Curle backs Horsfall to follow Goode and become a favourite at Cobblers

Keith Curle believes new signing Fraser Horsfall has the quality and ambition follow a similar path to captain Charlie Goode and fulfil his potential at the Cobblers.

The 23-year-old joined on a two-year contract last week and adds some much-needed depth at centre-back following the loss of Jordan Turnbull and Scott Wharton.

"He's a player that we've looked at for a while," said Curle. "He was highlighted at the end of the previous season and we were able to get a closer look and a better look at him when we played Macclesfield.

"I had the opportunity to meet Fraser and his personality and his character and the journey he's been on before impressed me.

"He came out of his comfort zone because he wanted to go and compete in men's football, first going into non-league and then taking the opportunity to play in League Two.

"He's progressed well and he's on a development path. I like the lad and I think he'll accept challenges and continue his development the more games he played."

Asked what attracted him to Horsfall, Curle added: "Fraser is a natural defender and he likes to get close to people, he likes to get tight and he likes to win the ball.

"He wants to make first contact and he can use the football too. You give him the football at his feet the pitch becomes accessible, but he's also a competitor.

"With the way that we set ourselves up, a lot of the time you are left man-for-man and you need to come out on top and Fraser's a lad that will challenge himself against anyone in this division."

Curle also believes he can improve Horsfall's all-round game and help him fulfil his potential, much like he has done with Goode.

"We'll given him a platform," he continued. "Fraser comes into the building and he knows he will have demands put on him because there are areas we think he can improve and needs to improve and develop.

"But the pleasing thing with Fraser, the type of person he is, he accepts challenges and that's what comes across in the conversations I've had with him - and that's the importance of me meeting players before we sign them.

"It's not always about me having a conversation and telling players what I'm about, I get the players to express to me their strengths and their weaknesses and the areas that they need to improve on.

"They know that I've watched them and I've seen them play so if somebody tries hiding something from me, I know I can ask them when we have a conversation.

"It's about building a relationship with a player and getting a player to identify where they need to improve.

"I've got slightly different methods that I think I can use to improve a player and sometimes you get that lightbulb moment and players realise that they need to work on their weaknesses so they become a strength."