Cobblers have 'irons in the fire' as Curle looks to strengthen

Keith Curle says the Cobbers have 'irons in the fire' as he gets on with the business of constructing a squad that will hold its own in League One next season.

Curle confirmed his retained list on Thursday and some surprising names featured, most notably Jordan Turnbull and Alan McCormack both of whom have been let go.

Paul Anderson, David Cornell and Andy Williams have also departed, leaving some gaps to fill ahead of Town's return to League One.

But although only a few days have passed since his side's superb victory in the play-off final, Curle is already focusing on strengthening his squad to make sure they're primed for a competitive season in England's third tier.

"We've obviously had to wait to find out where we're at as a football club in terms of what division we'll be in," said Curle. "But we've got irons in the fire and we'll let people know as and when we get players across the line.

"There is competition all over the park now and there's also other clubs that are trimming down their squads at the moment, but we've got good knowledge and good intelligence on the players that we've been looking at for League One.

"We need to find out if those players are the right fit for me and for this football club and that only comes with conversations.

"I met with a player on Wednesday and I'm due to have another meeting with him, either on Friday or Monday, but ultimately the decision comes down to - does he see this as the right move for him?"

Curle must also take into consideration the impact of coronavirus, which is likely to push back the start of next season until mid-September.

"We expect next season to be more condensed because a later start will lead to more midweek games," added Curle. "We will need a squad that is capable of playing a lot of games in quick succession over a sustained period and that has to be part of our thinking as we prepare the squad.

"With the reputation the club has, the way we have handled the challenges of the last few months, with that increased profile and the progress we are making, I think we are in a good place as we look to strengthen this summer ready for next season."