Pre-season is well under way and with Northampton Town’s season opener under two weeks away, fans and pundits have begun giving their verdict on who will finish where next season.
The Cobblers, led by Jon Brady, will strive to duplicate or surpass their 2017–18 campaign, which would secure them a third League One season and possibly their best league finish since 2007–08.
Given the strength and spending in the league the following season, the Cobblers should not undervalue their efforts to regain safety as soon as feasible.
But rival teams are preparing for the upcoming season with comparable goals, so Northampton won’t be the only team with lofty expectations. Which teams will Brady and his staff be using as benchmarks this season, when there will be more clubs than ever fighting for division security?
Mansfield Town will be looking to match Northampton’s position
Mansfield Town, who finally earned automatic promotion from League Two last season, is one team that should be in and around Northampton the following season. Nigel Clough’s team finished six points ahead of fourth-place MK Dons, six points behind Champions Stockport, with a goal difference of +43, scoring 90 goals and conceding 47. Although fellow promoted sides Stockport County and Wrexham AFC have so far dwarfed the Stags’ ambition, Clough has still made some smart additions to his team, including Australian international midfielder Keanu Baccus from St. Mirren and Sheffield Wednesday’s proven scorer Lee Gregory.
The Stags have also completed the acquisition of Frazer Blake-Tracey from Swindon, who will solidify the rearguard and make this Mansfield team hard to beat – a tag often given to Clough’s sides.
Additionally, the Stags have finalised the signing of Frazer Blake-Tracey from Swindon, who will strengthen the defence and make this Mansfield club difficult to defeat—a description that is frequently applied to Clough’s teams.
Leyton Orient and Northampton remain closely matched
Richie Wellens’ Leyton Orient is another team that is anticipated to compete in a similar region of the table to Northampton the following season. They completed the previous campaign five points ahead of Cobblers in 11th place after achieving promotion with them in 2022–2023.
Despite the fact that Orient finished three spots ahead of Northampton the previous season, there wasn’t much separating the two teams; they played to a tie and an exciting 4-3 victory for the O’s; they now appear to be evenly matched.
Similar fates have befallen Northampton and Orient in the transfer market this summer as both teams lost great midfield players in Marc Leonard and Idris El-Mizouni, respectively, and underwent a mini-reset up top when Ruel Sotiriou, who scored several pivotal goals for the O’s, left for Bristol.
Orient will be hoping that Oli O’Neill, signed from Fulham last January, will be able to carry his prolific form into next season, while O’s boss Wellens will be looking to reignite the form of new signing Diallang Jaiyesimi, who previously worked under him at Swindon.
Northampton are well-placed for progression next season
If the Cobblers’ play from the previous season is any indication, they have an advantage over many other clubs flexing their muscles in the market.
While clubs like Wrexham and Stockport have the ability to make big signings and splash the cash, it remains to be seen how they will handle the demands of League One football. Northampton defeated promotion-chasing Derby County towards the end of the previous season, demonstrating their more than capable defence of Sixfields against clubs fighting at the top.
The Cobblers have an advantage over many other clubs flexing their muscles in the market, if their play from the previous season is any guide.
Although teams like Stockport and Wrexham can splurge the cash and make big acquisitions, it’s unclear how they’ll manage the demands of playing in League One. Towards the close of the previous season, Northampton overcame promotion-chasing Derby County, proving they could defend Sixfields against the best teams in the league.
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