[Amelia Chaffinch]

Tuesday sees us travel to the northernmost of the Amptons.

Will this be another humiliating defeat or a snatched draw out of the jaws of a defeat?

Heaven forbid it will be a glorious win. 

League Positions

Form

Screenshots from Wikipedia.

The Cobblers have been managed by Kevin Nolan for just short of a year. Previous management roles were at Leyton Orient 2016 and Notts County 2017-2018. Given that both clubs also had him down as a player at the same time, was he a player/manager?

He also had coaching roles with West Ham 2020 to 2024 and with the England U20 squad in 2024.

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Club connections

Joe Low's dad, Josh Low, played for Northampton.

Herbert Chapman played for Northampton but managed us both.

Lee Connell (I'll never think of him by any other name), Tyreece Simpson, and Luke Coddington played for both.

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Football Ground Guide Sixfields

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What a load of old cobblers

Northampton has been the shoemaking capital for centuries. 

They have a collection of old shoes at the museum if you're there long enough to have a look.

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Managers' previews to be posted when they decide to spake.

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Amelia Chaffinch signing off, always proud to produce short, sweet, and positively useless match threads. Enjoy. 

But at least I do them. 

[Lord Snooty]

Nice one Chaffers.

Too early for it to be a must win game. But we must win it.

[Amelia Chaffinch]

Preambulations from the managers via YouTube:

Lee Grant

Kevin Nolan

[Lord Snooty]

Here's what Google AI has to say about today's press conference. Reading it, I think Grant himself could be AI genertated. Listening to him, his words and the way he talks, somehow doesn't seem real........

Key points from the press conference:

Team News & Injuries: Grant mentioned a significant bout of sickness currently affecting the squad, which prevented Lynden Gooch from traveling with the team for the previous weekend's match against Cardiff.

Upcoming Match: The team is preparing to face Northampton Town on Tuesday evening and the focus is on the players who are available and ready to perform.

Recent Form: Both Grant and Wallace discussed the need for resilience and a positive mentality to bounce back from recent inconsistent league results, especially following the 3-2 defeat to Cardiff.

Player Performance: Grant specifically commented on the impressive recent performance of Cameron (Cam) and the importance of managing his development carefully, noting he has earned his place in the first-team squad.

Goal Concession: Grant reiterated his frustration about conceding too many goals and stressed the need for the team to collectively improve defensively.

Team Morale: Wallace emphasized that the senior players are responsible for leading the team through difficult moments and that the group will not hide from the challenge of needing to win games.

[Amelia Chaffinch]

TOWN’S TEAM vs NORTHAMPTON TOWN (A)

22. Lee Nicholls
2. Lasse Sorensen
3. Murray Wallace ©
5. Joe Low
10. Marcus Harness
15. Dion Charles
18. David Kasumu
20. Josh Feeney
23. Seán Roughan
24. Leo Castledine
25. Bojan Radulović

SUBSTITUTES

Owen Goodman; Ben Wiles, Joe Taylor, Radinio Balker, Alfie May, Cameron Ashia, Dan Vost

Lynden Gooch (illness) remains sidelined this evening, with Ruben Roosken (illness) also unavailable. Having collected his fifth booking of the season at the weekend, Club captain Ryan Ledson is serving a one match suspension tonight. We will also continue without long-term absentees Marcus McGuane (groin), Herbie Kane (groin), Jack Whatmough (calf), Will Alves (foot), Zépiqueno Redmond (knee), Mickel Miller (hamstring) and Antony Evans (knee).

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Northampton starting XI

34 R. Fitzsimons
15 J. Thorniley
18 M. Forbes
3 C. McCarthy
12 N. Guinness-Walker
4 D. Campbell
23, T. Taylor ©
2 J. Burroughs
19 E. Wheatley
14 T. Fornah
9 T. Eaves

Substitutes
1 L. Burge
35 M. Dyche
22 K. Edwards
5 J. Guthrie
7 S. Hoskins
10 E. List
11 K. Swyer

[Lord Snooty]

Absolutely dire!

[Amelia Chaffinch]

Commentator has just said Lee Grant is getting more animated than ever. Eh? He put some gum in his gob. Is that what they class as Lee Grant getting animated?

[Lord Snooty]

Classy Cas. Again.

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We've lost pictures now. Is it storm Bram?

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Picture back now. Which is a shame.

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I was about to write, just before Classy Cas scored, that we were looking like a relegation side more than team hoping for promotion. We had 55% possession first half. Did very little with it.

[theo_luddite]

Too many chances blasted over the bar or passed straight at their keeper. All very familiar.

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We've lost pictures now. Is it storm Bram?

Wasn't just me then.

[WakeyTerrier]

I didn’t see most of the second half because of Sky problems but I think we can all agree we have seen enough.
I think the only thing that’s saved him from the chop tonight is Bradford haven’t had a game to extend the gap between us and the top 2.

Another dismal display on Saturday and I’ll be amazed if he makes it to the end of Soccer Saturday on Sky