Football

Dean Austin admits it is ‘payback time’ this weekend as the Cobblers prepare to take on high-flying Plymouth Argyle in search of their first Sixfields victory for three months.

Dave Buchanan has hailed the impact caretaker boss Dean Austin has made since taking over from the sacked Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at Sixfields.

The dust had barely settled on his first victory as caretaker manager of the Cobblers when Dean Austin was setting his sights on doubling that win tally when in-form Plymouth Argyle come to Sixfields on Saturday (ko 3pm).

Club captain David Buchanan has called on the Cobblers supporters to pack out Sixfields this weekend, saying ‘this team needs them more than ever’.

Plymouth Argyle have been dealt a big injury blow ahead of their trip to the Cobblers on Saturday with the news that striker Ryan Taylor has been ruled out with an ankle injury.

The end of the 2017/18 season is nearly upon us, and it’s time to cast your vote for the Chronicle & Echo Northampton Town supporters’ player of the year.

Caretaker boss Dean Austin believes three wins from their final three games of the season will definitely be enough to see the Cobblers secure safety in Sky Bet League One.

Striker Kevin van Veen is a doubt for the Cobblers’ must-win Sky Bet League One clash with Plymouth Argyle at Sixfields on Saturday.

Cobblers forward Sam Hoskins hopes his well-taken goal during Saturday’s 3-2 win over Bury will be enough to convince manager Dean Austin that he deserves more chances to play as a striker.

Cobblers boss Dean Austin has told his players to ‘just go for it’ in their final three games of the season as they look to fend off relegation back to Sky Bet League Two.

When Kevin van Veen picked up an injury and was forced off the pitch less than half-an-hour into Saturday’s crunch game at Bury, the obvious replacement, it seemed, was Chris Long.

Only three wins from their final three games will likely be enough to keep them up this season but Sam Hoskins says the Cobblers believe they are capable of doing just that following Saturday’s ‘massive’ 3-2 win over Bury.

Ash Taylor’s last-gasp goal at Gigg Lane on Saturday saw the Cobblers beat Bury 3-2 and keep alive their hopes of avoiding relegation from Sky Bet League One.

Cobblers supporter Mustafa El-Bayati received the EFL SMG Insight Supporter of the Year award at the EFL Awards dinner in London on Sunday.

Matt Grimes has often polarised opinion during the course of his loan spell at Sixfields but the reaction to his performance against Bury on Saturday was universally positive, with no-one more impressed than Cobblers caretaker boss Dean Austin.

The Cobblers have played better and lost this season but, at a time when wins and points are the only commodities that matter, the manner of their victory over Bury at a sun-soaked Gigg Lane on Saturday was not important.

Dean Austin has made it clear the the promotion of youth teamers Morgan Roberts and Sean Whaler to the first team squad was a decision made purely on merit.

Dean Austin admits there is simply no downplaying ‘a massive game’ for the Cobblers at Bury on Saturday, but at the same time he wants his players to relax and ‘play the game, not the occasion’.

Caretaker boss Dean Austin has defended striker Kevin van Veen’s performances, and revealed the former Scunthorpe United man has been playing through the pain barrier for the Cobblers.