Sampson is undergoing a difficult time just 14 games into his career as the Town boss.

The former central defender enjoyed a dream start to life as the Sixfields supremo, winning his first game as permanent boss against Rotherham United.

There then followed a decent run of form and results that saw the Cobblers edge towards mid-table in Coca-Cola League Two.

But Town have collected just two points from the last 15 available to them in the league, and have also crashed out of the FA Cup and the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Tuesday night's 3-1 home defeat to Hereford United sparked an angry response from the Cobblers' dwindling home support.

But the Town boss's former central defensive partner Warburton believes Sampson will lift the fortunes of the club and go on to be a top manager for the Cobblers.

Warburton, who is now on the coaching staff at Brackley Town, played alongside Sampson in central defence as the pair came agonisingly close to guiding Town into the second tier of English football during the 1990s, losing 1-0 to Grimsby Town in the 1998 Nationwide League Division Two play-off final at Wembley.

He is in a better position than most to judge the managerial credentials of his former team-mate, who has been backed to turn things around at the club.

"I'm chuffed to bits for him. He's got a great chance and I'm sure he'll take it," said Warburton.

"I think it's a good appointment overall because Sammo wears his heart on his sleeve and I'm sure the players will respond to that.

"He was my playing partner for four years and we dragged the club up from the lower regions of the league structure and got to within a whisker of getting into (what is now) the Championship.

"I don't see any reason why Northampton can't be pushing for a place there again because somebody has got to go up and Sammo will love the pressure."

Warburton made nearly 200 appearances for the Cobblers and he built a good rapport with the fans during his four-year spell at Sixfields.

He was part of the successful Ian Atkins team which beat Swansea in the Division Three playoff final (now League Two) at Wembley in 1997 and then lost to Grimsby a year later.

Sampson also played in both of those showpieces and Warburton believes that his old pal can overcome his current difficulties and lift the Cobblers out of the darkness and into the light once again.