Guttridge says he is nowhere near his best
Luke Guttridge has impressed most supporters in his opening three games in a Cobblers shirt, but the midfielder insists he is nowhere near his best yet as he is still striving for full fitness.
The former Cambridge and Southend man was particularly unhappy with his performance during Saturday's 1-0 derby defeat to MK Dons, and he has asked the club's supporters to be patient with him as he gets his game back together.
Guttridge endured a frustrating season with Colchester United in the Coca-Cola Championship last season, playing only a handful of games before being released in the summer.
He spent the close season trying to win a new deal at various clubs before signing for the Cobblers, and that meant he was unable to get through a proper pre-season, something he is paying for now.
Guttridge is now playing fitness catch-up while also playing first team games, and he admitted: "It's going to be tough, but I have set myself goals.
"You don't really get the chance to catch up because you are thrown in at the deep end.
"Against Cheltenham I played the 90 minutes, and then at Millwall at the start of the second half I did three or four sprints, I went to push, and there was nothing there.
"You know from then on you won't regain that.
"But if you have had a good pre-season, you know you just need a five-minute break, sit in a little bit, and you will be fine.
"So I am disappointed at the moment that I can't produce and play the way I would like to, but that will come in time."
And he added: "It is very hard for me at the moment because I am playing a restricted game.
"I know I am not fit enough, the manager knows I'm not fit enough, and I'm caught between a rock and a hard place.
"On Saturday I was very disappointed with the way I played.
"It looked like I was having too many touches, but it wasn't that I wanted to have those touches, it was that I simply couldn't get the ball out of my feet."
Saturday aside, Guttridge says he is revelling in life at Sixfields, and said: "I am having a great time here, and they are a great set of lads.
"I could have gone to other clubs and had chats with other clubs, but they just never felt right.
"The lads at Northampton were welcoming, I enjoy the training, and it's just nice to be playing football every week because last season was a washout for me."
Former Cobblers director of football John Deehan was at stadium:MK at the weekend, and will have been running the rule over his former club.
That's because Deehan is now employed as a scout by Premier
League outfit Bolton
Wanderers, who Town play in the Carling Cup second round at the Reebok Stadium next Tuesday night.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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