Well a week has passed since the end of the season and I must admit I am missing it already, as there is nothing like going to watch your team play on a Saturday afternoon.
The off-season brings with it anticipation on who your team are going to sign next season, what current players are going to stay with the club and thoughts already turn to where you are hoping to finish in the league next season.
As for Norhampton’s season it was a bit of a disappointment if I am honest as we were promised so much by then manager Gary Johnson. He had said that all the players he signed were winners and we were going to be up there challenging come May and as he is a man with a good CV so who were we to argue.
He made signings who just a few months later before his demise he transfer listed. Big names like Arron Davies, Paul Turnball, Jake Robinson were signed and have been nothing but a let down this season.
However despite this there were some players that stood out above the rest during the season and I am now going to choose the top three who deserve extra praise for their fines performances this year.
3rd Place: Adebayo Akinfenwa – Big Bayo as we know him has hit 18 goals this season and for struggling tea that is not a bad return. He is an icon to most Cobblers fans andis a big unit who can take a couple of defenders away with him leaving his strike partner in open space a lot of the time. Considering he has had a lot of different partners this season the one I felt he worked with best was Saido Berahino,they had a great chemistry together & he helped provide a lot of goals for Saido by making defenders deal with him. He spent a spell out of the team when Aidy Boothroyd took over as many of us thought that he was just not Aidy’s cup of tea, but as the season came to close we found out that the club had turned down a six figure sum from a fellow league 2 club believed to be Crawley Town. When Bayo finally got back into the team we had a fitter and more mobile Bayo after he had lost 3 stone to prove to the manager how much he wanted to play for this club. So thanks for the goals Bayo I just hope you are still here at the beginning of next season because with the right strike partner I believe you can lead the charge for the play-offs.
2nd Place: Clarke Carlisle – Clarke joined the club on loan from Burnley in January after Graham Westley had taken over at Preston and terminated Clarke’s season long loan there. Since Clarke has joined the club he has helped to shore up a leaky defence and put his body on the line to block goalbound shots. Clarke was made capatin by Boothroyd as soon as he signed,taking over from John Johnson and to be honest I think this was one of the best moves Aidy could have made as I believe Clarke is a born leader. He says he has found his love for the game again after his loan spell here and that he would love to move to the club on a permanent deal. I just hope we have enough in the budget to afford his wages as I think our defence will be a worse place without him.
1st Place: Michael Jacobs – Michael recently made his 100th appearance for the club in the final game of the season at Rotherham and many of us believe it will be his last. He is being scouted by many championship clubs and the managers of Derby, Peterborough and Bristol City have declared their interest in our 20 year old midfielder. He has had a great season for the club in a midfield that wasn’t really settled until the last day of the transfer window. He is quick and clever on the ball and he can also pick out that killer ball for the strikers to attack. He also showed plenty of passion whilst wearing the claret and white,and whoever he ends up with next season is going to have a player who gives 100% to the team he is playing for. He had a fair few man of the match awards during the season,and he also picked up the clubs player of the year award for the 2nd year in a row. Good luck for the future Crackers,we can dream that you will start the season with us but somehow I think you are on your way to prove your worth at a higher level.
Up the Cobblers!
[ad_pod id=’writer-2′ align=’right’]
