Yeovil Town (A) Preview...

A New Year's Day haul to Yeovil would probably be the last game the Cobblers' fans wanted on the day of hangovers and need for rest. But that's what the fixtures computer threw up back in June and the team are travelling down today in order to be in good nick for the game.

Scott McGleish and Sean Dyche are still battling to be fit for the game but the Cobblers hve no new injury concerns.

Back in September, Jason Crowe's opener gave us a lead at Sixfields but Yeovil hit back through Marcus Stewart. The Glovers go into the game in 6th place and were boosted recently by the news that Southampton striker Leon Best will continue his loan spell with the club.

So a massive test for Ian Sampson and the players as 2007 kicks off!

Northampton Town A-A Millwall

Well, what could be seen as some as a wasted journey actually turned out to be a cool road trip and a decent day out despite the abandonment!

We set out on our merry way in Bella (Jamie's car) and with camcorder in hand ready for any grand moments of comedy along the way. Moments that included a revisit to the glorious land of Sutton Scotney and us overtaking a vehicle with three reindeer and sleigh towed to its back! We arrived into Northampton in good time for a Mum breakfast which was certainly needed

Our usual Sixfields routine was carried out, into the Members bar by 1pm and Dad crazily predicting that "we'll be in the playoffs by April" following the might of the boxing day win over Cheltenham!

As the game began on a damp surface, we looked comfortable in possesion and looked more likely to score than the visitors. But Cobblers Law states that if we look comfortbale, the other side must score, and Millwall duly obliged. Chris Hackett crossed and Poul Hubertz hammered home a volley from inside the area.

At this point I expected what I'd seen for a lot of the season- a frustrating dour game. But it was in fact the total opposite, just that it was still without that vital killer touch. As the rain continued to team down, we battled for the ball, created chances and fought with the type of play that had been lacking for so long this season. Andy Kirk, in for the injured McGleish, missed a glorious chance with a free header.

There were five minutes of injury time for what looked like a dreadful injury to Millwall's Danny Senda. Chris Doig came to the rescue as the St John's mbulance crew strolled onto the pitch with the stretcher. Doig saw the need for a faster delivery of the stretcher than the walking pace of the professionals so grabbed it Baywatch style and running to the aid of Senda, earning him applause from all sides of Sixfields. Hopefully the injury isn't as bad as it seems and I wish Senda a speedy recovery.

Back to the action and we were a goal down still at half time but the way we played suggested we could well get back into the game.

In the early stages of the second half, Joe Burnell went close and Kirk was foiled again by Lenny Pidgeley in the Millwall goal. The atmosphere was building for a big finish but on 68 minutes, the rain was too much and the referee called the game to a premature end, sparking scenes of joy in the home end but anger in the Millwall ranks.

We may not have finished the game but what we did get from it was 68 minutes of fight and determination- quite possibly more than the rest of the season put together. If this is the type of side that Ian Sampson is sending out, then give him the job now!

The journey home was more treacherous than the clear run up to Northampton but after a coffee stop we made it back safe and sound! Jamie even unknowingly pulled into the services that were opposite the hotel we all stayed in for Dave and Marti's wedding in Didcot!

So no points from today but a good day all round and a strange way to end 2006 at Northampton Town.

2007 promises more usual Cobblers unpredictability and I look forward to the journey ahead. I just hope it doesn't rain too much along the way!

2006...The Year That Was...Part Two

So we go on into August and the first day of the season was missed by me (a 2-2 draw at Crewe) because of it clashing with my visit to see "We Will Rock You" in the West End. My first game of the season was a 1-0 win at Gillingham.

Dave's stag do was a highlight of the month as spaceman, magicians and foolish bouncers all contributed to a fantastic day all round.

Elsewhere, the university results day was looming and three years of studying brought a 2:1 result for me which I was delighted with! And more reasons to celebrate of course as we entered into a journey that included a "Southampton Live" festival that we didn't know was even happening and another superb night at the Frog and Frigate. This was also the night that we randomly met some Spanish exchange students who invited us, incredibly, back to my old halls for a "party" that involved popular Spanish songs and magic tricks. The long walk home took over an hour but it didn't seem to matter!

