Saturday’s performance by Adebayo Akinfenwa at Accrington was the clearest piece of evidence yet that the Cobblers must open contract talks with the striker as a matter of urgency.
In January, Akinfenwa can talk to other clubs about a move away from Sixfields when his contract ends in July; he can also be transferred permanently to anyone
prepared to meet Northampton’s asking price at that time.
Between now and tea time on New Year’s Day, the team play 11 games.
Considering Akinfenwa already has 10 goals to his name there is a very real prospect he could have 15 by the time the transfer window opens.
What would the market value be of such a player, with such statistics, at such a key moment in the season, when clubs are flush with cash and looking to enhance a promotion bid or bring in the firepower to stave off a relegation?
At Sixfields, he is priceless and Aidy Boothroyd absolutely has to get him under contractual wraps for another couple of years.
His exit last time coincided with one of the most fallow periods in the club’s history as they lurched from one disaster to the next, signing striker A and striker B and never really replacing the man with the X factor.
It is easy to understand the argument for jettisoning the juggernaut – after the game at Accrington, the press box was buzzing and not with talk of another excellent midfield performance by Chris Hackett, a steady showing at centre-back by Ben Tozer or a couple of well-time substitutions by Boothroyd.
Akinfenwa was the name on everyone’s lips. There are times, whether it be through his highly effective self-marketing on social media platform Twitter or in very visual terms or through the dozens of supporters of rival clubs who queue to meet the striker at every ground up and down the country, when it seems the player is bigger than the club.
This is not his fault.
As a natural extrovert and someone with vast charisma, the spotlight is never going to be far away from Akinfenwa, and this does not conform with the ethos of ‘the team, the team, the team’ that is currently being implemented by the coaching staff.
But Akinfenwa unequivocally fits the bill when it comes to the ‘quality over quantity’ policy Boothroyd has adopted in his recruitment at Sixfields this year.
Players such as Luke Guttridge, David Artell, Ben Harding and Hackett were all signed because they are the finished article. They are expensive, but having a small group of good players should be more productive than having a large group of not very good ones (providing, of course, they do not all get injured).
A new deal for Akinfenwa will not be cheap but he will be worth more than the two players who could potentially be signed as his replacements.
Saturday’s haul means Akinfenwa now has 10 goals for the season – the fourth year running he has made double figures. Sometimes you can’t put a price on quality like that, but in this case the club and Boothroyd know exactly how many pounds and pence it will cost them to keep such a guarantee of goals in the side.
They have to pay it.
JEFFERSON’S RATINGS
LEE NICHOLLS
A reasonably steady return to his former club, beaten from range twice ...7
DANNY EAST
Put in some spicy challenges and got forward on the overlap well ...8
BEN TOZER
An entirely accomplished display at the back with good mobility and decision-making ...8
KELVIN LANGMEAD
A relatively quiet afternoon for the skipper with no blood-and-thunder blocks
required ...8
JOE WIDDOWSON
Exquisite cross for Akinfenwa’s first goal and the usual defensive consistency ...8
LEWIS WILSON
Will be cursing the dodgy bounce right before what should have been the second
goal ...7
EMYR HUWS
Struggled with the flow of the game at times but his cross for Akinfenwa’s diving header was perfection ...7
LEWIS HORNBY
Another good outing from the youngster who is maturing and improving with every match ...7
CHRIS HACKETT
His runs from deep relieved pressure off the defence at vital times. In red-hot form at the moment and getting better ...8
ADEBAYO AKINFENWA
Simply unplayable for the duration of his time on the pitch. Diving header was both brutal and balletic ...9
CLIVE PLATT
Played his part in the first half but arguably the team went up a gear after his exit from the contest ...7
Substitutes:
ISHMEL DEMONTAGNAC (for Wilson, 63mins)
Added a speedy edge to the Cobblers in attack at a vital stage of the game ...7
JAKE ROBINSON (for Platt, 63mins)
It’s two goals in two games after this lively cameo off the substitutes’ bench ...8
HENOC MUKENDI (for Akinfenwa, 85mins)
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