Cobblers make it three for the summer with former Doncaster defender
Cobblers have made their third summer signing with the addition of left-back James Maxwell.
The 24-year-old Scot, who was released by Doncaster Rovers at the end of last season, has joined Northampton on a two-year deal with effect from July 1st. He follows forward Harvey Saunders and on-loan goalkeeper Zach Jeacock as Town’s signings so far this summer.
Born in Crewe and raised through the youth systems of Ayr United, Falkirk and Rangers, Maxwell is regarded as a modern-style, attack-minded full-back who was a regular during Doncaster’s title-winning season in 2024/25. Injuries have disrupted his progress since, leading to his release last month.
The 5ft 10in defender began his professional career with Rangers, enjoying a successful loan spell at Queen of the South where he played 32 times, scoring five goals. He had another productive loan, this time with Ayr United, making 37 appearances and scoring six goals, and then moved south to join Doncaster in the summer of 2022.
Maxwell spent four years in South Yorkshire, playing 117 times for Rovers, and he was a regular in the first half of the 2025/26 campaign following the previous year’s title win, but only played one league game after the turn of the year, partly due to injury.