My birthday in September was less hectic than last year's 21st party , with a quiet Chinese meal (rather than one of those loud Chinese meals!) and a couple of drinks with the family.

The main event of the month was of course the wedding of two of my best friends as Dave and Marti were married in a brilliantly planned day and night. It also gave us the chance to sample the tea and coffee making facilities of the Travel Inn of Didcot South and to visit Sutton Scotney.

The Cobblers were hanging on in mid table and a trip to Bournemouth in October helped us to discover that chavs rule the beach side after 10pm and that Bar:Me is completely banned from any later trips to this particular town. Also in October was the return of Dave and Marti to Southampton and a day out in Brighton for one of the dullest games of the year.

November was the month we were all waiting for and on the 22nd, we finally graduated after a six month wait to don the cap and gown and to make a film of the week that shows off our complete randomness. The whole week was fantastic from the emotional quiz on the Monday, the ceremony on Wednesday, a buffet and a trip to Reflex in the evening and the Graduation Ball on Saturday!

December has been a cracking month as well to round off the year. Well, outside The Cobblers anyway! The performances on the pitch had been awful, we were dumped out of the FA Cup by Barnet and John Gorman resigned. We still search for a new boss.

And so as 2006 ends, I look back with fond memories of a year that's given me so much more than I could hve expected when I woke up in Edinburgh on January 1st. I have a group of friends in Southampton that I know I will be around forever, my passion for writing hasn't gone and Northampton Town are still above the League One drop Zone.

So bring on 2007. I have no idea where next year will take me and that suits me! It's going to take a hell of a lot to beat the year that was 2006 though!

2006...The Year That Was...Part One

As 2006 comes to an end, it gives me great pleasure to trawl through my memories of the greatest year of my life so far....

I awoke on the first day of January in Edinburgh and with a stinking hangover. The Cobblers had lost the local derby to Peterborough the day before and meant that I didn't feel as guilty as I could have done about choosing a new year in Scotland rather than the Town-Boro derby! I had no idea what a great year it was about to be...

January saw Jamie's 21st birthday and a night that shouldn't be repeated anywhere, especially after the bits I didn't know were revealed last week in a "let's embarress each other with funny stories" game at Dave's flat! So I won't say anything about that I'm afraid.

February saw Dave's surprise party at the Soul Cellar and he was suitably surprised, especially after throwing Marti her own surprise party the night before!

March included a completely useless "careers day" in Cardiff that helped us in the way that we found out that to work in Wales you must be welsh or speak it. More vital information from that day was that Newport's guildhall looks exactly the same as Southampton's!

Into April and the Cobblers were in the promotion mix. A win at Oxford on a glorious sunny day meant that victory the following week at Sixfields against Chester would secure us a place in League One. Plans were laid out for a celebration back in Southampton should we manage the win.

And so to April 29th, 2006, one of the days of the year. A nervy Sixfields Tavern awaited, my uncle came to a football game for the first time in 40 years and after a Scott McGleish goal, we hung on for a 1-0 win, sparking incredible scenes at Sixfields. Colin Calderwood burst into song on the micraphone, the players sprayed champaigne everywhere and Martin Smith was carried off the pitch by jubilant Town fans. Back in the Tavern, we found out that Rushden and Diamonds had been relegated on the same day. More champaign was popped by fans as the Tavern partied hard.

I had to leave the celebrations early to be able to pick them up again in Southampton and we discovered the glorious Frog and Frigate near Ocean Village, a venue that we continue to frequent after the party of April 29th.

There was no time to recover and as May approached, so too did the final hand in date for dissertations and more reasons to celebrate. I decided against a final day of the season trip to Grimsby in favour of the Summer Ball. In Cleethorpes, Ryan Gilligan's goal in injury time meant that Grimsby faced the playoffs while we confirmed a 2nd place finish in League Two. Meanwhile, we partied away (again) this time at the Guildhall and finished off university life (for now).

June meant that the World Cup was upon us and the Walkabout pub in Southampton hosted most of our drunken trips through narrow England wins and a nervy route to the second round. Ecuador awaited and it was back to the Walkabout with a 1-0 win meaning that England were back in the Quarter Finals and also sparked the fantastic celebrations with a plastic football up the high street, a chance meeting with a "Bo Selecta" version of Craig David and a chance to hold a wooden world cup! It was up to London for the quarter finals for Jamie's BBQ but as we all know it was another penalty shoot out exit for England in the year that it was meant to be ours.

