Cobblers are reaping the rewards from changes to recruitment structure

Recent tweaks to the club’s recruitment structure should stand the Cobblers in good stead as they begin the work of constructing a squad capable of competing in League One.

Jon Brady, supported by chairman Kelvin Thomas and chief executive James Whiting, drove changes to the way Northampton recruit players when he was made permanent manager following relegation to League Two a couple of years ago.

Assistant boss Colin Calderwood has also taken on more responsibility, and all of those changes bore fruit last week when Town won promotion to League One.

"We had a big review a couple of years ago and we changed a lot of things,” said Whiting. "We have a lot of really good regional scouts and there's the software and data analysis that we use to back up our decisions.

"I think people can see an identity now in how we play and the type of player we recruit and that means we have a lot of really good players at the club who will go on and be better players.

"There's also been a lot of investment into pitches and training facilities and there will be a new training centre and when you back that up with the players we've got, the coaching staff we have, the strength of the academy, the young players coming through, I think overall the club is in a really good state.

"We have achieved promotion – which is obviously fantastic – but we've also had Sam Hoskins named as League Two Player of the Season, Josh Tomlinson was Scholar of the Year, we've achieved European success in community awards and we've seen crowds averaging over 6,000 so there’s a lot to be positive about."

After the success of Marc Leonard and Kieron Bowie this season, Town’s use of the loan market will again be key this summer ahead of their return to League One.

Whiting added: "Loan players have played a real key part in this promotion as well and we are building a strong reputation for developing young players and being a good place for Premier League clubs to send their young talent. They know we can be trusted and their players will get minutes and they'll come back better players.

"With all of that combined, we are in a much stronger position than we ever have been.”