good run gave them hope of survival with an excellent 2-0 win at high flying Scunthorpe taking them out of the bottom four. There was, though, set to be a nervy and ultimately disappointing end to the campaign as a run of too many draws (seven in the final eight games) bringing them into trouble and eventually down to League Two. With Rochdale winning on the final day, they needed a win at Sixfields but a 2-2 draw sent them out of League One by the finest of margins.

Transfers…

In: Jose Baxter (Everton), Giles Coke (Unattached), Christopher Missilou (Unattached), Sam Graham (Sheffield United), Johan Branger (FC Dieppe), Andy Taylor (Unattached), Daniel Iverson (Leicester), Jonathan Benteke (Unattached), Chris O’Grady (Chesterfield), Sam Surridge (Bournemouth)

Out: Paul Green (Crewe), Craig Davies (Mansfield), Aaron Amadi-Holloway (Shrewsbury), Ryan McLaughlin (Blackpool)

Promotion Odds…

4/1

Outlook…

The untested Frankie Bunn is the latest man to be tasked with turning around Oldham’s fortunes with the former Oldham player appointed in the summer following Wellen’s departure. Another summer of upheaval means that it’s another transfer window of mass activity and without the goals of Eoin Doyle after his loan spell ended at the end of last season it’s hard to see them having a shot at returning to League One.

Jose Baxter returns from Everton and Jonathan Benteke, brother of Christian, also arrives but it may not be enough to lift the Latics to anywhere other than mid-table. They can only hope that they don’t ‘do a Chesterfield’ and get dragged into a second successive relegation battle.

Port Vale

Last season…

After relegation from League One in 2016/17 the season never really got going for Vale despite the early sacking of Michael Brown in mid-September. Brown had overseen a huge turnover of players over the summer including twenty one departures but swopped to sign former favourite Tom Pope among many others. But Brown’s new squad lost six on the bounce after an opening day win and he was shown the door, to be replaced eventually by Neil Aspin from Gateshead.

Form picked up under Aspin with eight wins from his opening thirteen games up to the end of 2017 and following a stunning 4-0 home win over league leaders Luton there were more than one or two glances at the playoff places which were just nine points away.

But the New Year wasn’t good to Vale and Aspin as they went on an awful run of fourteen games without a win, ended by an important victory over fellow strugglers Chesterfield. They just about did enough with their final games to steer clear of danger but have set their stall out over the summer to make sure they’re nowhere near the wrong end of the table this time out.

Transfers…

In: Scott Brown (Wycombe), Brendon Daniels (Alfreton), Luke Joyce (Carlisle), Leon Legge (Cambridge), Connell Rawlinson (New Saints), Manny Oyeleke (Aldershot), Idris Kanu (Peterborough), Theo Vassel (Gateshead), Ricky Miller (Peterborough), Louis Dodds (Chesterfield), Scott Quigley (Blackpool), Tom Conlon (Stevenage)

Out: Dior Angus (Nuneaton), Mike Calveley (Nuneaton)

Promotion Odds…

9/2

Outlook…

With a summer of very few significant departures and some decent quality signings including Wycombe’s Scott Brown (an ever present in the Choirboys’ promoted side from last season), Ricky Miller from Peterborough and the returning Louis Dodds there’s every chance that Vale can improve significantly on last season and throw themselves into the mix for a playoff push.

Stevenage

Last season…

After a tenth place finish in 2016/17 it would have come as some disappointment to Stevenage fans for last season to end with their side in sixteenth and a change of manager towards the end of the campaign seemed to have the summer recruitment and planning in mind.

Darren Sarll had the Borough in decent shape in the early going and they were in a playoff position in mid-October. But a torrid run up to the end of 2017 saw them win just once more – a 5-1 hammering of Chesterfield – as Borough fell down the table. Sarll never got his side back to their best and was sacked following a 2-2 draw at Port Vale that saw them throw away a 2-0 lead.

Dino Maamria, a man with plenty of history at Stevenage as a player, was brought in as the new full time boss in late March and saw them through to the end of the season. He’s now had a full summer to have a clear out ahead of his first full season in charge.

Transfers…

In: James Ball (Stockport), Luther Wildin (Nuneaton), Scott Cuthbert (Luton), Johnny Hunt (Mansfield), Joel Byrom (Mansfield), Emmanuel Sonupe (Kidderminster), Paul Farman (Lincoln), Michael Timlin (Southend), Ben Nugent (Unattached), Alex Reid (Fleetwood), Kurtis Guthrie (Colchester), Donovan Makoma (Barrow)

Out: Ben Wilmot (Watford), Jamal Campbell-Ryce (Carlisle), Matt Godden (Peterborough), Fraser Franks (Newport), Tom Conlon (Stevenage)

Promotion Odds…

10/1

Outlook…

Dino Maamria has overseen a summer of change at the Borough and looks to have done some good business including the signing of Luton’s Scott Cuthbert who played a big part in Luton’s promotion season, albeit interrupted by injury. Former Cobbler Joel Byrom has also re-joined after previously helping the club win promotion to the Football League and Luther Wildin has followed Maamria from Nuneaton.