The football continued into July as pre season began and John Gorman replaced the Nottingham Forest-bound Colin Calderwood as Cobblers boss. The World Cup had got me raring for the new season to start and with a new job also starting things were looking up as we headed into the second half of 2006...

Millwall Preview

And so to the final game of 2006 and another Sixfields relegation scrap in the offering as Millwall are the visitors.

Scott McGleish and Sean Dyche look likely to miss out through injury but Sam Aiston could return to the starting line-up following his lengthy injury lay off.

A grand road trip is set with Jamie continueing his Cobblers tour with his first ever trip to Sixfields...with me navigating we may well get lost though!

Northampton Town 2-0 Cheltenham Town

Quick update here after a busy few days and good news to report with only a second home win of the season yesterday afternoon. The Cobblers saw off Cheltenham Town thanks to two goals from Scott McGleish, the second a penalty.

A mssive result for the Town going into the final game of 2006 against Millwall at Sixfields on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Phil Parkinson has ruled himself out of the manager's job at Sixfields, having initially had talks with the club about the vacant position. The hunt goes on for John Gorman's successor...

Oldham Athletic 3-0 Northampton Town

Another woeful day at the office for the Town who seemed to be losing this game right from the off. Doig and Dyche were missing while McGleish was dropped i favour of Kik.

The big moment came just before Oldham's 2nd goal when Ryan Gilligan missed a great chance to level, only for the home side to go up the other end and double their lead.

We now head for a crucial bottom of the table clash with Cheltenham Town on Boxing Day.

Oldham Athletic (A) Preview...

So the post-Gorman era begins as the Cobblers travel to Boundary Park, Oldham. The big talking point this week apart from Gorman's departure is the transfer listing of Scott McGleish, Andy Kirk and James Quinn so it'll be interesting to see who lines up in the Cobblers attack.

Chris Doig and Sean Dyche are doubts while Pedj Bojic and Andy Holt will face a fitness test.

Ian Sampson and Jim Barron will take charge of the team for the first time.

Chambers bid rejected...Front Three on Transfer List!!

The Cobblers have today turned down a "six figure sum" for defender Luke Chambers as the January transfer window approaches.

More activity on the day following John Gorman's resignation sees Andy Kirk, Scott McGleish and James Quinn ALL placed on the transfer list by the club with David Cardoza stating that the new manager will get a chance to bring in new players in January.

Interesting time at the Cobblers and it could be a pretty mad month or so!

GORMAN RESIGNS AS COBBLERS BOSS!

The big news today is that John Gorman has handed in his resignation as manager of Northampton Town. In a meeting with the chairman, Goran had a resignation request "reluctantly accepted" by the Cardozas and the club state "personal reasons" for the parting.

Gorman took over at Sixfields in the summer following Colin Calderwood's decision to join Nottingham Forest but leaves just six months later with the Cobblers in 18th place in League One.

Ian Sampson and Jim Barron will handle first team affairs until a new boss is named.

There'll be a lot of rumours about the nature of Gorman's departure but I hope it's nothing to do with some of the fickle Cobblers fans that think we should be in the top half of the table. Gorman has taken over a squad that is clearly not good enough to compete in the uper echelons of the table and we're still 3 points above the drop zone. Players have to take some of the responsibility and we don't have anywhere near as good a squad as we did in May when we won promotion.

Good luck to John in the future.

In the meantime, we're in a mess. Things could go horribly wrong from here as it did 4 seasons ago when we went down from this league. Kevan Broadhurst led the Cobblers to mid table before Christmas but that wasn't seen as good enough and he was given the boot. Terry Fenwick lasted 7 games, Wilkinson couldn't save us and that was that.

If we go down this season it'll be a nightmare scenario with the Cardozas in a battle with the council to sort out the development at Sixfields. Relegation could be the final straw and if they leave the club we'll be in total disarray.

The managerial decision has to be right. The fans have to stick behind the club as they always do in bad times. It's time for the players to stand up and be counted, it's time for the maoners in the stands to do the same. It's a simply massive time in the recent history of this football club.

