Calderwood explains Moon-Arnaez selection and reveals reason for Dobson absence
Colin Calderwood has given some insight into Mateo Moon-Arnaez and the decision to include the teenage midfielder in Northampton’s matchday squad for the final game of the season.
The 17-year-old central midfielder, who joined Town’s academy last summer after being released by Leicester City, is a first-year scholar in the youth team and was named on the bench for Saturday’s visit of Plymouth Argyle.
"Mateo has done well through the academy,” explained Calderwood. “He came up and joined us for training as a reward and we wanted to get him involved. There’s always peaks and troughs for young players and he’s had a bit of a trough, which is just natural, but we have to make sure we open the door and there’s an opportunity.
"When they drop back down to the academy, it has to be normal that they go up and down. Coming up to the first-team doesn’t make them a player because there’s still a lot of work for him to do. He’s experienced a little bit today and ideally I would have loved to get him on the pitch but the sending off didn’t help.”
Moon-Arnaez was joined on the bench by fellow academy product Neo Dobson. The 19-year-old striker played eight times for the senior side last season, scoring three goals, but Saturday was his first appearance of the 2025/26 campaign.
"It’s also nice to see Neo back,” added Calderwood. “He’s had a very difficult season in terms of injuries but it was great to get him on the bench and we have to try and blood one or two of these boys a little bit more.
"They have to earn it, then earn it again, and then earn it again. They can’t think sitting on the bench is the ultimate goal or being in the team is as good as you can get. The opposition today were an example of the level you can get to but there’s a level above that and you always have to be striving to be better.”