Bayo: I'll be ready
Adebayo Akinfenwa scored for the Cobblers in a behind-closed-doors game yesterday and vowed he will be raring to go against Cheltenham on Saturday.
The big striker got through 45 much-needed minutes in a training match at Queens Park Rangers.
Joining Akinfenwa on the scoresheet in a 2-2 draw in west London was Ian Henderson, while Chris Doig also managed 75 minutes.
But the big plus for manager Stuart Gray was his number 10, who is now well on course to start the weekend's curtain-raiser against the Robins at Sixfields.
"My fitness is getting there," he said. "It's slow going, but it is getting there.
"It's been a long slog through pre-season but I'm feeling stronger every day.
"I'm disappointed not to have played any pre-season games but I've been getting stronger behind the scenes.
"Saturday I'll be raring to go and hopefully I can play some part of the game."
Even if Akinfenwa is not fully fit there is every chance he will play at least some part of Saturday's game – he was never 100 per cent at any stage of last season but still scored goals and caused problems for the opposition.
The summer hasn't gone as planned for either the player or Gray, who was hoping to get Akinfenwa fully up to speed for the coming campaign.
While that may not be the case, he has still made good progress from the condition he was in at the back end of last term.
"We took the screws out at the end of last season and it was a case of getting some stability back from that," said Akinfenwa.
"I started running and from that I developed other problems in my calf. So I think the bottom line is that it was a case of strengthening and I feel ready now.
"I'm participating in training and by the grace of God I will be ready for the weekend."
Manager Stuart Gray said: "Bayo looked strong. He played 45 minutes, that was always the plan, and he came through without any problems. This was a big step forward for him.
"He's doing everything he can to get on the park. He's a real key player for us and he's been doing full sessions this week."
Email to a friend
Print this page- BREAKING NEWS: Man dies following motorway smash on Northamptonshire border
- BREAKING NEWS: Police inundated with hundreds of complaints over snowball fights
- Huge cigarette haul by masked burglars in armed raids at Northampton stores
- BREAKING NEWS: Police name man killed in crash on motorway in Northamptonshire
- Student flats planned for Northampton town centre revealed
- BREAKING NEWS: Fishmarket art gallery offered new home
- Student flats planned for Northampton town centre revealed
- New manager of Northampton’s Grosvenor Centre says ‘This is the beginning of a new era’
- Neighbours raise concern about bid to build new house three inches from their home
- Four-storey replacement for Fishmarket gallery should open in September
- Exclusive: Saints voluntarily move key Heineken Cup match to Milton Keynes
- Sooty may be left with bullet in neck following senseless attack
- Ashton determined to end Saints career on a high
- Sons honoured for care of their father
- West Northamptonshire Development Corporation in bid to purchase site of former power station
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Northampton
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -0 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: South west