Update!

Sorry for the lack of updates this week but it's been a bit mental over the weekend! We had another classic night out in the Frog and Frigate on Saturday night following a first ever trip to the Hobbit which enabled us to try out some "big fish little fish" style dances!

I go home for Christmas on Friday and look forward to 5 days back in sunny Northampton!

Northampton Town 0-1 Leyton Orient

Another home defeat again in the biggest game of the season so far and it looks bleak as the second half of the season approaches. We stay 3 points off the bottom 4 but with a trip to high flying Oldham on Saturday, we could be in deep trouble come 2007.

Bloody hell!

Huddersfield Town 1-1 Northampton Town

The Cobblers take a decent point away from the Galpharm and it sounded like a stronger performance. John Gorman started with three up front, dropping Kirk to form a new look strike trio of McGleish, Bojic and Gilligan.

Joe Burnell scored his first Cobblers league goal to put us one up at half time before Danny Schofield equilised for the home side.

The Cobblers now face a massive six pointer at home to Leyton Orient on Tuesday evening. If we win, we'll be 6 points clear of the drop zone but lose and we're dragged right back into the dog fight again.

Huddersfield Town (A) Preview

The Cobblers are hanging dangerously above the drop zone in League One and next up is a trip to the Glapharm Stadium to face an underachieving Huddersfield Town side, who lie just a place above us in the table.

The Terriers have had a poor season by their high standards but it will still be a massivly tough task to take anything from the game in our current form.

John Gorman waits on the fitness of Ian Taylor and Jerome Watt and will wait until late on to decide on his starting line up.

I won't be at the game but good luck to the lads...we desperately need a result!

More Hockeyness!!

Yes, I was at it again on Sunday as I lined up for my 3rd hockey game in a team that seems to be gaining more of Marti's friends and family...the back four consisted of Dave, Marti, Me and Phil (Dave's brother).

In a bizarre twist, the opposition had no goalkeeper and their captain had never played hockey before...we won 15-0 :)

There's also a new incentive once the games start again after the Christmas break...the top 4 in the league apparantly get to play in a tournament day in March...woohoo!

On a personal note, I had a quiet game apart from clearing the ball from a goal mouth scramble and generaly spent te whole 2nd half talking to my fellow defenders!

Northampton Town 0-2 Doncaster Rovers

After another dismal display at Sixfields, Donny took away a deserved three points against a fading Cobblers side.

My day once again start frighteningly early, waking at 5:15am in order to get my 6:15 train (major delays on all routes so I decided to go the Banbury way). Dad picked me up in Banbury after a long journey that took a detour round Guildford and I arrived back home at around 11am for Mum's cooked breakfast, much needed after that trekkage!

The usual routine for home games ensued, into the supporters bar for 1pm but this time we were strangely joined by Doncaster fans who must have had some sort of arrangement with the club to join us in our members only bar!

Dad predicted a 1-0 win, Chris guessed at a 2-0 defeat while I played safe with a 0-0 prediction. It turns out Chris would, unfortunately, be spot on!

From the very start of the game it was wrong. Our midfield, barring a few good runs from Nick Wright making his home debut, was static and not quick enough to deal with the visitors who looked strong on the break. Andy Holt had to make a superb saving tackle early on to deny Mark McAmmon before Jason Price struck a shot just over the bar.

Our attacking options were limited with Kirk and McGleish only feeding off scraps. It told the story of the game when on half an hour the biggest cheer so far was when we got a free kick! Our first decent effort came just before the break, Neil Sullivan saving well from a Kirk volley.

A disappointing first half but we should have been a goal up just the other side of the break. Kirk went through on goal, one on one with Sullivan and shot straight at his legs. summing up the Irishman's luck in front of goal right now.

That miss would prove to be costly as a series on Doncaster corners ended with Mark Bunn flapping at the ball and substitute Paul Heffernan nipping his header into the unguarded net. We needed a response and brought on Ryan Gilligan who had our best chance of the game. Andy Holt's cross wrong footed Sullivan and Gilligan brought it down well. It looked like all he needed was to find the power in a header to nod it in but it turned out to a weak effort.

