Brady reveals the reason behind Town's busy pre-season schedule

Cobblers boss Jon Brady says there was a reason behind why the club arranged a busier than normal pre-season schedule.

Town are due to play eight friendlies in just 21 days ahead of their opening League Two fixture with Port Vale on August 7.

They have already played two, winning 6-0 over Sileby Rangers and losing 2-1 to West Ham this week, and face another on Saturday when heading to Stamford AFC.

Then follows two in the space of 24 hours, at home to Nottingham Forest and away to AFC Rushden & Diamonds, before Cobblers take on Birmingham City, Brackley Town and Cambridge United.

Whilst the schedule will allow more opportunity for all the new signings to bed in, that was not the chief reason for organising so many friendlies.

"It wasn't really about the new signings," said Brady. "It's more about that's how I like to build pre-season.

"Ultimately, we have six games where I feel will be more first-team games and then there's another game in there which we'll be more about connecting the players that are just on the outskirts of the squad and giving them opportunities for run-outs.

"The schedule does give us the flexibility to chop and change throughout pre-season and give players who are on the outside a little bit of extra game-time.

"It's something I've always done in the past and I feel, as a player, you really want to hit the ground running when you get to the first game of the season and ultimately that's our goal."

One man in particular who should benefit from lots of game-time is young midfielder Scott Pollock.

The 20-year-old has impressed in both friendlies so far and looks a man on a mission after missing the entirety of last season.

"Scotty looks like he's just really enjoying his football again," Brady added. "To be out for as long as he was, you then appreciate your fitness a lot more and I think he's been very diligent in his time out of the game.

"He's worked so hard and his performances are building and let's just hope, for Scott's sake, he keeps going on an upward trajectory."

Cobblers played well in defeat to West Ham on Tuesday, particularly in the second-half.

Brady continued: "We're trying to build and we're trying to get the connections and the partnerships all over the pitch because that will be important going into the season.

"It's important that we move the ball quickly and we play quickly and I think you could see we were trying to move it well and use it well but there's still lots more to work on at the moment.

"But every time we play we feel we are improving and that's what we're looking for."