After Maamria fought the fire well in the first stage of his return to Broadhall Way, this is the big test as a full season looms ahead. They shouldn’t be dragged into a relegation scrap but I also can’t see them troubling the top seven so I’m going mid-table for the Borough.

Swindon Town

Last season…

Following relegation from League One, Swindon appointed David Flitcroft as manager last summer hoping that he would repeat his promotion with Bury. But towards the end of a topsy-turvy campaign that saw the Robins linger around the playoff places but never truly threaten them, Flitcroft was poached by rivals for the top seven Mansfield Town at the start of March.

Former Cobblers midfielder Matt Taylor took caretaker charge for a 3-0 home defeat by Cheltenham before the experienced Phil Brown was appointed full time. The Cheltenham loss left them in ninth place but there was still ten games for Brown to attempt to turn the tide back in the right direction. He started well with a 3-1 win at Cambridge United but five draws and three defeats later and his side were out of the running for the top seven, eventually finishing ninth.

Transfers…

In: Jermaine McGlashan (Southend), Steven Alzate (Brighton), Jak McCourt (Chesterfield), Toumani Diagouraga (Fleetwood), Michael Doughty (Peterborough)

Out: Matt Preston (Mansfield), Tom Smith (Cheltenham), Luke Norris (Colchester), Paul Mullin (Tranmere)

Promotion Odds…

3/1

Outlook…

In Phil Brown, Swindon have someone who has been there and done it in the lower leagues and his summer business reflects that. Toumani Diagouraga is arguably the pick of the bunch of the players brought in by Brown with the former PSG trainee joining on a free transfer from Fleetwood to really bolster their midfield.

Town have a squad that is more than capable of going for promotion and though they may not make it into the running for the top three, the playoffs are more than achievable for this group and their experienced manager.

Tranmere Rovers

Last season…

After three seasons out of the Football League, Tranmere Rovers are back after Micky Mellon masterminded a successful run to the playoffs and to Wembley where an extraordinary showpiece final saw them pip Boreham Wood to promotion. Rovers kept pace with Macclesfield Town at the top of the Conference National for most of the season but a 2-0 win for the Silkmen at Eastleigh with a couple of games to spare saw Mellon’s team having to settle for the playoffs.

After a nervy 4-2 extra time win against Ebbsfleet at Prenton Park in the semi-final there was more drama to come under the Wembley arch. Rovers were down to ten men within the first minute when Liam Ridehalgh was sent off for a rash challenge but Andy Cook’s header gave them the lead. Bruno Andrade equalised for Boreham Wood and Rovers’ challenge was made harder given that they had used all three of their substitutes by half-time. But Mellon lifted them for one final push and James Norwood headed in a famous winner in the second half to the elation of one half of Wembley.

Mellon’s job is far from over – Tranmere are still a big club at this level and he’ll be wanting to step things up once more.

Transfers…

In: Jake Caprice (Leyton Orient), Paul Mullin (Swindon), Harvey Gilmour (Sheffield United), Jonny Smith (Bristol City), Zoumana Bakayogo (Unattached), Shamal George (Liverpool)

Out: Eddie Clarke (Fleetwood), James Wallace (Fleetwood), Andy Cook (Walsall)

Promotion Odds…

5/1

Outlook…

The departure of twenty eight goal striker Andy Cook at the end of his contract over the summer was a huge blow to Rovers with Cook signing for League One Walsall. Replacing his goals will be crucial but in James Norwood, scorer of twenty four goals himself last season, they do have another player with huge potential to bother the ranks of the division’s leading lights up front.

Micky Mellon has already taken Shrewsbury out of this division but expectations may be slightly tampered going into this season with the Conference Playoff winners. They should be better equipped than Macclesfield to tackle league football and I’ve got them down for a top ten finish.

Yeovil Town

Last season…

It was another disappointing season for the most part for Darren Way’s Glovers with Yeovil again finishing in the bottom six of the Football League. The highlight of the campaign was an FA Cup Fourth Round clash with Manchester United at Huish Park which ended with a 4-0 defeat. But league form improved briefly after that tie with three wins and a draw from their following four games which included and important home win against fellow strugglers Barnet.

An extraordinary 6-2 victory at Coventry City was another highlight of the second half of the season but it was a scrappier 0-0 draw with Forest Green that finally confirmed league safety. Town didn’t win another game after that hammering of Coventry, a run of eight games at the end of a difficult league season.

