Aha, that's why Oldham played like drains in their 2-0 defeat at Sixfields on Saturday – their fashion sense was offended!

The Cobblers insisted on wearing white-only socks, so the referee forced the visitors to abandon their dapper all-white hosiery and instead run around in our cast-offs.

If you really want to force a point, the referee could be wrong if it was true we had previously registered the claret socks as our official colours and not communicated the change – but if you were Oldham's chief executive Alan Hardy, wouldn't you just have kept quiet to avoid ridicule?

I'm assuming, of course, that the socks had been washed before we lent them!

So, they've made an official complaint to the Football League about referee Darren Drysdale, while we've all had a good laugh in the process. For the record, the Cobblers are listed in the league handbook as having socks with claret on them but it is normal for clubs to change this as the season progresses, and if they do they are expected to let the visitors know.

We did so by email in the week before the game (a copy has been kept), but Oldham obviously missed the information.

We stormed their goal from the start, but a mixture of dim finishing, plus some excellent goalkeeping from Mark Crossley, meant we turned round at 0-0.

That's when I placed my half-time bet for us to win 2-0, so my grateful thanks go to Giles Coke and Ryan Gilligan for their goals that brought the Cobblers three points and me a few extra quid.

Our ability to pick goals out of midfield has been our saving and Stuart Gray is to be complimented on creating a style of play where we've compensated for lack of normal strike-power by clocking some from elsewhere.

We have just two recognised strikers, Poul Hubertz who was again kept out wide, and Adebayo Akinfenwa who ploughed a lone furrow up the middle. I've no idea why they are not played as a twin force, because Akinfenwa needs to play off someone.

It's all academic because Hubertz is off, probably back to Denmark, and Akinfenwa's outlook hangs in the balance.

The irony is, his future as a support player would be more secure if we already had the speedy striker we need.

I felt sorry for Akinfenwa when, for a 20 minute period, his marker climbed up his back regularly without any punishment from the referee.

Oldham were weakened by injury, but even accounting for that, they were poor – at least we can now look forward to Jagger and Woody doing penance at our last home game against Tranmere. Neal Eardley stood out for the visitors, he was being watched by an Ipswich scout sitting next to me.

We'd lose a fortune following Vale
The game at relegated Port Vale this Saturday seems to be attracting a level of interest from our supporters that it doesn't warrant – unless we hope to emulate the 6-0 drubbing they suffered on Saturday at the hands of Swindon, a game refereed by Northampton man Richard Beeby.

From what his dad told me, Vale were a completely spent force, but we can't count on that because they seek to impress some late new fans by reducing prices to just £8.

If they sell more than 5,000 season-tickets for next season, they have pledged that each game will come out at £8, and they see themselves as leading the way for other clubs.

Sadly, it could not work here because we simply don't have the ground capacity and w'd lose a fortune.

It'll be interesting to see the response of their public.

Meantime, groups of our fans are working on taking inflatables to bounce around, while others have pledged to turn up in fancy dress.

Vale have let in 78 goals already this season, so if our toothless attack fails to get on the scoresheet, it'll be a real downer.

Mark Hughes is still injured, Ian Henderson had a sore heel which prevented him playing for the reserves, so he's a doubt, but everyone else seems fit.

There are a few seats left in our travel clubs – Trust Travel on Northampton 499534, CISC on 702741, an executive special run by Roger Averill on 07802 437422, and Sixfields Travel on Northampton 706401.

Sixfields Travel wish to thank all their supporters who have made it possible to hand over £13,000 to the Cobblers this year, making a total of £100,000 since January 2000.

I'll be helping with their latest draw, to be made in the bar after the Tranmere game.

Saddened by decision to axe May
The reserves played their last home game of the season on Tuesday. The games have their uses, but until someone formulates a proper regional league with regular fixtures, it'll always give rise to mis-matches.

We had a young and mostly inexperienced side against more senior opponents from Colchester, and we started badly by gifting two goals.

Goalkeeper Chris Dunn goofed badly with the first, a weak ground shot that he got down to, then allowed to slip through his arms.

I've seen some Premier League keepers do similar things recently, so if it's a one-off it shouldn't damage his prospects of being Mark Bunn's automatic understudy.

We put things together better in the second half, but for Jonathan Hayes, our loan player from Leicester, hopes of a first team game on Saturday were crushed when he collapsed in a heap and had to be carried off.

Nothing is broken, but if it's as bad an injury as it looks, he may well be off to Leicester without kicking another ball for us.

I was impressed by Ritchie Jones, an assured game in the middle and very strong on the ball, while Alex Dyer and Shawn Richards showed some nice touches.

The orange-booted Hayes was replaced by the red-booted Wes Emery, a player I've not watched before but he acquitted himself well.

It was sad to see Danny May playing his last game for us, he's been released.

You can't blame the club for the need to make difficult decisions. I always felt May was better suited to a midfield role because he has good vision going forward, all we can hope is that he gets fixed-up elsewhere.

The only surprise on the released list is Brett Johnson, it may come back to bite us if he now has an injury-free run at another club, but with a small squad we can't take any risks – it's a necessarily harsh environment.

Gray speaks at open forum
Tonight is a marvellous opportunity to assess our progress as manager Stuart Gray is guest of honour at the open forum, starting 8pm in the Carlsberg Bar at Sixfields – although the irony is that Lindley catering won't be running a bar, so it's a case of 'bring-your-own', a much cheaper option.

No doubt Gray will face many questions about his plans for the future, and there is now a real feeling of optimism at the club.

Already, in a world where a manager's job at a club is measured in months rather than years, he is the 46th longest serving manager in the Premier League and the Football League.

In the 16 months since he's been with us, 50 per cent of other managers have been replaced!

Having him there tonight will also be a great opportunity for fans to express their appreciation of what has been an excellent season, although I'm sure he isn't expecting a totally obsequious response.

Boot sale
NTFC Supporters' Ltd have a car-boot sale this Sunday, sellers from 9 am, buyers from 10 am – although I must say that my observations are that both sets try to sneak in early!

Sellers pay £5, or £8 for vans or trailers, and traders are not allowed.

Parking is excellent.

The popular supporters' quiz will be on Friday May 9, and full details on tickets will be here next week.

In Dublin's fair city...
The group known as the 'Dublin Cobblers' have created so much interest that some of you have tried to track down their pub in Dublin.

Barbara, who sits behind me in the west stand, walked the length of Lansdowne Road the other week to try to find a pub that fits the bill.

But the bad news is that they are actually in Irishtown Road at number 82 at 'Clarkes' – a traditional watering-hole very close to the famous Lansdowne Road stadium.

I'm sure they'd love to get a visit.

A few weeks ago I posted them a Chron from Thursday, March 6, which featured their last visit to Sixfields.

They're going to frame it and put it up in the pub.