Brady believes sought-after Burge is a 'real coup' for Cobblers

Jon Brady has described Lee Burge as a ‘real coup’ for the Cobblers after they fended off numerous other clubs to secure his services on a two-year deal.

The 29-year-old, released by Sunderland after their promotion to the Championship, has a tough job on his hands to replace Middlesbrough-bound Liam Roberts, but Brady believes he is up to it.

Burge was linked to League One club Lincoln City earlier in the summer but he will compete for the gloves with Jonny Maxted next season. His 2021/22 campaign was heavily disrupted by nasty bout of COVID, limiting his appearances to just nine in all competitions.

“Lee is a quality addition and we are delighted to be able to bring him to the club,” said Brady.

“He is an excellent age for a keeper and has a first class pedigree, he has played a lot of football in the Championship and League 1 and we feel he will be an excellent addition.

“There was a lot of interest in his services, as you would expect for a keeper of his experience and quality, and we are delighted we have been able to fend off that interest.

“He has the qualities we were looking for and we are excited to be working with him.

“To be able to bring the League One Team of the Season keeper from 2021 to Sixfields is an excellent piece of business and a real coup for the club and his arrival is another key target in place."