Transfers…

In: Gary Warren (Inverness) Nathan Baxter (Chelsea), Carl Dickinson (Notts County), Diallang Jaiyesimi (Norwich), Sessi D’Almeida (Blackpool), Korrey Henry (West Ham), Reece Cole (Brentford)

Out: Otis Khan (Mansfield)

Promotion Odds…

16/1

Outlook…

The big move in Yeovil’s summer came when the talented Otis Khan left the club to join Mansfield Town and that could be a huge blow to the Glover’s chances of improving a desperate run of league positions. Darren Way has a tough task on his hands to continue fighting off the bottom two and this could well be the year that they really get themselves dragged into the thick of the relegation battle.

League Two Season Preview: Part Two

Welcome to Part Two of the League Two Season Preview. Today we take a closer look at Crewe Alexandra, Exeter City, Forest Green Rovers, Grimsby Town, Lincoln City and Macclesfield Town.

Keep checking back on the blog every day this week for more!

Crewe Alexandra

Last season…

With his first summer and pre-season under his belt as Crewe boss, David Artell set about the job of improving on a seventeenth place finish in 2016/17. The season would once again throw up a mixed bag of results but the Alex did manage to recover from a poor first half of the season as runs of poor results in a row led to them sitting just two points above the drop zone after a 4-1 defeat at Notts County in February.

It’s testament to the club, though, that they stuck with Artell – who spent two years at Gresty Road as a player – through it all and there was an upturn in fortunes in the last few months of the campaign. A fantastic 4-1 win at Lincoln was a turning point and took them six points clear of the bottom two with relegation never really a huge worry from then on in.

The Alex finished the season with three straight victories to finish in fifteenth place – only a slight improvement on twelve months previous but enough to give Artell more time to put his mark on the club.

Transfers…

In: Paul Green (Oldham), Shaun Miller (Carlisle), Alex Nicholls (Barnet), Nicky Hunt (Notts County)

Out: Chris Dagnall (Bury)

Promotion Odds…

8/1

Outlook…

David Artell has bolstered his attacking options well over the summer with Shaun Miller making his return to Gresty Road, where he scored six goals in fifteen appearances on loan last season and previously came through the Alex youth ranks, and Alex Nicholls signing from relegated Barnet. Losing top scorer Chris Porter to injury mid-way through last season wasn’t ideal but he’s back in contention and will feel like another fine option to have up top.

Right-back Nicky Hunt, signed after he was released by Notts County, knows all about League Two while Paul Green also returns after a loan with the club last season.

With extra fire power you might see Crewe improve slightly on last season but I don’t envisage there being a huge change so I’ll go for a safe mid-table bet for Artell’s men.

Exeter City

Last season…

The 2017/18 campaign will go down in Exeter history because it turned out to be the final season in charge for Paul Tisdale, who left the club after twelve years at the helm. For the second successive season, and following City fans’ voting to serve the manager notice on his contract in November 2016, there would be heartbreak in the League Two playoff final at Wembley.

Tisdale’s men had made a roaring start to the season, winning seven and drawing the other of the first eight games and meant that inconsistent form in the autumn still kept them in and around the top three. Three straight victories in January and an unbeaten April raised hopes of automatic promotion but an Alex Revell hat-trick for Stevenage in the penultimate game ended that, meaning a double legged playoff semi-final against Lincoln City.

After a goalless draw at Sincil Bank, City won the second leg 3-1 but a second visit to Wembley in as many seasons didn’t produce a fairy tale ending for Tisdale as Coventry City saw them off by the same score line.

Matt Taylor took the reins in the summer having previously played over 150 times for the Grecians and most recently been in charge of the City Under23s squad.

Transfers…

In: Jonathan Forte (Notts County), Tristan Abrahams (Norwich), Nicky Law (Bradford), Lee Martin (Gillingham), Jimmy Oates (Hereford)

Out: Jordan Moore-Taylor (MK Dons), Jordan Storey (Preston), Ryan Harley (MK Dons), Robbie Simpson (MK Dons), Lloyd James (Forest Green), Liam McAlinden (Cheltenham)

Promotion Odds…

5/1

Outlook…

It’s set to be a pretty uncertain time at St. James’ Park after the Paul Tisdale era came to a close so making Matt Taylor, part of the coaching set up already, the top boss makes absolute sense. Continuity has been made tougher with Tisdale having swooped for three of their key players for his new MK Dons side in Jordan Moore-Taylor, Ryan Harley and Robbie Simpson but Jonathon Forte, Nicky Law and Lee Martin all bring bags of experience to City’s squad.

It could well take time for this new look Grecians side to take shape but I still think they can surprise a few by making a push for the playoffs once again as soon as they’ve got into their groove.

