After a disappointing World Cup for the national team, it was back to the real football as the start of the 2006/07 season saw changes aplenty at Sixfields.
John Gorman replaced the Nottingham Forest bound Colin Calderwood and joining him from Wycombe was coach Jim Barron and midfielder Joe Burnell. Ian Sampson was promoted from youth team coach to Assistant manager while former Town players Sean Parrish and Ray Warburton joined the youth set up.
Also joining the club were front man James Quinn, midfielder Sam Aiston from Tranmere Rovers and left-back Andy Holt, signing from Wrexham. Jerome Watt also signed on a free transfer from Blackburn Rovers at the start of the season.
Going out were fans’ favourite Martin Smith, who made a move back to his native North East and to Darlington while David Rowson also signed for the Quakers. Josh Low was another big name departure from the club when he left for Championship side Leicester City while Ashley Westwood left for Chester and striker Jason Lee to Notts County.
A week before the season began, we headed off on the Sixfields Boys day trip to the Norfolk broads before the Norwich away friendly. The second annual trip to Wroxham included all the usual merriment of PJ falling asleep, fish and chips, a sighting of the ice cream boat and even a round of crazy golf, where I made a shocking start but clawed back my swing just in time. I think we called it a draw after not having enough time to finish the course! The game ended in a 1-0 win for Norwich but a grand day out all the same!
And so to the much anticipated start of the Cobblers’ assault on League One and the fixture list gave us a trip north to Gresty Road, Crewe in the opening game of the season. John Gorman’s promises of attractive and entertaining football seemed to be showing already as the Cobblers twice came from behind to claim a good point in an exciting 2-2 draw. Ryan Lowe put the Alex in front to give us the worst possible start to the season after seven minutes but Scott McGleish equalised just five minutes later. David Vaughn put the home side back in front on twenty minutes in a pulsating league opener. The Cobblers weren’t to be denied a point though and Andy Kirk hit back just before half time as we claimed a share of the spoils.
The following Tuesday saw the start of the home campaign with a tester against Brentford at Sixfields. Lee Harper’s fateful error with twenty minutes to go handed Chris Moore, a free transfer for the Bees from Dagenham in the summer, the chance to give them the points. He duly obliged and the defeat started a woeful run of home form for the Cobblers.
The first Saturday home game saw former European Cup winners Nottingham Forest visit Sixfields in what was also a quick return for Colin Calderwood. It ended with another 1-0 defeat with the unfortunate Chris Doig scoring an own goal and Scott McGleish being sent off on the hour mark. Mark Bunn took over from Lee Harper in goal for this one and Harper never gained his place back.
The following weekend and we headed to Gillingham and finally picked up our first three points of the season. On a beautifully sunny day I remember being rather unnerved by the atmosphere around the only street up to the away end of the Priestfield Stadium but luckily found the usual Cobblers travellers in the small pub at the end of that road and one of my favourite pubs of the season just for its décor of history, hanging from the ceiling were football shirts from the ages and from all teams you could think of. Jeema was greeted into the pub with his usual heroes welcome! On the pitch, the Cobblers needed just the one goal to see off Gillingham, Andy Kirk providing us with win number one.
Our Carling Cup campaign started and finished at Loftus Road despite a gutsy fightback against the Championship side. Rangers went 2-0 up through Lee Cook and Kevin Gallen before Jerome Watt’s impressive performance was rounded off with a spectacular goal and Andy Kirk levelled the score with ten minutes to go. With extra time looming, QPR cruelly won it with a goal in the 87th minute through Ray Jones.
Back to league action and the game with Bristol City, shown live on Sky Sports, rounded off the month. Andy Kirk finished off a productive month for himself with the opening goal but it was cancelled out by the first in a long line of penalty decisions that went against us this season when Phil Jevons converted from the spot. The game was overshadowed by what happened in first half stoppage time as City’s Bradley Orr was sent off for appearing to head butt team mate Louis Carey! But despite only having ten men on the pitch, City were still too strong and ran out 3-1 winners thanks to a Paul Brooker goal and the outstanding David Cotterill, who has since joined Wigan Athletic for £2 million, converting a second penalty!
So a mixed start to the 2006/07 season for the Cobblers but three home defeats on the trot meant that we were stuck in the bottom half of the table as the season gathered pace.
