Chris Hackett says the Cobblers will prepare for their npower League Two play-off final against Bradford City as though it was a run-of-the-mill league fixture.
Hackett believes it is important the squad do not allow the hype surrounding the game, at Wembley on May 18, to affect their preparations during the build-up to it.
More than 30,000 tickets have been sold for the match, which has captured the imagination of the Northampton public in the same way as the play-off finals in 1997 and 1998 did.
But Hackett insists it will business as usual on the Sixfields training ground over the course of the next week.
“It’s a big game but we won’t be changing too much about our routine and I think that’s important,” he said. “We’ve played 48 league games this season and we need to treat it like all the others.
“It’s exciting for the supporters but as a player you have to go into it with the mindset that this is your job.
“You have to be focused on what you’re there to do, which is to play a game of football and you have to try to make sure your routine is the same as it always is.
“You don’t want to overthink it because that can lead to problems too but I think everyone here is level-headed and that won’t be an issue.”