Boothroyd won’t rush Cobblers contract decisions

TAKING HIS TIME - Cobblers boss Aidy Boothroyd won't make any snap decisions on which players to keep at Sixfields (picture by Kelly Cooper)

Five of the 11 that started the 3-0 defeat to Bradford City at Wembley on Saturday are out of contract in the summer, while deals are also due for renewal for four of the seven substitutes.

Town will also see goalkeeper Lee Nicholls return to Wigan Athletic following the completion of his loan spell and Nathan Cameron’s loan from Coventry is now over, although his contract at the Sky Blues has ended.

Boothroyd is aware the need to move away from the emotion of losing such a huge game is an urgent one, especially as other league two clubs have already starting confirming their retained lists and signing players for next season.

But the manager confirmed he will take his time over several big decisions in the next few days to avoid them being influenced by the disappointment of Saturday’s loss.

“We’ve got to do a little bit of shifting and perhaps move one or two things around,” said Boothroyd. “I think it’s important to take a couple of days to do that.

“You can make snap decisions after performances like that but I want to look at the full picture and make a decision.

“I don’t think we will have a bigger squad next season but we are going to have to bring one or two in to improve where we are.

“To get from the bottom of the league to the play-off final is an achievement and I’m very cautious not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

Some big names are among those out of contract at Sixfields this summer, including club captain Kelvin Langmead, leading goalscorer Adebayo Akinfenwa and Ben Tozer, who has played more minutes than anyone in the current campaign.

There will inevitably be departures but Boothroyd believes his current squad is a competent one that suffered from a bad - and costly - case of stage fright at Wembley.

“It’s a genuine group of people at this club, and it’s a talented group of people that on the day got a bit of stage fright,” he said.

“It’s as simple as that. But every actor gets that every now and then and it’s about how they get on with their next performance.”