Boss Curle pleased as Cobblers get to work on new training pitches

Not only was it a new-look Cobblers squad that reported back for pre-season this week, but the players also got to try out the club's new training pitches at Moulton College for the first time.

The club has been based at Moulton College for training for a few years now, but boss Keith Curle felt the pitches that have been used for the past three or four years were too exposed.

One of the first things he did after taking over from Dean Austin in October wasa to request that new pitches to be created in a more secluded part of the college grounds.

Groundsman Paul Knowles and his staff were the men tasked with cultivating the new playing areas, and with plenty of hard graft and patience they have done just that.

Curle is delighted with the new training pitches, and the fact that the youth team will now be based on the first team's former home.

Asked if the new training ground wasa ready for use, the Town boss said: "The pitches are ready, which is the most important thing.

"We are still going through the planning applications and planning process to get the actual buildings put in place, but we are able to use the pitches.

"Paul Knowles, the groundsmen, has been working on them throughout the summer, so the youth team have now got the old first team training pitches.

"Those pitches are in excellent condition, and again that shows progression.

"When I first came to the football club the youth team were training on the rugby pitch at Moulton, now they have progressed to the two pitches the firs team were using last season.

"So the youth team have now got a fantastic playing surface, and now thanks to the work that Paul has done over the summer, we also have two fantastic pitches."

Last season, the first team pitches were in a busy and very public area of the college grounds, near the equestrian centre, swimming pool and hockey pitches.

The new pitches are situated in a different part of the college grounds.

They are in a secluded spot, away from any of the college buildings, so there will be no students or members of the general public just walking by, and the pitchs are also surrounded by trees .

"The new pitches are probably more secluded, and more isolated for the work that we want to do," said Curle.

"Again, it is all down to the environment, and we want that focused, concentrated environment without any distractions around.

"When the players are here they are in to work, and they are focused and we have got them. We have them mentally, and we have them physically."