Time For The Practice To End

I believe it was Harold Wilson who once said that “A week is a long time in politics.” He was implying that fortunes can change rapidly – well a week is certainly a long time in the life of a Cobblers supporter. Take this week for example;

The Cobblers have two new full backs now on a permanent contract, (messrs. Johnson and Hall, probably the finest two full backs in league 2 on current evidence), Abdul Osman agrees an extension to his contract, (jury out, haven’t seen much of him yet), personalisation of the East Stand with NTFC now emblazoned across it, season tickets now safely in my possession, Northampton now resides in the North East???!!! (Johnstones Paint group – “Howay the lads”) and new scarves now on sale in the shop!

I’m exhausted keeping up with it all. Didn’t know supporting the Cobblers was quite so frenetic and the season proper hasn’t even started yet!!!

To cap it all, my season companion is away with the National Youth Orchestra. We knew it was coming and plans were set to find another convert.

“Do you fancy going out Sunday?” I asked my ever suffering wife.

“That’ll be nice. Shopping, lunch, pub, walk, what do you reckon?”

“Cobblers versus Birmingham, Sixfields, 2’ish.”

Now, my wife is not a great football fan, she’s not a great sports fan and the last time she attended a football match, (Reading vs QPR, cold mid-week, 0-0 draw), she wasn’t exactly chomping at the bit to go to another one.

“Yeh, alright as long as I see some goals this time.”

“Now it’s League two v Premier, surely there’s a goal or two in it.” I offered.

Date was set, tickets purchased and off to the football we went.

Sunday 1st August – Pre Season Friendly; Cobblers v Birmingham XI
I don’t want to keep repeating myself, but once again a fine, warm Northampton afternoon at Sixfields for the last chapter of the Cobblers’ pre-season preparation. And so far it has been a damn fine one. Loads of positives, good tidy football, goals, wins, draw and the odd defeat, (still haven’t worked out how Coventry beat us).

Birmingham had a good season last year in the Premiership and proved to a lot of people that they would be no easy team to beat. It was however their first season back in the top flight and as others have proved over recent seasons, the second season is often harder than the first, ” ’cause they’ve got your number”, by then. Time will tell.

Never quite sure what to expect when a top side brings an “XI”, (There hardly likely to field a “X” are they?). Birmingham had a game on the Saturday at Derby and fielded a strong side so the likelihood was for “wannabe’s” and “has beens”.

Proving that today’s game is all about a strong squad, Birmingham had brought all the first teamers and featured players that had not started against Derby. A strong line up including Maik Taylor, Stephen Carr, Liam Ridgewell, Kevin Phillips, Cameron Jerome and James McFadden would prove to be a good test for the Cobblers. (The bench looked impressive as well).

My wife has by this time surveyed the ground, sampled the beverages and observed the abilities of £40k+ a week footballers.

“So all they do is run up and down a bit, have a stretch, walk back for a sit down and get paid 40 grand a week.”

“You’ve got it in one love, it don’t take you long to suss this out does it.”

“You can also tell they get paid good money, cause they’ve all got well tanned legs!”

Where did that one come from? (Leave her to it and watch the game).

Both sides started brightly, chances at both ends. McFadden causing problems whenever he’s on the ball.

Cobblers have the audacity to score! Billy McKay making the most of defensive confusion and poking the ball past the advancing, (not only in years), Maik Taylor. 1-0

Now one of the things I’ve noticed over the years is the higher up the leagues you go the players moan and whinge more. There seemed to be a constant barrage of exchanges between Birmingham players and the referee. Kevin Phillips, Lee Bowyer to name but two and just to prove that old habits die-hard and following Lee Bowyers’ audition for the next Hollywood Blockbuster – I then forecast to my wife that he was likely to go seeking revenge on the Cobblers player who had obviously come close to ending his career. Sure enough within two minutes Mr Bowyer was seen in deep discussion with our man in black who was obviously waiting for the same outcome as I was. Very predictable and a real shame.

Half Time; Cobblers 1 Birmingham XI 0 – YES

Birmingham started the second half the better team, it seemed inevitable that they would get back on terms and they did. A 25 yard screamer from Cameron Jerome on 50

minutes. Good Goal.

McFadden continued to torment, Phillips continued to moan after goal disallowed. Not sure why he moaned. He looked offside and used his arm to bring the ball under control. Apart from that I couldn’t see anything wrong with it!!! “Shut up whingeing and get on with the game.”

Phillips got on with the game and defied the logic that “Tall defenders win all the headers against small strikers,” (he’d probably talked our boys into submission by then), and proceeded to provide a quality header straight into the path of ‘Dangerman’ himself, James McFadden. Quality finish. 1-2 Birmingham.

Cobbler’s young guns, Jacobs and Herbert started to terrorise the flanks with speed and the odd flash of sublime skill. Herbert went close with a shot into the side netting, and it was the combination of Herbert and Jacobs skipping past Stephen Carr that led to a far post cross being bundled into the net from close range by Liam Davis. Cobblers 2 Birmingham XI 2.

The pacey Herbert provided another chance for Davis with only a minute left on the clock. And from 15 yards out it remained Cobblers 2 Birmingham XI 2.

A good game of football. Birmingham will have more concerns over their conceding two goals against lower league opposition, particularly the first caused by a defensive mix up.

My wife enjoyed her afternoon at Sixfields, well I said there’d be goals and there was. We went shopping, (bought a scarf and a hoodie), We had a drink, (diet Coke).

“Fancy a pie love?” God I know how to treat her!!!!! (We walked back to car arm in arm, romance eh, you can’t beat it!!!)

And what about the Cobblers?

We’ve got a lot to look forward to if we can sustain this pre-season form. They’ll be highs, they’ll be some lows but I reckon we’ll be there come end of season.

It’s time for the talking to stop now and time for the real work to begin.

Good luck to the boys at Torquay on the opening day of the season. I will be enjoying the delights of The National Youth Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday evening presenting Dukas, Anderson and Berlioz. (Check with their agents Sammo, they might be available on a free!!!)

“Come On Cobblers, Howay The Lads”