Cobblers confirm two new appointments in the academy

Cobblers have announced the permanent appointments of Graham Biggs as academy manager (football) and Julie Delauney as academy manager (operations) following Ian Sampson’s move to the first-team.

The experienced Biggs will oversee the football side, stepping up from his current position of the academy's head of coaching, a post he has held since 2019.

A UEFA A Licence holder, Biggs was previously academy manager for a number of years at Walsall with Alex Nicholls, Will Grigg, Jamie Paterson, Rico Henry, Mal Benning, Kieron Morris and Liam Kinsella some of the players who emerged through the youth ranks in his time there.

Julie Delauney will take on the role of the club's academy manager (operations), looking after the operational aspects of the academy. Julie has been with the club working in the academy since 2006 and is also the club's senior safeguarding manager.

"This is very much a continuation of the situation that has been in place since Ian Sampson stepped up to the first team at the end of October," said chief executive James Whiting.

"This partnership has proved to be very successful and as the academy continues to grow, we see real benefit in the role being shared and split between football and operations and that is the way we have decided to go.

"Sammo was very much part of the conversation in deciding the way forward. We are fortunate to have a very strong and experienced staff at the club and we feel both Graham and Julie are ideally suited to the roles they have been carrying out very successfully for the last six months or so.

"Both know the academy inside out, they know the local football scene, they know the club, what we are looking for and what we expect and are very well connected.

"We will look to appoint a new head of coaching for the academy in due course and we look forward to Julie and Graham continuing their excellent work."