Keith Curle was by no means a popular choice for Cobblers fans but has come in and halted the Dean Austin slide. The best thing about the former Wimbledon defender, who fans chant about using Peter Andre lyrics, is that he is not afraid to ruffle a few feathers.
The club is a deeply conservative one, you could even say we are scared of success. That means change is badly needed but, ultimately feared. Step in Curle, one of the few managers left called Keith, a guy who clearly thinks Northampton Town can do a lot lot better.
First off he dropped Dave Buchanan, a brave move in benching a club stalwart and one of the first names on the team sheet, seemingly no matter how he plays. Curle dropped Van Veen V Bury too, the correct move in showing that technique means little without total application.
An injury to Ash Taylor meant that the under-fire centre-back missed the Swindon game but that saw the capable Jordan Turnbull taking his place after coming in from the cold. Â In effect, 2 senior players had left the side, however briefly, showing that no-one is unmovable. Taylor will struggle to get back in on his return.
Curle then brought Van Veen back into his starting lineup in front of 1 man and his dog at Oxford in the Checkatrade. No-one knows why the Dutchman appears so unhappy to play for the Cobblers, maybe someone served him an inadequately chilled Heineken on the Welly Road but a game for the stiffs in the EFL Trophy prompted him to smash in a worldy.
Oh Keithy Keithy, Keithy Keithy Keithy Curle then said he was looking at alternative training sites for the Town away from Moulton. He even then had training on the Sixfields pitch which no-one has done since the 50’s. No-one has got to grips with the Cobblers not having their own training ground in a 100 plus years but it appears Curle has a pair of eyes.
Hopefully Curle will see Town as a project and continue to say it like it is. It looks as if he will be given full control of player purchases after Andy Melville, the ghost like Head of Recruitment left  just in time for Halloween. Melville was responsible for bringing in such talent as the Claret Cobbler greyhound and will be sadly missed.
Pereira popping up with goals in Portugal
Hilderberto Pereira, the fat bottomed winger who I rather ambitiously labelled as possibly the best ever player to don the claret and white. Wow, what a dribbler (Pereira not myself). Has there been a player who can carry the ball so well at Sixfields? He also had a great penchant for being seconds away from a red card which can only be a good thing in my book.
Turns out he was pretty decent and is currently smashing them in for Vitoria FC in the Portuguese top flight. Apparently he has been switched to the left wing aka Ricky Holmes territory which is just great. Cheers Jimmy!
Vegan Forest Green need the burger treatment
Town host high flying Forest Green Rovers on Saturday. Rovers are bankrolled by eco magnate and vegan Dale Vince who has removed all meat, fish, dairy and animal products from his club. “Burgers are really awful. They are the most awful part of the animal and are really unappealing products that are cheap as dirt” said Dale.
Only one thing for it, get Tony Ansell to rustle up some of his Hotel End specials and leave them in the away dressing room!
Obviously Mr Reed is either over indulging in alcohol consumption or recreational drugs! Not so much lucid as Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Good laugh though if you like nil nil draws!