Again a big chance went begging and we were again punished. Luke Chambers made a rare mistake and lost out to Lewis Guy, who powered past Chambers and finished smartly for 2-0 with four minutes to go, sparking about two thirds of the home fans to leave.

That's the way it stayed and we're now looking over our shoulder at the teams in the bottom 4. A relegation scrap could soon be upon us and it's clear that we need players in Janury to bolster the bid to stay in League One.

My journey home was eventful as usual, having to go first to Coventry before changing at Reading for a replacement bus service to Winchester. The replacement bus service is such a British thing. So many old men and women moaning that they wouldn't now get home in time for the X-Factor, a group of chavs on the back seats blaring out their music on their phones and the people that fall asleep and snore right in your ear. I decided to sit back and just take it in, listening and watching this scene of terror before me.

We arrived in Winchester and then it was only a quick train to Southampton to end a day at 10:30pm that started at 5:15am. All in the name of Northampton Town.

Im giving next weeks' trip to Hudderfield a miss due to finance, Christmas etc but I think it'll be good for my health to have a week off too!

Cross is loaned out...

Young striker Scott Cross has been allowed to move on loan to Conference South side Basingstoke Town in order to pick up match experience. Cross has been sparingly used in first team action at Sixfields over the past few years and needs to be playing football.

Good luck Scott!

Doncaster Rovers Preview

So it's back to Sixfields tomorrow afternoon for a tester against Doncaster Rovers.

John Gorman is waiting on the fitness of Eoin Jess and Ian Taylor for the home clash in a game that we really need to win to start forming a gap between ourselves and the bottom four.

Another early start for me because of the usual train delays but if I leave at 6am I may just make it in time for kick off!

Chesterfield 0-0 Northampton Town

343 hardy claret souls made the trip up to Saltergate as the Cobblers collected a point in what sounded like a pretty dull affair. Nick Wright played 90 minutes and was our most dangerous player but the front two couldn't create any real openings. Chris Doig twice saved us with last ditch interventions but the 0-0 sounded a fair result.

Onwards to Doncaster at home on Saturday!

Chesterfield v Northampton Town - The Line Ups!

Chesterfield Roache, Bailey, Picken, Niven, Shaw, Allott, Hall, Downes, Folan, Hazell, Hurst

Subs: Allison, Larkin, Davies, Kovacs, Jordan

Cobblers Bunn, Crowe, Holt, Chambers, Doig, Bojic, Hunt, Burnell, Wright, Kirk, McGleish

Subs: Dunn, Jess, Dyche, Quinn, Gilligan

Chesterfield preview

The Cobblers make the journey to Saltergate, South Yorkshire tonight for a meeting with Chesterfield that gives us an immediate chance to put the FA Cup nightmare at Barnet behind us.

Sean Dyche should face his former club while Jason Crowe may return after suspension. John Gorman has indicated he may switch the side around, with Ian Taylor a candidate to sit out.

We desperately need to give ourselves a lift as we head into the first of a massive period of games over Christmas and New Year. It'll be a tough trip tonight against a side just above us in the table but we can't afford anything close to the performance on Saturday that simply wasn't good enough.

The players need to stand up and be counted at Saltergate.

Come on Town!

Barnet 4-1 Northampton Town

I havn't been putting off writing about this game...I've only just got back from London. But I still don't want to write about it....

It all started very early with my 6:30am train from Southampton, because of engineering works, but luckily there was no need for those dreaded replacement bus services! I dropped a bag off at Jamie's place as his folks were kindly providing my accommodation for the night. Inevitably, it all started with a Weatherspoons breakfast, as it invariably does when me and Jamie are hungry and it's before 12pm!

That done, it was onwards to Barnet and the short trip to Waterloo was enjoyed because of the fantastic driver and his unwillingness to shut up at any point during the announcements...

"We're now arriving in Vauxhall, please remember to bring all your luggage off the train. If you're staying on the train, we advise that you use the baggage compartments above, or below your seats, and please remember to check for any suspect packages on this train. The toilets are there should you need to use them and the buffet trolley will be along in any minute now..."

Blimey...Anyway, as I was saying...

..."If you have any problems please do not hesitate to contact me or any of the staff on board..."

OK, are you done?

"...And..."

Clearly not...

