Adams wants to help bring the ‘good times’ back to the Cobblers

Nicky Adams (far right) celebrates the Cobbleres' 2016 title success, with Ricky Holmes, David Buchanan and Joel ByromNicky Adams (far right) celebrates the Cobbleres' 2016 title success, with Ricky Holmes, David Buchanan and Joel Byrom
Nicky Adams (far right) celebrates the Cobbleres' 2016 title success, with Ricky Holmes, David Buchanan and Joel Byrom
Nicky Adams is determined to ‘bring the good times back’ to the Cobblers.

But he is also warning the club’s supporters not to get too carried away ahead of the new Sky Bet League Two season.

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If anybody knows what it takes to get out of the fourth tier of English football, it is Adams.

He has won promotion in three of the past five seasons, with Bury in 2015 and 2019, and with Chris Wilder’s title-winning Cobblers in 2016.

He also reached the play-offs with Carlisle United in his only other full season in that time, so the 32-year-old knows what he is talking about.

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Keith Curle’s ambitious summer recruitment has certainly raised expectations among the Cobblers supporters, who have been on a bit of a downer since Wilder’s departure in the days after that title win.

Three seasons of struggle, including a relegation back to league two, have followed and they are desperate to see their team winning again.

Adams is confident that is going to be the case next season, but he believes he and his new team-mates cannot look too far ahead.

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“I said last season, we had a really good team but you don’t go around shouting about it from the rooftops,” said Adams, who last week seigned a two-year deal with the Cobblers.

“You get on with your business quietly, just concentrate on what you are doing and I am sure the gaffer will stamp his authority and make it clear what he wants.

“Everbody’s aim in the divsion is promotion, but you have to just take it one game at a time and see where it takes you.

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“But we want to bring some good times back here like we had last time, and if I can be part of that then great.”

Adams helped Bury finish runners-up to Lincoln City last season, but if anything he feels the division is going to be stronger this time around.

Leyton Orient and Salford City are coming up from the National League, while Scunthorpe United, Walsall, Bradford City and Plymouth Argyle have come down.

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And Adams said: “We want to be at the top end of the division because everybody gets excited about that and there are some big games, but it is going to be tough.

“Four really good sides have come down, and the two teams that have come up are good sides as well, so it is going be difficult, but you have to believe in yourself.

“There are a lot of good players that have signed here, and they all have that winning mentality and are people who have been promoted before, so that will stand us in good stead.

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“I am super excited and can’t wait to get started in the next few weeks.”

Adams witnessed first hand how strong the Cobblers were last season, playing in both of Bury’s fixtures against them.

And he believes that the combination of the players still at the club, and the new ones being brought in, the Cobblers are going to be competitive when the new season kicks off on August 3.

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“When we played Northampton at the end of last season, it was a crucial game for us which we knew we needed to win,” he said.

“I said to Buchs (David Buchanan) after that game ‘you have got some good players, I can’t understand where you are’, but for one reason or another, sometimes it doesn’t gel, it doesn’t click.

“From the gaffer’s point of view, he is now getting in his own players that he wants.

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“Add them to the lads that are here already and those coming in and we have some really talented players.

“This is a tough league and it’s an important thing to get the right balance and to also get the right lads in the dressing room as well, that can take you a long way.

“I am looking forward to it, this is another challenge for me and I can’t wait to get started.

“I was driving down before signing and I had a big

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smile on my face, because I am at that point now where I need to be playing where I am happy.

“I had that at Bury last season, but unfortunately it hasn’t worked out as we all thought it would due to circumstances off the field.

“That is disappointing, but as one door closes another one opens and I couldn’t have asked for a better one that to come here and to play for the manager as well.”