125-up! Playing legends return as Cobblers celebrate a big birthday

The Sky Bet League Two clash against Tranmere Rovers has been designated as the club’s official ‘birthday fixture’ as it is the game closest to the date when the Cobblers were formed - in the Princess Royal pub on Wellingborough Road on March 9, 1897.

The match will be the beginning of months of events and celebrations as the Cobblers celebrate an impressive milestone.

Jon Brady and his players will be 100 per cent concentrating on the job in hand of trying to win three points in the team’s promotion bid, but they will be doing that in a specially commissioned sky blue and brown kit.

The hummel strip is a copy of the one the first Cobblers team wore when they played their first fixture in September 1897.

Town initially wore the blue and brown kit before quickly switching to what would become the club’s traditional colours of claret and white.

Away from Saturday’s match itself, there will be plenty going on, with the highlight being a half-time introduction and lap of honour for around 15 to 20 playing legends of the club, representing teams from the 1970s onwards.

Former players who are set to be involved include the likes of Wakeley Gage, Barry Tucker, Phil Chard, Scott McGleish, Abdul ‘he silenced the Kop’ Osman, Peter Gleasure, Mark Bunn, Steve Massey, Ian Benjamin, Ian Sampson, Ray Warburton and more.

David Buchanan, one of the 2016 title-winning heroes, will be at the game, and he is looking forward to seeing the Cobblers faithful once more.

Writing on Twitter, the Buchanan said: "Today Is the chance I finally get to be back at Sixfields after I left the club.

"I never got the chance to say thank you properly to all the great people I met during my time there, and especially you the Cobblers supporters. 125th Anniversary celebrations! Thankyou @ntfc."

The club is also producing a 100-page souvenir programme, which will be available for all to buy for £5.

The specially designed gold club crest to celebrate the anniversary dominates the cover and the programme includes stats, facts, photos and stories from the club's 125 year history.

If you’re feeling a little thirsty, a special '125 Beer’ has been developed by club partners Carlsberg and will be on sale in Carr’s Bar and from other refreshment kiosks around the stadium.

It is also going to be a special day for the youngsters waving the flags at the start of the game as well, as they will be representing Moulton FC - who as it happens are also celebrating their 125th birthday!

Also, over the past few months the club and the Northampton Town Community Trust have been working with some local schools who have been producing banners looking at different eras in the club's history.

These will be on display pitchside with children from the schools present.

Saturday’s match is just the beginning of the 125 celebrations.

On April 24, there will be a special ‘celebrity & legends’ game played at Sixfields, with the charity fundraiser seeing Cobblers legends and celebrities sharing the pitch.

As well as the club’s 125th birthday, 2022 also marks the 25th anniversary of the Wembley play-off final win over Swansea City in 1997.

The club are hosting a special outdoor reunion event at Sixfields on Friday, May 20, where members of the 1997 squad will be invited to look back on that famous day 25 years ago.

In July, there will be a ‘pop-up museum weekend’, where supporters are encouraged to bring their own memorabilia for display from the club’s 125-year history. The weekend of July 9 and 10 will also see the club’s annual open day event.

There will also be an official anniversary dinner at the club’s original home base, the County Ground on Abington Avenue, which will be held on Sunday, September 4. For further details on all of these events, go to https://www.ntfc.co.uk/commercial/125/