Curle stands by his 'building season' comments - and explains why

Speaking ahead of last Saturday's game against Salford City, Curle had said: "We know this is a building season and the supporters are very much a part of that building process. Last season was a case of surviving, this season is a case of building."

That caused a slight stir among some Cobblers supporters who felt Curle, with his side down in 18th at the time and coming off a heavy loss at Scunthorpe United, was trying to downplay expectations and almost write off a promotion challenge just 13 games into the season.

But that was not the case and even after successive 2-0 wins over Salford and Carlisle this week, Curle maintained his belief that this season is about piecing together a cohesive, functioning squad and developing a successful 'philosophy' that will ultimately take Cobblers to where they want to be - into the top seven.

"I know people might have picked up on my comments last week and said 'how can this be a building season?' - but it is," insisted Curle after Tuesday's win at Carlisle.

"We've got the likes of Shaun McWilliams and Scotty Pollock coming into the fold and we have 14, 15 new players that have come into the club.

"We're trying to create a DNA that's about being difficult to beat and also wanting to score goals and we want to go on a journey, whether that's home or away, and the fans are part of that.

"The travelling fans we had on Tuesday would have had to take two days off work but it's excellent to have 170, 180 fans following you to Carlisle and the least we can do is turn up and I think we turned up."

Curle had mixed emotions on his return to Brunton Park but ultimately he was a happy man after heading home with all three points.

"I have a lot of respect for the people that brought me to the football club and I had a very good working relationship with those people," he added.

"But the club have changed and I know it's going to be slightly different because I'm coming as an opposing manager but there's a different feel to the football club.

"It's pleasing to come back and win and the players knew it was important for me because I invested a lot of time in the football club and we enjoyed the journey that we managed to get them on.

"But now I'm at another football club that I think we can go on a journey with."