Cobblers defender Horwood desperate to get full pre-season under his belt

The left-back missed virtually the whole pre-season programme last summer due to injury, and he says it was difficult playing catch-up once the season had got underway.

Horwood did manage to get himself in good enough shape to start the season, but had broken down by the end of August and then didn’t play again until December.

Horwood was a regular fixture in the matchday squad in the second half of the season, but says that even for a large chunk of the 26 matches he played, he wasn’t fully fit.

“Getting a full pre-season in is massive, and I don’t think people realise the importance of it really,” said Horwood.

“I missed the full pre-season last year, and it took so long for me to get back.

“I have ended up playing 26 games, but I would say I have probably only been fully fit for 16 or 17 of those, which is not acceptable.”

Horwood believes that if he doesn’t get things right next season then he ‘will be out of a job’, and he is determined to hit the ground running when pre-season starts on June 22.

“I need to sort my head out this summer, and come back stronger, get a full pre-season under my belt and start the season flying, because I will be out of a job if I don’t,” said the 29-year-old.

“I’m having a couple of weeks’ break, but then I will come back flying.

“It is very important for me to do well next season. It’s important that the whole squad is right.”