Forest Green Rovers

Last season…

Having achieved a promotion that changed the course of Forest Green Rover’s history, the club from the New Lawn set about the challenge of league football for the first time in their history, led by former Kettering, Peterborough and Swindon boss Mark Cooper.

It was to be a baptism of fire for the league’s newcomers and they struggled to get to grips with things in the early going, losing nine of their first thirteen games and winning just once. A 1-0 victory at Coventry City turned the tide in mid-October and Rovers would go on to three wins in a row to ease the early blues. A terrible Christmas period that saw them lose every game in December kept them right in trouble and they were rock bottom of the league following a 1-0 defeat to Wycombe on New Year’s Day.

The great escape was achieved, though, thanks to a real turn in fortunes from February onwards including completing the double over Coventry. Safety was secured thanks to a 0-0 draw at Yeovil that kept both sides in League Two for another season with games to spare.

Transfers…

In: James Montgomery (Gateshead), Carl Winchester (Cheltenham), Tahvon Campbell (West Brom), Isaac Pearce (Fulham), Liam Shephard (Peterborough), Robert Sanchez (Brighton), George Williams (Fulham), Joseph Mills (Perth Glory), Lloyd James (Exeter), Theo Archibald (Brentford), Paul Digby (Mansfield)

Out: Charlie Cooper (Newport)

Promotion Odds…

12/1

Outlook…

The world’s first UN Certified Carbon Neutral football club continue their quest to defy the odds as they set about their second season in the Football League. Snapping up Cheltenham captain Carl Winchester was an astute move and Rovers have also added plenty of young and hungry talent from higher in the footballing pyramid including Isaac Pearce from Fulham who is one to keep an eye on.

Having survived the drop well last season, Rovers will be looking to build on that with a tilt at the top half but I think a lower mid-table finish would not be sniffed at here.

Grimsby Town

Last season…

Three managers, a relegation battle and the season long threat of returning to non-league – not the best of campaigns for the Mariners. In the early knockings of the season there were no real signs of the struggles to come and victory at Port Vale at the start of October was their fifth of the season and had them comfortably in mid-table.

Form continued to be enough to keep them from getting drawn into the lower reaches of the league but a catastrophic run from 16 December through to 7 April without a league win meant that Russell Slade was shown the door on 2 February. Paul Wilkinson stepped up to take on the role for a month before reverting back to assistant manager when Michael Jolley was appointed. Jolley couldn’t turn the tide straight away and it took him until the 7 April win over Chesterfield to finally deliver some relief for the long suffering Mariners fans.

A home draw with Barnet and victories over Swindon, Notts County and Forest Green were enough to keep them up and Town will now be hoping for stability under Jolley.

Transfers…

In: Alex Whitmore (Chesterfield), Louis Robles (San Roque De Lepe), Jake Hessenthaler (Gillingham), John Welsh (Preston), Jordan Cook (Luton), Elliott Whitehouse (Lincoln), Harry Davis (St Mirren), Akin Famewo (Luton), Charles Vernam (Derby)

Out: Sam Kelly (Hamilton Academical), Siriki Dembele (Peterborough), Zak Mills (Morecambe)

Promotion Odds…

10/1

Outlook…

Michael Jolley has certainly had a good start to life as Mariners boss having reached the target of keeping them in the Football League. Jake Hessanthaler should bring experience and energy to their midfield and defence has been bolstered by the signing of Alex Whitmore from Chesterfield who Jolley worked with in the Burnley Under 23s. Former Cobbler JJ Hooper switched to a wide attacking berth under Jolley and benefited by scoring a hat-trick on the final day of last season so expect to see him move away from his central role again.

I don’t see enough in Grimsby at the moment to see them competing at the top end of the table but if they avoid my prediction of another relegation battle it may give them a platform to build on.

Lincoln City

Last season…

Following a memorable season back in 2016/17, during which the Imps made an astonishing run to the FA Cup Quarter Finals and were promoted back into the Football League, Danny Cowley had a real task on his hands to go anywhere near the same levels of glory. But somehow, he and his trusted and vibrant Lincoln squad managed to find more and more success.

The EFL Trophy was much maligned but City would make the competition their own and eventually gave themselves another big day out, this time at Wembley as they beat League One Shrewsbury Town in the final. The league form didn’t let up either and the Imps finished the season in seventh place to earn a shot at the playoffs.

A double legged semi-final against Exeter was just about a step too far though and after a 0-0 first leg draw they finally bowed out of another excellent season with a 3-1 reverse at St. James’ Park. There’s plenty of ambition being shown by the club and with Cowley at the helm anything is possible. A stern test awaits the Cobblers on the opening day of the season.

