Change of plan for Cobblers' trip to Scotland after Celtic fixture is cancelled

Cobblers head off to Scotland tomorrow (Monday) for a week-long training camp at the University of St Andrews.

The University, famous for offering some of the best sports facilities in Scotland, has six football pitches along with a strength and conditioning suite and gym and fitness suites and video analysis and meeting rooms. New signings, young academy graduates and plenty of familiar faces from last season will all head north of the border.

Cobblers were due to play twice during their stay in Scotland but Wednesday’s fixture against a Celtic XI will no longer go ahead. The squad will have an extra training instead before playing an unnamed opposition in a behind-closed-doors fixture on Friday.

"It's a little bit disappointing but it can't be helped and it gives us an extra day's training and we will be able to embed more of our philosophy, which is really important,” said manager Jon Brady.

"There will be some team bonding and stuff on leadership skills. We are looking forward to going to sunny Scotland – hopefully it’ll be nice and warm up there!

"We want to use the time for the group to bond and bring everyone together. That’s very important.

"It’s not just football. It’s about things in general both on and off the pitch because you find more out about your players which we feel is really important. That was good value for us last year and we hope it will be the same this time."