Boss Aidy Boothroyd accepts his Cobblers team is currently ‘average’ – but he is still confident they will be sitting in the ‘good team’ bracket by the end of this season.
Town travel to Torquay United this afternoon (ko 3pm), looking for a win that would push them right back into contention for the npower League Two play-offs.
Successive league defeats at the hands of Oxford United and then Cheltenham Town, in a match Town actually led 2-0 early on, have dampened supporters’ enthusiasm and belief that promotion can be achieved this season.
But Boothroyd is still aiming high, and although he accepts his team is still very much a work in progress and has a lot of improving to do, he intends to ensure that improvement is made between now and the end of the campaign.
“I said last year when I first got the job that there was three phases to it,” said Boothroyd ahead of the trip to Devon.
“First of all I said we need to get through to January when we can change things.
“Secondly get the players in in January, and then after that make sure we survive in the division, which we did.
“This year is is slightly different in that we have to get through to January still in the pack.
“We then change can things around in January, make the changes we need, and then keep doing what has worked for us, stop doing what’s not worked for us, and start doing things that are going to improve us.
“Then we have to get some consistency, win some games, and see if we can take ourselves the next step further.”
And Boothroyd believes that is a step the Cobblers can still make this season, and he is determined to finish the campaign on a high.
“I think we have gone from being a bad team to being an average team, and I want us to now go from average to good,” said the Town boss.
“It would nice to be good and have a problem.
“We still have a fair way to go, but I am certainly excited about it.
“The challenge is there for us and for all of the players to stand up to it, to improve, and to give our supporters something to shout about and something to brag about.”
Kick-off at Plainmoor today is at 3pm, and if you can’t make it to the game you can follow the action on Twitter via our Saturday Sports Centre service. Simply follow @chronsport and join in.
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