Transfers…

In: Bruno Andrade (Boreham Wood), Grant Smith (Boreham Wood), Michael O’Connor (Notts County), Harry Toffolo (Millwall), John Akinde (Barnet), Scott Wharton (Blackburn), Shay McCartan (Bradford)

Out: Alex Woodyard (Lincoln), Ollie Palmer (Crawley), Sean Long (Cheltenham), Elliott Whitehouse (Grimsby), Paul Farman (Stevenage)

Promotion Odds…

2/1

Outlook…

It’s been an outstanding summer of business by the Cobblers’ first opponents of the league season and no deal was celebrated more by Imps fans than the Cowley brothers signing a new contract with the club until 2022. Manager Danny and assistant Nicky have also been busy in the transfer market and there aren’t many at League Two level who wouldn’t want John Akinde lining up for them up front. The former Barnet man will score bags of goals and is a sure fire commodity in the basement division.

Elsewhere, Bruno Andrade, who had an outstanding season for Boreham Wood that led them to the National League Playoff Final in which he scored, joins City along with highly rated full-back Harry Toffolo from Millwall. Shay McCartan will be looking to reproduce his form from his Accrington days in League Two after signing for Lincoln on loan and it already looks like an excellent piece of business.

All of this should lead to a promotion challenge for City this season as their momentum continues to build. Let’s just hope it starts after their first game!

Macclesfield Town

Last season…

Despite having one of the smallest budgets in the National League, Macclesfield Town produced one of the more incredible title winning campaigns in non-league history to return to the Football League absolutely flying under John Askey. Askey was subsequently snapped up by League One Shrewsbury Town in the summer but their momentum shown last season should continue to shine through.

Town also made it to the FA Trophy final and despite losing to York City in the showpiece final they returned to league football to complete a title winning season that will go down in Silkmen folklore.

A 2-0 win over Eastleigh sealed both the title and promotion for Town, a feat made even more impressive given that they only had three players signed up at the start of the previous summer thanks to a mass exodus of their squad. A truly remarkable campaign.

Transfers…

In: Fiacre Kelleher (Oxford), Jamie Grimes (Cheltenham), Ben Stephens (Stratford), Nathan Blissett (Plymouth), Miles Welch-Hayes (Bath), James Pearson (Unattached), Harry Smith (Millwall), Michael Rose (Unattached), Rhys Taylor (AFC Fylde), Callum Maycock (Coventry)

Out: Shwan Jalal (Chesterfield), Mitch Hancox (MK Dons), Kieran Kennedy (Shrewsbury)

Promotion Odds…

14/1

Outlook…

It’s undoubtedly going to be tough for the Silkmen on their return to the Football League and the departure of John Askey came at exactly the wrong time, possibly drawing parallels to the Cobblers’ title winning season ending with Chris Wilder being snapped up by Sheffield United. It’s a sign of the great success by Askey’s now former squad who will need to keep the togetherness in place that took them so far last season. Mark Yates will need to bring his Football League experience and nous to the club having replaced Askey.

Defender Kieran Kennedy has followed his former boss to the New Meadow while Mitch Hancox’s move to MK Dons means they’re without a couple of their key men from the title winning side and incomings seem a little hit and miss.

I’m not hugely convinced by the Yates appointment either and feel that it’s going to be a tough relegation battle for Macclesfield in their first season back.

Impish start for Cobblers!

So it is indeed a home game for the Cobblers at the start of the 2018/19 season and what could possibly say “Welcome back to League Two” more than a visit from our old sparring buddies Lincoln City?! The Imps will bring good form from an excellent first season back in the Football League last term after they finished seventh in League Two and won the EFL Trophy. Despite losing in the playoff semi-finals to Exeter City they’ll be confident of pushing on again under the highly rated Danny Cowley.

The first month seems especially testing for Town with long haul trips to Carlisle and Morecambe as well as away games with Wycombe in the League Cup and Colchester in the league meaning that the mettle of Dean Austin’s men will be examined well in the early weeks.

Other games that jump out straight away are the games against Gary Johnson’s Cheltenham Town, as discussed yesterday, on September 8 (home) and March 23 away) as well as the clashes with MK Dons on October 20 (away) and December 29 (home). The first game of 2019 will see us visit Forest Green Rovers with the game earlier in the season (October 13) at Sixfields being the first ever league meeting between the sides – the only other clash between us came in a 3-0 win for the Cobblers in the FA Cup back in 2010.

Easter comes late in the season this time around with a double header against Macclesfield Town (home) and Bury (away) likely to be pivotal with only two league games left after that, at home to Yeovil Town and away at Oldham. It’s the reverse fixture of the final game of last season for us with that jaunt up to Boundary Park to close out the season.

So there it is and here is the full fixture list for your perusal. Let planning commence!

