Both Brady and Hoskins aware of need to cut down on soft yellow cards

Jon Brady says he would be a ‘hypocrite’ if he ‘had a go’ at Sam Hoskins for picking up so many yellow cards this season, but the Cobblers boss admits both men need to ‘improve in that area’.

Brady has already been handed a touchline suspension this season – served against Arsenal Under-21s in the Papa John’s Trophy – having received four yellow cards for expressing his frustration at the officials on the touchline. He’s since been handed a fifth booking.

Hoskins has also reached five cautions for the campaign, ruling him out of Saturday’s crunch game at Bradford City, and many of those have been avoidable, not least the one he received in stoppage-time at Gillingham last weekend. Captain Jon Guthrie, currently on four yellows, has one more game to survive before he reaches the cut-off point and can breathe easy.

Asked about Hoskins, who must avoid five more bookings by the 37th game to prevent a two-game ban, Brady said: "He's like his manager! I would be a hypocrite if I had a go at him.

"But I think we both have to improve in that area. Me for my passion and he has passion as well but, at the same time, that may take the edge away from his game and we don't want to do that.

"I think we might have to have a little bet with each other. I would be super annoyed if he picked up 10 bookings for talking back.

"Sometimes you have to look at yourself as well and I think we both need to improve on that statistic."