Northampton Town reporter for the Chronicle & Echo. Formerly sports editor at the Advertiser & Review series and Bucks Herald. James.heneghan
@nationalworld
.com
What an UNBELIEVABLE win that is. One of the best of the season. One of the best I've ever covered. Absolutely sensational. What a team. What a club. Fans and players utterly magnificent
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Introducing little baby Rose, born yeaterday at 10.24pm and weighing 9lb 2oz. We are overjoyed and overwhelmed with emotion. Mum and baby are both doing well. I could not be prouder of her mother who has been absolutely incredible ❤️
Read a lot of good things about Kieron McKenna's Ipswich and you can see why he's had such rave reviews. The movement and patterns of play are so crisp and fluid. Passing around and through Cobblers with ease. Just toying with them
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I know this news will please many fans and I think it was inevitable after last night, but it is also a shame. Keith Curle handled himself with class and dignity throughout his time at Northampton and leaves behind some great memories. Wish him the best for the future
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What a magnificent achievement by a magnificent group of men. Rarely has a team deserved something so much. Just so pleased for Brady in particular. He puts his heart and soul into this club. What an incredible job he - and his staff - have done
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Fitting that it was Hoskins who scored the promotion-clinching goal. 22 goals and 7 assists in 41 league games. And now three promotions. What a phenomenal servant and player he continues to be
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Last chance to watch Marc Leonard in a Cobblers shirt today 😥 His selection means he's started all 46 league games this season. Only missed about 20 minutes in total. 97 appearances for the club across two seasons. Phenomenal effort. As loans go, it doesn't get better
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The Guardian are reporting that Northampton Town plan to lodge an official complaint with the EFL over Scunthorpe's team selection at the weekend. Full story to come
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No idea if Cobblers players will have any energy to play on Saturday but we'll worry about that when we get there. Whatever happens in these final three games, these players, coaches and manager could not be doing any more
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Cobblers played most of today's game with a back four of 20yo Harvey Lintott (free agent last summer), 23yo Sam Sherring (rushed himself back early from injury), 20yo Max Dyche (academy defender with minimal experience) and 22yo Paul Osew (free agent as recently as March)
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Brady's blowing kisses and fist pumping in front of the away fans. That support tonight was incredible. Every tackle and every header cheered like it was a goal. A titanic shift
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Jon Brady says anyone who is going to 'moan' and give his team 'stick' should stay away for the promotion run-in. Believes his players have earned the full support of every Cobblers fan for these final 5 games
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This has been a masterclass in how to play a final from the Cobblers. Mature, efficient, professional. Gameplan spot on. What a performance. What a time to produce it
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Finally back from Sunderland. Another season done and dusted. It's been a trying one at times, for obvious reasons, but not lost on me how lucky I am to have covered the club this season. Thanks for following. 🤞 for better times ahead (on and off the pitch!)
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Nine points from 12 over Christmas for Cobblers. 7 wins in 10. Superb stuff. Really had to dig deep today. Not pretty but this team are so gutsy. Up to ninth!
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Wow. What an ending. What a moment for Simpson. Cobblers deserved it too. Played really well. Worth nothing that Hylton won the FK for the winner. 5 wins in 7 now. Into the top 10! Blimey
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As reported previously, Colin Calderwood is staying at the Cobblers. Reports he was to join Swansea were wide of the mark. He's been heavily involved in the club's recruitment this summer
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That's it! Port Vale beaten by Newport to follow Mansfield's draw at Salford. Cobblers stay third and will win promotion if they beat Barrow on Saturday - unless Bristol Rovers better their margin of victory by five goals
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He's back! Marc Leonard has re-joined Cobblers on a season-long loan from Brighton. Lots of interest in him this summer but he pushed for the move back to Sixfields. Goes straight into the starting line-up v MK Dons. Full story
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"Our goalkeeping coach woke up one morning and his wife didn't wake up"
Northampton boss Jon Brady was close to tears after securing promotion to League One ❤️
The new format for the EFL highlights show on ITV is absolutely abysmal. They spent more time covering one game in the Championship than the whole of L1 and L2 combined. No respect for supporters. Sort it out
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Nice words from Marc Leonard on his time as a Cobbler. Says he 'could not have asked for more' from the club and will be 'sad' when he inevitably leaves for good at the end of the season. Been an absolute joy to watch him
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Tomorrow night, if selected, Sam Hoskins will reach 300 Cobblers appearances, only the 15th man ever to do so. A remarkable achievement. He's been through it all, from joining on trial under CW in 2015 to promotions, relegations and spectacular goals
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Off to Wembley with my partner this afternoon to support Port Vale in memory of her dad Jim. A few months ago we received the dreadful news that he had incurable cancer and didn't have long to live. He was a big Vale fan and wanted to get in touch with the club.
Cobblers now up to 48 points, already more than they managed in each of their last two seasons in League One (17/18 & 20/21). Still 12 games to go!
