"Playing well" doesn't just mean creating chances. That's just one aspect of the game. Others being scoring goals, and stopping the opposition creating chances and scoring goals themselves. So we're probably only 25% of where we need to be to win games. We are easy to play against -still. Just like last season with a soft centre and an inability to finish off our chances.

I missed the first show as on hols but thought Saturday's was as good as the Channel 5 version. I watched on Sky HD so was very happy with the picture quality. Pity we were the last game shown!

Crooks to Rovrum latest rumour...

Yeah, a decent fee I hear. Perhaps we can use it to get in a proper wide player. If McWilliams has a long term injury we could be a bit light on midfield options.

Someone on Twitter suggested between 150-200 attendance. About 800 fewer than last year.

The new shirt looks a lot better with yellow shorts.

Definitely. It's simple really.

I presume you guys have already been down this summer for some 4 day action?

Yep, popped along to a couple of weekend days of 4 dayers, a 50 over game and an evening of the pink ball day/nighter. We seem to be building momentum at the right time for T20. It's coming home!

T20 cricket starts at the Ceynty Greynd this week in glorious weather, with a derby match against Leicestershire followed by big guns Notts. Hope to see some fellow Cobblers there. I'll be on the look out for those of you in the new yellow away kit! There'll be one I'm sure.

I did see someone in the town centre wearing one today. The red trim is very red, and to be frank I really didn't t like it. The yellow was very bright, but he wasn't swarmed with insects thankfully.  Yellow with narrow claret pinstripes would do me - like 86/87.

It's a fairly uninspiring set of friendlies this year. I only normally do Sileby and maybe one against a decent Championship side but Sileby is a no due to the England clash and we don't face any decent opposition. I've had all the possible World Cup dates earmarked since the draw so the fixture schedulers here could have arranged the friendlies better.

No it isn't. We asked them about changing the date but it's not possible. The game will be screened in the lounge.

A real shame that. Being on a Tuesday night would have probably halved the crowd from a Saturday anyway but you can probably halve that again. But if the ground is booked for the bowls club on the other nights what can you do?

Good point, surely there's scope to try and rearrange - I bet even both sets of players would rather watch England!

I think they will re-arrange. Crowd size will be affected massively otherwise. Mon or Weds probably.

Still out walking the dog this morning.....!

He might be on a staycation

Some of the bigger games (those likely to attract large away followings) at home are early on - Lincoln, Cambridge, Notts are all in the first month. MK home over Christmas is interesting as the EFL say although they try and keep the festive fixtures localish, they also say they try to keep the bigger "Derby" games away from the dates that generally attract bigger crowds anyway. Clubs attract bigger gates around Christmas so don't need the Derby games. Those games should come at any normal time.
I also predict the lowest home crowd to be Newpor on a Tuesday night.

This thread has made me laugh like a looney. It quickly descended into farce. I never know whether people on here are genuinely just funny and natural comedians, on the wind up or just plain daft. Wales is also in the British Isles 
If we're having Eire, then Eddie McGoldrick will be in my team. How about David Seal (Australia)? 
I wish I had something funny to say.

Firstly its not important to have an exact copy of some other clubs ground, infact you hear a lot of fans not liking visiting identy kit or lego esque stadium such as little sixfields, so it doesnt sell its self well. Some originality would likely attract more visiting fans.
  I suggested  a new 12 row extention behind both goals that are a safe terracing, many fans mainly older wish to remain seated so need catering for, so leaving what is there in situ makes perfect financial  sense.
This way gives the ground a professional outlook and feel with a far greater atmosphere that will in turn attract more supporters and increases capacity to above the much needed 12000.
The funding of this would still require getting in some investment, sponsorship,  long term multiple  ticket sales and most importantly the full support and help of our catchment makes this  very acheivable .
Doing nothing for another 20 years isnt an option any more.

The idea of extending behind both goals appeals to me and surely must appeal to most on here. Safe standing/rail seating would be a great way to go. Still aesthetically pleasing with the current seats remaining intact and thus would attract fans who like to stand safely and legally. When Sixfields was built we were told it was a case of ripping off the roof and building back to extend so the costs would be less than a complete re-build. 12 rows of 100 (I think the North and South Stands are only 100 seats wide) = 1200 additional capacity in each stand taking us up to the 10,000 mark with over 2,000 for away fans in one stand. Finish the East with the boxes and bars to generate income on non-match days too and the ground will be ready for a sustained spell in League One and a cheeky push for the Championship.

And everyone always says the view is terrible at Wimbledon! 

I assumed he meant Wimbledon tennis  Well I'm in summer mode, Northants cricket are keeping up the form of Cobblers and Saints impressively!

Forget the East Stand, clad it up and instead build on the 4 corners (or at least two of them) exec boxes on 2 or 3 levels similar to Craven Cottage. Chuck in a supporters bar as well. It will fill the gaps, stop the wind and give it an enclosed feel whilst generating more income to eventually build back on the North and South Stands.

Here's another gem. Aldershot away 1992. Both clubs on the brink of extinction. I went with mates in two cars, we were all about 18 at the time, pre-mobile phones time, and the plan was to follow each other down there - we lost each other at Broadmead Avenue ! We won the game 4-1, Dean Edwards netting twice but the result was expunged as the Shots were wound up a few weeks later. During the game the stewards opened up the gates in the fencing that separated the home and away fans. We chatted to each other and I swapped scarves with a Shots fan which I still have. On the way back one of the seatbelt buckles got caught in the car door and the door wouldn't shut properly so had to be held in case it blew open. A weird day.

As this is for under rated and forgotten gems rather than the popular ones a la Bristol Rovers, here's a few that stick out for me and didn't get mentioned often, from my early years following the Cobblers.  Chester away at Sealand Road first game of the 87/88 season. We won 5-0, my first ever away game. Pity no tv footage. 3-2 win at home to Fulham same season. Paul Culpin scoring a Marco van Basten style volley and big Jim Stannard dropping the ball over the line from a Gilbert cross. A 6-0 thrashing of Aldershot in 1988, at the County Ground a Culpin hat trick. A Friday night 5-0 thrashing of Walsall, Greg Campbell with 2 great goals. A 3-2 opening day win at Gillingham in 1992 including a Morrys Scott pearler and a late Phil Chard winner. That'll do me for starters.

I'm pleased with this. It's a sensible appointment after his 5 game interview process. Impressed with his what he says and seems motivational and the players responded to him. If he can trim the current squad by 3 or 4 and add a winger, attacking midfielder and a couple of strikers we should go well. He seems to want to encourage the development of youth so hopefully one or two of these will breakthrough- hopefully one being Iacifano. I'm quite enthused.