Cobblers boss Boothroyd believes Coventry move to Sixfields is ‘the right thing to do’

Cobblers manager Aidy Boothroyd believes Coventry City’s decision to play home matches at Sixfields is ‘the right thing to do’.
Cobblers boss Aidy BoothroydCobblers boss Aidy Boothroyd
Cobblers boss Aidy Boothroyd

And Boothroyd, who spent 10 months as Sky Blues manager in 2010-11, says he has no issues with sharing the playing surface with his former club.

The Football League ruled this week that Coventry can use Sixfields for their home games for the next three years.

The move is being seen as a somewhat controversial one, with many City supporters threatening to boycott matches in Northampton.

But the situation sits comfortably with Boothroyd.

“It’s none of my business what goes on with them but we can benefit from it and we can help a fellow club so I think it’s the right thing to do,” he said.

“The deal is good for the club and I don’t have any problems with it at all. We won’t be painting anything sky blue because it is still our ground but we are happy to help out a fellow club. I have no issues with it at all.”

Boothroyd is keen to distance himself from the current situation at Coventry, an administration-hit club at the centre of a political wrangle and operating under a transfer embargo.

He did comment on his time there, though, citing a lack of money for loan players as the key factor during a run of just one win in 16 games that culminated in his dismissal.

“The fact they’ve had 11 managers in 12 years says to me there hasn’t been a lot of stability, but I just go from what I’ve read in the papers,” he said.

“I know there are often lots of sides to every story and so I’m probably best staying away from that.

“In my time there we had the makings of a really good side but when we started getting the injuries and suspensions and needed to get loan signings in there was nothing there, the well was dry and there was no money.

“Wherever I’ve been you have to be able to get loan players and we didn’t, so I paid the price. But it’s meant that I’ve come here and started enjoying my career again.”

One of the primary concerns of any rental agreement with another club, at least from a football perspective, would be over the condition of the playing surface.

Due to the excellent work of groundsman Paul Knowles, Northampton did not miss a game last term in what was a bitterly cold winter.

And Boothroyd has ever confidence the Sixfields staff would be able to cope with the added work load, especially as a lot of work has already been done on the pitch in anticipation of rugby league being played on it this summer.

“I was speaking to David Powell down at the Saints recently and he told me that we’ve just had the worst winter in the county for 60 years,” he said.

“So both sets of ground staff have had to do a lot of work recently to get the pitches into a good condition.

“We played games when we had no right to and if there’s any money that needs to be spent on the pitch then I don’t think that would be a problem.”