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Cobblers finished only four points off top in the end. Brilliant effort. Enormous credit to all staff and players but particularly JB who overhauled the squad, assembled a new backroom team and drove changes behind the scenes last summer. He's been fully vindicated
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Roberts back for the second leg + hopefully Eppiah able to start. McGowan might make it too, although unlikely. Great character and resilience from Cobblers, as they have demonstrated all season, helped by superb away support. Should be a cracker on Wednesday
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Can't lie, didn't think Cobblers quite had enough this season. Thought the defeat to Cheltenham would be too much to come back from. But no. Written off, they've responded with two faultless performances. Fancy KC might just get that new contract! Bring on League One
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Right, suppose I should head home. It was a shame we had no fans in tonight - the away end would have been rocking - but rest assured every single person has played their part in this, all the way from August to coronavirus to now. Now to finish off the job next week! Night all.
Can't remember seeing a Cobblers team play like they have done in the last two games. Would have been a travesty had they not got something from tonight. Made an established L1 team look very ordinary
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Just a reminder: Tranmere had won five of their previous six games at home this season, conceding only two goals. And they were absolutely battered. No exaggeration to say it could have been 6 or 7. Outstanding to a man. And yet *another* clean sheet - 8 in 14. Brilliant
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So much to enjoy. Sowerby's calmness, Simpson's touch and then speed, McGowan's pass, Leonard's gorgeous flick and then Bowie's glorious finish. Not scored many better in 2023
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Last night's win means Cobblers round out 2023 in 10th place in League One. That's the highest league position they've ended a calendar year in 23 years - since finishing 2000 in 8th. Here's reaction from a pumped up Jon Brady
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Fair play Cobblers. Could have folded after what happened last week & then finding themselves 2-0 down inside 33 minutes. But they were excellent in the second-half and deservedly got one back. Had chances to equalise but they are right in the tie heading back to Sixfields
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So many positives today. The back three. Thought Bolger was immense. Horsfall not far behind. Missilou and Watson complemented each other nicely and Smith and Warburton worked well together. Still players to come back too, plus new signings. Plenty to be optimistic about
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Just leaving Sixfields. Not to be tonight but it's been an enjoyable season to cover. Plenty of highs and a few lows. Feels like the club have made progress on and off the pitch and there's lots to build on. No doubt a busy summer awaits before we do it all over again!
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Michael Harriman confirms he's been released and will leave Cobblers. Been a brilliant professional. Put in a couple of superb performances in the play-offs two years ago
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What can I say after three years it’s time to leave the
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family. It’s been an absolute pleasure to share some fantastic and unforgettable moments with you all. I hope that I done my best every time I put on that shirt. I wish you all the very best next season. Thank you ❤️
The irony of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink being asked live on Sky about how a manager (ETH) has been able to turn around a poor run of form 🤨 Burton and Cobblers fans 🤝
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Jim and John chatted for ages discussing all things Vale. They also exchanged numerous messages and it meant so much to him. The last few months have been very challenging but both
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and
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have been fantastic. Jim appreciated it and so did his family. Thank you.
Good news: Cobblers have reached an agreement with GRS Group to finally get the East Stand finished. They'll be on site once the paperwork is signed off with WNC. Story here
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Absolutely thrilled for KC. A good, honest guy who's handled himself superbly throughout. He's finally got that promotion. Fair to say he's won over the doubters too. Will be fascinated to see how he and the Cobblers get on in League One next season
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Wilder has now out-thought Pochettino, Dyche, Emery, Solskjaer and even Klopp to some extent this season. He's got a team full of Championship players and has them fifth in the Premier League, deservedly so. This is no fluke.
Superb signing, this. Was a big part of Luton's promotion push to the Premier League in the second half of last season. Experienced, great attitude and character. Had other options on the table but wanted to be part of 'something special' and he feels he can be at Cobblers
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I also hope his achievements are not forgotten. The club were in freefall when he came in. One win in 12, just relegated, 21st in L2. He stabilised things & won his first promotion as a manager just 12 months later with two performances that will live long in the memory
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FT: Grimsby 0-3 Cobblers. Very impressive win against in-form opposition. No hoofball, no surrendering a lead this time. Just good football, stout defending and clinical finishing. Up to sixth. Excellent stuff
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Liam Roberts has kept three clean sheets this past week and I can't remember him having a serious save to make? Mansfield had one shot on target, Stevenage two (both from range) and Tranmere didn't have any. Eight clean sheets in 14 for the season now. Phenomenal record
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FT: Tranmere 0-2 Cobblers. One of the best Town performances I can remember for a long, long time. Seriously impressive. Three wins in a row, three clean sheets in a row and up to third!
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Really, really good from the Cobblers. Obviously the red card helped but up there with one of the performances of the season in the circumstances. Full credit for this group of players. They just keep finding a way. One defeat in 10. Hondermarck, Leonard et al outstanding
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A proper battling away win. Not pretty but don't remember Newport creating a single clear chance. Superb defensively again. Fifth clean sheet in seven games. Up to third
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