Brady admits Cobblers' squad isn't as strong as last season

Loss of key men a key contributor to Town's relegation
Cobblers lost captain Charlie Goode in the summer, as well as Vadaine Oliver, Callum Morton and several others.Cobblers lost captain Charlie Goode in the summer, as well as Vadaine Oliver, Callum Morton and several others.
Cobblers lost captain Charlie Goode in the summer, as well as Vadaine Oliver, Callum Morton and several others.

Jon Brady admitted Cobblers squad is simply not as strong as it was when they gained promotion last season following confirmation of their return to League Two on Saturday.

Town lost numerous key men from their triumphant play-off campaign last summer, including captain Charlie Goode and influential loanees Scott Wharton and Callum Morton.

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Those players were not adequately replaced in the summer and whilst Town did strengthen with five additions in January, the squad has not been good enough to survive in the third tier.

"The boys are still giving it absolutely everything but we have fallen short, individually and collectively," admitted Brady.

"You look at it and we were stronger as a team in League Two, everyone knows that, make no bones about it.

"The team was stronger last season and what's really frustrating, when you look at it, is that we have fallen short with what we've got there.

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"It's probably a subject for another day because I wasn't involved in that, but during my time in charge we have had to try and find a way.

"We put Ryan Watson higher up the pitch and he's got us eight goals since doing that but you look at the return from the strikers and it hasn't been good enough and that's frustrating, hugely frustrating.

"We've had to find other ways and we've had to try and be clever on set-pieces but the difference is, you look at Jerry Yates or Ellis Simms up front for Blackpool and they're on a different level.

"They're at least at this standard, if not higher. Have we got that at the moment? No, we haven't.

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"The difference is that their goalkeeper is first-class and they have centre-forwards who put the ball in the back of the net.

"Unfortunately, we haven't been good enough in certain areas this season."

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