Wilder: Budgets of some league two clubs will ‘blow people out of the water’

He insists Northampton are not going to be one of those clubs, but he is happy with the competitive budget he has been handed by chairman David Cardoza, and has been delighted with his efforts in the past week that has seen him sign Alfie Potter and Nicky Adams.

Those two signings though are all part of the ‘balancing act’ that Wilder is going to have to perfect to get a squad together that is going to be capable of challenging for promotion next season.

A balancing act that Wilder, without naming names, says some club managers aren’t going to have to concern themselves with.

“I have a budget to work to, and we haven’t got a budget where it will just be we can go and sign whoever and not worry about what we are giving them,” said Wilder, who is hoping to announce more new signings in the coming week.

“I think there are definitely going to be two or three clubs that will have that attitude this year, and will be blowing people out of the water.

“That is what we are up against, and it is a tough one. It is going to be a balancing act.”

The Cobblers squad, not including the transfer-listed Chris Hackett and John-Joe O’Toole and youngsters Sam Warburton and Danny Clifton, is now up to 12, and Town fans can expect more new faces in the upcoming weeks.

“I’m not to leave things until the last minute, because I think you have to stick things in place in pre-season, especially with the injury problems we had last season,” said Wilder.

“You want all the players in and on the same page, working together, and the week away in Brighton is for the players to get to know each other.

“So it is a balancing act between getting players in, and leaving a couple of spots open just in case something flies in.

“But we do need to get people in place so that when we come back in on June 22 we have 16, 17 or 18 ready to go.”