It’s fixtures time! So who are the ideal opposition for opening day?

We interrupt your World Cup shenanigans because…it’s that time again…rejoice, it’s fixtures day tomorrow! What better way to plan for the 2018/19 season then to spend hours pontificating to your work mate (who really couldn’t care less) about the perils of Oldham away on a Tuesday night in December?!

Of course with the small distraction of events in Russia, this year’s fixtures release has snuck up on us like a Shaun McWilliams tackle but all the better for it as the Cobblers prepare to learn the dates of key clashes in their bid to make a swift return to League One. So who should we be looking for as an ideal first opponent come the big kick off and who would provide the tougher assignments for Dean Austin’s first full hunting season?

The obvious choices to avoid are the teams just relegated with us from League One so that counts out Oldham Atheltic, Bury and MK Dons. We also want to dodge the two teams coming up – momentum will still be very much with both Tranmere Rovers and Conference National winners Macclesfield Town. You’d want to kick things off at home so that eliminates some testing long haul opening days at the likes of Carlisle United and Exeter City.

Those with a ‘new manager bounce’ should also be avoided so the aforementioned Exeter, Carlisle, MK Dons, Oldham and Macclesfield should, in theory at least, be better left to a mid-season encounter.

Now let’s take out the teams in the best form towards the end of last season that are left in the division – Crewe Alexandra and Grimsby Town both finished the campaign with three consecutive wins while Cambridge United and Notts County also finished well.

That leaves us with eleven possibilities so to narrow it down more we’ll discard Mansfield Town, Lincoln City, Swindon Town and Colchester United who haven’t been taken out already but are within the front runners with the bookies.

We’re looking for an opposition who will cause a bit of a stir by coming to Sixfields on the opening day but who also ended last season in poor form and who are down the list in the betting and any list of expectant title or promotion winners. There is, then, having taken all of the above into consideration, only one standout opponent and that is Cheltenham Town.

Gary Johnson left Sixfields under a mighty cloud having done next to nothing with the club, alienating fans and upsetting the majority of the fan base, and his Robins side ended the season with four straight defeats to leave them with an uncertain summer. Fans are divided as to whether they believe Johnson is the man to take them forward and what better way to kick off our return to League Two then to ‘welcome’ Johnson back to Sixfields and then send him on his merry way pointless?

When Carlisle away comes out tomorrow morning (9am fixtures announcement!) don’t blame me but we can only hope that things fall a little more invitingly.

It’s the first milestone of the summer in the Football League…bring it on!

Just too good to be true?

OK, OK it’s the obvious headline but sometimes you’ve just got to roll with it, especially in the summer when it’s pretty quiet on the news front.

It’s a new signing! Always good to see work being done early and the Cobblers have snapped up Andy Williams after his release from Doncaster Rovers. Playing only thirteen times last season thanks to an ankle injury that cost him more than half of the campaign, it’s clear that it’s been a struggle of a year for the man who counts Hereford United, Bristol Rovers, Yeovil Town and Swindon Town among his other clubs through a decent career in the lower leagues.

He’s undoubtedly bringing bags of goal scoring experience from the top end of League Two with him and early reviews are that he’s just the type of character that Dean Austin will be trying to bring in over the coming months.

Quite telling are his reasons for joining Town, with the striker saying

“I hope I will bring goals to the team. I like to think I’ve got good movement, I know where the back of the net is and I am a big believer in not leaving anything out on the pitch.”

Welcome Andy!

 

Andy Williams – the stats

Age: 31

Previous Clubs: Hereford United, Bristol Rovers, Yeovil Town, Swindon Town, Doncaster Rovers

Career Appearances: 517

Career Goals: 123

Great guy & top player! Give this man service & he will get goals!! @ntfc got a top player! All the best Willo, your love it at The Cobblers! #OhhhhhhAndyyyyWilliammmssssss https://t.co/C2X2q0sETk

— John Marquis (@JohnMarquis09) May 21, 2018

Slight Return…and how one man can reignite Northampton Town

Hi there, it’s good to see you again. Nice to meet you, if you stumbled across this by accident. Please stay for a cuppa and a biscuit.

So I’m back. Well I’ve been here all along, but I’m back in the blogging game and hopefully after many, many moons and much activity (including a couple of managerial changes) at Sixfields it feels like the right time to resume blogging business. You might have noticed some changes at the top of the page, and yes, my exile status is no more – back in October, myself and the family moved to Northampton and I became a full time town resident again for the first time since 2003. Having been back at Sixfields for much of the second half of this season and going to more games in a few months than I had in a couple of years it felt like an itch needing to be scratched to return to the blog.