John Gorman replaced the Nottingham Forest bound Colin Calderwood and joining him from Wycombe was coach Jim Barron and midfielder Joe Burnell. Ian Sampson was promoted from youth team coach to Assistant manager while former Town players Sean Parrish and Ray Warburton joined the youth set up.
Also joining the club were front man James Quinn, midfielder Sam Aiston from Tranmere Rovers and left-back Andy Holt, signing from Wrexham. Jerome Watt also signed on a free transfer from Blackburn Rovers at the start of the season.
Going out were fans’ favourite Martin Smith, who made a move back to his native North East and to Darlington while David Rowson also signed for the Quakers. Josh Low was another big name departure from the club when he left for Championship side Leicester City while Ashley Westwood left for Chester and striker Jason Lee to Notts County.
A week before the season began, we headed off on the Sixfields Boys day trip to the Norfolk broads before the Norwich away friendly. The second annual trip to Wroxham included all the usual merriment of PJ falling asleep, fish and chips, a sighting of the ice cream boat and even a round of crazy golf, where I made a shocking start but clawed back my swing just in time. I think we called it a draw after not having enough time to finish the course! The game ended in a 1-0 win for Norwich but a grand day out all the same!
And so to the much anticipated start of the Cobblers’ assault on League One and the fixture list gave us a trip north to Gresty Road, Crewe in the opening game of the season. John Gorman’s promises of attractive and entertaining football seemed to be showing already as the Cobblers twice came from behind to claim a good point in an exciting 2-2 draw. Ryan Lowe put the Alex in front to give us the worst possible start to the season after seven minutes but Scott McGleish equalised just five minutes later. David Vaughn put the home side back in front on twenty minutes in a pulsating league opener. The Cobblers weren’t to be denied a point though and Andy Kirk hit back just before half time as we claimed a share of the spoils.
The following Tuesday saw the start of the home campaign with a tester against Brentford at Sixfields. Lee Harper’s fateful error with twenty minutes to go handed Chris Moore, a free transfer for the Bees from Dagenham in the summer, the chance to give them the points. He duly obliged and the defeat started a woeful run of home form for the Cobblers.
The first Saturday home game saw former European Cup winners Nottingham Forest visit Sixfields in what was also a quick return for Colin Calderwood. It ended with another 1-0 defeat with the unfortunate Chris Doig scoring an own goal and Scott McGleish being sent off on the hour mark. Mark Bunn took over from Lee Harper in goal for this one and Harper never gained his place back.
The following weekend and we headed to Gillingham and finally picked up our first three points of the season. On a beautifully sunny day I remember being rather unnerved by the atmosphere around the only street up to the away end of the Priestfield Stadium but luckily found the usual Cobblers travellers in the small pub at the end of that road and one of my favourite pubs of the season just for its décor of history, hanging from the ceiling were football shirts from the ages and from all teams you could think of. Jeema was greeted into the pub with his usual heroes welcome! On the pitch, the Cobblers needed just the one goal to see off Gillingham, Andy Kirk providing us with win number one.
Our Carling Cup campaign started and finished at Loftus Road despite a gutsy fightback against the Championship side. Rangers went 2-0 up through Lee Cook and Kevin Gallen before Jerome Watt’s impressive performance was rounded off with a spectacular goal and Andy Kirk levelled the score with ten minutes to go. With extra time looming, QPR cruelly won it with a goal in the 87th minute through Ray Jones.
Back to league action and the game with Bristol City, shown live on Sky Sports, rounded off the month. Andy Kirk finished off a productive month for himself with the opening goal but it was cancelled out by the first in a long line of penalty decisions that went against us this season when Phil Jevons converted from the spot. The game was overshadowed by what happened in first half stoppage time as City’s Bradley Orr was sent off for appearing to head butt team mate Louis Carey! But despite only having ten men on the pitch, City were still too strong and ran out 3-1 winners thanks to a Paul Brooker goal and the outstanding David Cotterill, who has since joined Wigan Athletic for £2 million, converting a second penalty!
So a mixed start to the 2006/07 season for the Cobblers but three home defeats on the trot meant that we were stuck in the bottom half of the table as the season gathered pace.
1 comment:
I never got to a match until the QPR game due to holiday dates. My son nearly refused to come away with me when he realised we would miss Forest at home. When I watched us at QPR I felt pretty optimistic about our prospects for the season - hummm, what did I know?
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