Curle to build squad that will be 'very competitive' in League One

Keith Curle says he plans to construct a squad that will 'pick up from where we left off' when the Cobblers begin their Sky Bet League One campaign next season.

Town have confidence and momentum firmly on their side going into 2020/21 following a blistering end to last season, although already several key men have departed the club.

Jordan Turnbull and Alan McCormack both left after starring in their promotion-winning campaign while Paul Anderson, David Cornell and Andy Williams have also been let go. Between them, those five players made a combined 130 appearances in 2019/20.

Attentions now turn to incomings and Curle will not be short on options this summer with more players available than usual due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The important thing now is that we're on phase two of rebuilding and restructuring the football club and there's the impact of COVID on the club to consider," said Curle. "But we're realists.

"We want to be competitive and we'll need to construct a squad that picks up where we left off and understands where we're at the minute because that's vitally important.

"From when came into the club, we had an identity and we had a good understanding of where we were at that particular point and what needed to be done, on and off the pitch, to maintain the health of the club.

"Over the next few weeks and months, there will be more bad news in football. But for us, the pleasing thing is that this club has an identity of where we are and we've got a realisation of where we are and what needs to happen.

"We want and need to be competitive and that's the attitude. We won't have the biggest budget but we'll have a competitive budget and we will be a very competitive team in the division."