Curle admits Cobblers have some 'aches and pains' going into Wimbledon opener

Cobblers boss Keith Curle admits he has a few 'aches and pains' to worry about going into Saturday's Sky Bet League One opener against AFC Wimbledon.

The Cobblers could be missing up to eight players for their first League One game in three years, although striker Joe Nuttall is expected to be available and Sam Hoskins could also be in contention.

Harry Smith, Luka Racic and Joseph Mills were all taken off against MK Dons in midweek and the extent of those injuries are not yet known, while Nicky Adams, Shaun McWilliams and Scott Pollock will definitely miss Saturday's game.

"It's always going to be the case at the start of a new season when you have competitive games back-to-back that there'll be aches and pains," said Curle.

"That's why we have the medical team and the strength and conditioning coaches. We've had a roll call today (Thursday) but we've got a hardy bunch and the ones who are fit and available, they will put themselves forward.

"It'll be exactly the same for every team this season, especially in League One and League Two. Everyone is going to be working with reduced squads compared to what they'd ideally like but with the current climate, we're going to have a smaller squad.

"That means we will get a few injuries and the squad will get tested but when one player is not available, it creates an opportunity for somebody else and that's how we look at it and that's the challenge we face and we accept.

"I think they say to expect to have 20 per cent of your squad to be unavailable at any given time and we've got that, but we've also got competition for places and if one door closes, another one opens for somebody else and the best time to get an opportunity is right at the start of the season."

Asked if any of his injuries are serious, Curle added: "They're football injuries. They're injuries that are commonplace in football and they occur at every single football club."