Northampton Town head into another pivotal week in their League One season having moved to strengthen their squad, with manager Kevin Nolan insisting belief remains strong despite their slide into the bottom two.
The Cobblers currently sit 23rd after 28 games, above only Port Vale, following a run of seven matches without a win and four successive defeats. Tuesday night’s trip to Barnsley offers an immediate chance to change the picture, with victory at Oakwell enough to lift Town out of the relegation zone.
Northampton have acted ahead of the run-in by adding midfielder Kyle McAdam and defender Ben Hammond on loan from Nottingham Forest for the remainder of the season. Both players arrive as Nolan looks to inject energy and depth into a squad under pressure, with McAdam having already gained League One experience during a spell at Mansfield Town earlier this campaign.
‘It will turn’
Despite the difficult run of results, Nolan remains adamant that performances have not reflected the league position.
“At this minute we’re in a tough moment and it’s not going for us,” he said. “We’re not getting the rub of the green but it will turn and we have to keep the belief. This is no time to feel sorry for ourselves.”
The Town boss leaned on his own experience of relegation battles, suggesting adversity often sharpens focus rather than undermines it.
“We’re going to prove a lot of people wrong,” Nolan added. “I’ve had many of these moments in my career where you’re down at the bottom and people are telling you you’re not very good. That’s when you have to come out fighting, and that’s what we’ll certainly do.”
While Northampton were beaten by Reading at the weekend, Nolan was encouraged by the response, particularly after a disappointing midweek defeat at Rotherham United.
“I was really angry at Rotherham because of the way we lost,” he said. “But I can’t be angry with Saturday. I’m positive, because if we keep performing like that, we’ll win more than we lose.”
Nolan has made clear that Northampton cannot afford to drift.
“We don’t want to just be in a relegation scrap, we want to be in the middle of the table,” he said. “We’re not there at the moment, so we have to find a result quickly and then build on it.”
Bold statement, needs backing up
Fair play to Nolan for making a bold statement, but there is a real danger they’ll be playing League Two football next season. Earlier in the campaign, they defied critics after a tough transfer window and looked to be mid-table fodder, which was a success in many pundits’ eyes.
Now, they’re struggling, especially as early struggles like Peterborough, Blackpool and Plymouth improve, as expected. The Cobblers need some big results, and right now, they don’t quite look capable of reaching the levels they need to survive.