Buchanan aiming high after signing for the Cobblers

And the man who just last Sunday was celebrating promotion to the Sky Bet Championship with Preston North End after the play-off final at Wembley, is already aiming to be partying again with his Cobblers team-mates next May.

Buchanan played more than 30 games in the Lilywhites’ league one promotion campaign last term, and must have at some point been dreaming of playing in the second tier of English football.

But an injury in January saw him lose his place in the team, a place he would never recover, and the 29-year-old was told this week that Preston wouldn’t be renewing his contract.

Buchanan has been quick to move on, and the player says the speed with which Cobblers boss Chris Wilder made his move was crucial.

“Northampton have been quick to act,” said Rochdale-born Buchanan.

“I like the way the manager has sold the club to me in terms of what the chairman wants to do, and obviously I can see they are building a new stand, and I have also seen the quality of player they are bringing in.

“I have worked with Joel Byrom, I played with him at Preston, and I played with Nicky Adams at Bury, and I know they type of player they are.

“I don’t see why, if we continue to recruit these players and bring in people like myself alongside the calibre of player the club already has, that we can’t kick on next year and get Northampton out of league two.

“The manager wants to bring in players that have won promotions and are used to winning football matches.

“I think it’s important, and as I say I know the calibre of player that’s already at the club.

“I watched Northampton a couple of times last season, I saw them when they played Rochdale in the FA Cup, and I liked what I saw.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think we could be successful on the pitch, and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I could help the team.”

Buchanan was unveiled at Sixfields on Thursday - dressed in a claret polo shirt ‘looks like I chose the right colour’ - and revealed how the move to Northampton came about.

“It has all happened really quickly. I have worked with the manager and Alan Knill before (at Bury), and when I knew they were interested I came and had a conversation with them, and it has progressed from there,” said the former Northern Ireland Under-21 international.

“I have a good working relationship with Chris and Alan, and it’s always important when you know how they work, and that they know how I work.

“I am here today, so obviously I like the way they work, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Buchanan also spoke about how things went awry for him at Deepdale from the turn of the year.

“It’s one of those things,” said Buchanan.

“I picked up a little niggle, a hamstring strain, and the team was doing well.

“Since I have been at Preston it has been a fantastic journey and we haven’t lost many games, so when you come out of a team like that it’s hard to get back in.

“That is part and parcel of the game, but if you speak to anybody at Preston they will all say that I have been professional about it, I have got my head down, haven’t moaned, and just worked hard to try and get back in the team. That didn’t materialise, but I can’t thank Preston enough to be honest.

“It was a fantastic journey, and to end it in the way we did, to win at Wembley and win promotion to the championship is something I will always remember.”

And he added: “It is hard to leave a club, but when you are experienced like myself you know that these things happen in football.

“It is never easy to leave, and leave team-mates that you have been with for years, and not only that, you’re leaving people such as the secretary and kit man.

“You build bonds with people at football clubs, and I did that at Preston.

“Obviously it is hard for the manager and management team when they have to release players that have done well for them, but that’s the game.