The dross served up under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink put things on hold – while there was plenty to complain about and plenty of space for analysis I felt as disconnected from the club as I had living miles and miles away. Having moved to a house in the shadows of the County Ground and to within fifteen minutes of Sixfields rather than three hours, it felt incredibly flat returning to watch my beloved team put in the type of performance that we thought were consigned to history. When you’re living so far away you can become disconnected in a good way and tell yourself that it can’t be as bad as everyone is saying. It most certainly was.

But then came Dean Austin. At first a man thrown in simply to see through an expected relegation to its conclusion, the former Spurs defender (we’re racking up a fair few of those in our hot seat!) took the bull by the horns and though the demotion was confirmed with that heart breaking late goal at Walsall, it was a week earlier that reignited and rejuvenated the support that will always be at the heart of the Cobblers.

Austin had the same players at his disposal but sent them out with fire in their heart, passion in their outlook and, God forbid, played them in the right positions. Keeping things simple and sending players out with belief in their ability sounds straight forward but after three consecutive bland managers this was a major release for fans who had been served up some of the dullest football in years since the departure of Chris Wilder.

Austin didn’t just come out and speak a good game (and a very good game at that), he seemed to instantly forge a connection with the claret faithful that has been so lacking since Wilder left for Sheffield United. Having that connection is so crucial to any set of supporters and even comes ahead of winning every week to me. So it was with a great happiness that despite relegation, Austin was given the job full time yesterday morning.

It’s clear that the players responded to Austin and the fans responded to his honesty and passion so it’s the right appointment at the right time. It’s true that Austin has never had to negotiate contracts, plan a summer of recruitment or put together a vision for an entire campaign but if the group of players who looked so dishevelled under Hasselbaink can be revived then it gives you hope that he has the knowhow and nous to persuade the right type of character to the club for the battle to return to League One.

What’s also in his favour is that most of the squad remains contracted to the club so an absolute major overhaul isn’t necessary. Yes we need to get rid of some but there’s enough in that squad to think that we can challenge if we can get the right type of player in. Austin has seen their strengths and weaknesses over the last few weeks so appointing him now avoids the issue of a new manager coming in and having to run the rule over everyone before even getting started with recruitment.

Frustrating as it is that we’d only just got going and started to enjoy watching the team again when the season was coming to an end, it means that we can actually look forward to August again – we know the style Austin wants to play, we know how his teams will approach games and we know what to expect.

If you’re in any doubt about Austin’s outlook on the game, check the below video out, put out by former employers Crystal Palace. As the Cobblers go into another new era, it looks like we have a very capable pair of hands and a great mind for the game in charge. It’s something that the people of Northampton and the fans of the Cobblers can, and should, get behind.

See you all again very soon – it’s good to back…in more ways than one.

Up the Cobblers!

Danny

The record goes but the spirit remains…

The Cobblers’ long 31 game unbeaten record may have been put to the sword a couple of weeks ago at Chesterfield but what was evident during the following glamour tie with Manchester United, in the 4-0 hammering of Southend United and at Swindon last night is that the spirit that took them to that point is still very much alive and well.

Rob Page continues to mould a team that’s organised, together and able to play in a number of different ways, all equalling a start to the season that none of us could have honestly predicted back in August.

Last night at the County Ground, Town needed to come at the game differently and did just that by producing one of the most composed performances of the season so far. Pressure had to be soaked up, individual duals had to be won and chances had to be taken when they came around. All three tests were passed with flying colours and the first league win of the season was brilliantly acheived.

Town were set up to soak up the possession based style brought in by Swindon boss Luke Williams over the last few months and had to endure long periods of the Robins having the ball, quickly picking them off and breaking whenever we had the chance. The first of these moments came when Paul Anderson was given the ball on the left and he produced a sublime piece of skill to beat his man, cut in and cross for Harry Beautyman – a reported summer target for Swindon – to tap home early on.

That gave us a platform to build on and the home side had to come out and it left gaps in their line up to exploit. For the most part, though, Town had plenty of defending to do and Jonathon Obika forced Adam Smith into his first bit of work of the evening before a scramble of epic proportions saw Smith make a fine double save and then the Cobblers defence blocked a couple of rebounds that looked destined to nestle into the net.

Obika had another chance just before the break but fired over the bar when sent through on goal and it seemed like the luck was with us with a much needed half-time whistle to settle the nerves and give us a chance to recuperate.

There was more of the same to come, though, and it was no real surprise when the Robins equalised on the hour mark when substitute Sean Murray fired home from distance. It seemed that we would be hanging on for a point until Page changed things up with Kenji Gorre and JJ Hooper summoned from the bench. Fair play to the Cobblers boss for making positive changes and not just shutting up shop and trying to hold out for a point…it would end up working superbly in his favour.