"...if you're planning on getting off at Vauxhall, please use the first 5 carriages. If you are with us up to Waterloo, please be advised to leave the train via the door."

OK, maybe that last bit was made up but you get the picture. The short journey was made that little bit longer by Jamie's awful sense of picking the right seats, choosing not a sensible position in the middle of the train but instead opting for the more uncomfortable position of directly outside the toilet! 5 people used that toilet while we were on the train and each time they came face to face with me, trying desperately not to look in their direction.

Once at Waterloo, we faced a (count them) 20 underground stops to reach high Barnet. To pass the time, Jamie invented an awfully fun game...count down the stations one by one.

"20.....19.....18.....17.....16....15....14....13..."

"Oh for Christ's sake. At least make it a bit more more fun." I ranted.

"OK...."

This is the point where Jamie had a brilliant idea. We were now (count them) TWELVE stops from Barnet. And it's Christmas time. So...

"12....drummers drumming.....11....piper's piping..."

Even some conversation and some chat with two canadians going to Barnet because they "fancied some FA Cup football and we'd never get into Arsenal" couldn't stop him...

"Ten...lords a-leaping....Nine...frigging ladies dancing"

And you get the picture. It even got to the point of him actually making the noise of the characters in the song like the hens, birds and the partridge. After all that, I needed a drink so we headed to the Red Lion outside underhill. Our canadian friends deserted us because the Arsenal game wasn't being shown in there but Dad and Chris arrived just after pint number one. I was in confiedent mood going for a 2-0 win, Dad predicted a replay...unfortunately neither of us were right.

The Cobblers fans, packed into the East Terrace and, not so packed, into the North terrace, were in decent voice until we realised this wasn't going to be easy. Our play was far too narrow and we once again played with 4 central midfielders but somehow we took the lead just before the break. Ian Taylor made a good run and that resulted in Scott McGleish scoring against his old team again with a free header. Barnet weren't threating at all and I said at half time if we got another it was game over. I had no idea what was to come.

Barnet threw everything at us and we had no answer. Adam Burchall muscled past Dyche for the equiliser with 5 minutes of the 2nd half gone and from then on it was downhill, lierally and physically on the Underhill sloping pitch. Jason Puncheon was getting the better of Luke Chambers all afternoon and it was his cross the provided the 2nd goal, a header from Sinclair. Nick Wright came on for his debut to try and spark a response from a sheel shocked Town but a penalty mid way through the half all but ended any hope we had, former Cobbler Ian Hendon converting after Puncheon was fouled. The Cobblers faithful started to stream out as the game wore on and abuse was thrown at the team. I will never agree to either leave early or throw abuse at the players individually but it was very tempting on this occasion.

Another former Cobbler, Magno Viera made it even more depressing with a 4th late on and we were out of the FA Cup at Round Two, completely outplayed in the 2nd half by a well organised and battling League Two side who deserved their win simply for wanting it more. Good luck to them in Round 3, where they will meet Colchester United.

As for us, it's back to the league and a simply massive run of games over Christmas that could decide whether or not we're involved in a relegation dog fight or not. From this showing, we could well be and strengthening is needed in January.

After the game it was a long tube journey, most of the way accompanied by a gloating Barnet fan who was on the phone, smirking at us as she spoke on the phone to her mate...

"If we draw Arsenal away you sooooo have to come"

Shame...have fun against Colchester madam. Oh, and good luck in League Two.

Our planned night out was replaced by a couple of drinks in a local pub and we got some of the disappointment out of our system by playing Buckaroo on the ITbox!

It was a lazy Sunday, watching the Salisbury-Forest game and staring jealously at the 3rd Round draw before my friend Tina, who very coincidently was in the same area of London, gave me a lift back to Southampton.

Now I'm knackered. I need my bed.

Goodnight.

Barnet Preview (FA Cup 2nd Round)

The Cobblers make the trip to Underhill tomorrow in the crunch FA Cup 2nd Round tie.

James Quinn and Andy Kirk should be fit enough to feature and John Gorman must choose his front two as well as deciding whether to hand Nick Wright a debut.

Last season in League Two, Scott McGleish's penalty gave the Town a 1-0 victory on the road to promotion.

Always a decent experience at Underhill and I'm leaving early and spending the weekend in the capital!