Coventry defender Phillips is boss Page's first Cobblers signing

The 22-year-old defender made 61 appearances for the Sky Blues in three campaigns, including 26 games last season and becomes boss Rob Page’s first signing for Northampton, putting pen to paper on a two-year contract.

Leamington-born Phillips is the son of former Wales international Dave Phillips, who also played for Coventry and was a member of their 1987 FA Cup winning team.

Phillips had been linked with a move to Sheffield United this summer, but he has now signed on the dotted line at Sixfields, where he played on many occasions for Coventry when they were tenants at the ground.

A regular in the Sky Blues team in the first half of last season, playing in Coventry’s 2-1 FA Cup defeat to the Cobblers, Phillips found himself out of favour with boss Tony Mowbray.

The full-back was brought back into the team in April and finished the season strongly, but his form wasn’t enough to earn himself a new contract and he was told he was free to leave.

“I’m disappointed but that’s life,” he said. “Tony Mowbray has made his decision and it’s just something I have to live with.

“We had a conversation back in January saying I probably wouldn’t be getting a contract but then I did play the last five or six games and I thought I did really well playing against the top teams in our league.

“But the decision was made at the end of the season not to keep me. I felt I had given everything I could in those games, as I have every time I have played.

“This is where I wanted to be but even if I wasn’t going to be here I had to impress any teams that maybe watching the games.”

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that former Cobblers midfielder Danny Rose has signed for Sky Bet League Two side Portsmouth.

Rose was a free agent after his short-term deal at Sixfields expired, and although he was offered a new contract by Northampton, he has decided to sign on at Fratton Park.