There was fifteen minutes to go when we won a corner on the right and Matty Taylor produced a trademark set piece that John-Joe O’Toole met with a majestic header to send the 400 or so travelling support wild. It was out of the blue but encapsulated the heart of this Cobblers side. O’Toole’s cult status is rising by the week and that it was he who nodded in made it that bit more special.

A dangerous looking Swindon free kick came and went just a couple of minutes later and it was the Cobblers who sealed the win thanks to a fantastic breakaway goal. There may well have been a foul in the build-up on the half way line but you have to play to the whistle and Hooper did exactly that, picking the ball up, running with it and sending in a cross that Alex Revell dummied for Gorre to meet with a controlled finish that put the cherry on top of a terrific battling performance.

Gorre is growing in confidence and needed that goal more than most in this Cobblers side – there’s definitely a raw talent in there and the end product will hopefully come. Page probably did the best thing in taking him out of the immediate firing line of the starting eleven and his place as an impact substitute could be just what he needs right now.

All in all a perfect away performance from the Cobblers and we’re now, incredibly, up to fourth in League One. The ten game marker has been laid down and a record of four wins, five draws and just that one defeat is a magnificent return. We’ve responded to the first league defeat of 2016 in style and it sets us up for a very interesting autumn.

There’s still nothing in League One that I’ve seen to worry us and Page seems to have retained some of the best qualities of last season’s championship winning squad even though some of the key personnel moved on.

We’re only just getting started and Northampton Town are still riding this ridiculous wave of positivity. League One, you have been warned…

Identity coming through for Page’s Cobblers

After a collection of draws that clouded the view of the opening month of this season, the Cobblers are up and running and suddenly the questions that were asked about this new look squad are being answered with back to back home wins that give us a bit of space to breath. Rob Page has begun to stamp his identity on the squad and the results are a hardworking, resilient and gutsy outfit that could well start to make League One stand up and take notice.

The spotlight has well and truly been on the club ever since the League Cup win over West Bromwich Albion and the subsequent draw that saw us paired with some jokers from Old Trafford. The televised game against MK Dons shone the spotlight further ahead of that tie but, more importantly in the long term, gave us a platform on the pitch that shouldn’t be underestimated.

Storming into that three goal lead against Milton Keynes was as unexpected as it was desperately needed with a formerly reserved Town side coming to life. It stunned the visitors and the season was ignited with an ease that made you wonder what all the fuss was about from the end of the transfer window when just one deadline day deal made us collectively mop our brows for the coming months. Nerves were jangling and a sense of “Here we go” crept in when Dons made it 3-1 too easily before the break but I thought we managed the game superbly in the second half and Samir Curruthers’ late strike for 3-2 didn’t do too much damage to morale as that first win of the season was gratefully tied up.

After that came a much needed week of rest – it had been a relentless opening month of games every few days – and Page would have been delighted to get a full midweek to gather his thoughts ahead of Saturday’s encounter with Walsall, where the good work was continued.

The Saddlers were surprisingly toothless after a 2015/16 season that saw them come so close to automatic promotion. Town came out of the blocks with confidence once again and Matty Taylor’s second goal in two games was almost a carbon copy of the one he provided for Alex Revell six days earlier. A few missed chances later, though, and we were left with worries of the early season form that saw us throw away 1-0 leads three times.

This time, though, lessons were learned and the second half saw the Cobblers become the more likely to add to the score and when Scott Laird handled ten minutes from time, Revell was clinical from the spot and that was well and truly that for another huge three points that came about much more comfortably than it could have done.

Revell is the man of the moment and his energy has been absolutely remarkable for a thirty three year old who was thought of as more of a provider of goals when he came in during the summer. He certainly is that but he’s also a warrior that epitomises what Page is trying to do here. Not since the likes of Neil Grayson and Scott McGleish have I seen someone leading the line with this much desire and will to win and that is extremely high praise. Revell is someone who Cobblers fans will quickly grow to love – he’ll get people off their seats, not for particular skill or turn of pace but for the effort and heart he puts in to each and every game.

It’s starting to rub off on the rest of the team as well – Lewin Nyatanga has taken his chance in the absence of Gabriel Zakuani whilst Jak McCourt is doing plenty of unnoticed work in midfield, keeping out player of the year John-Joe O’Toole who was available after suspension yesterday. Matty Taylor could also be set to become this seasons’ Ian Taylor in the veteran midfield role.

All in all we’re really starting to fire and now the challenge is consistency and to take this swashbuckling type of performance on the road with the trip to Chesterfield next week another big test of the now 31 game unbeaten league run (we can start to count these games now we’re winning rather than drawing!)

Rob Page has quietly gone about his job but many more results and performances like these two and the Cobblers may yet start to make a lot more noise in League One than any of us had imagined.