Curle wants another FA Cup run with Cobblers

Cobblers reaped the rewards of a deep run in the FA Cup last season and now manager Keith Curle wants to replicate that this year ahead of tonight's first-round tie at Oxford City.

Town beat Chippenham, Notts County and Burton Albion en route to the fourth round last season where they took Championship side Derby County to a replay, raking in nearly £700,000 through prize-money and TV fees in the process.

"It's a special competition and a competition that all football clubs look forward to at the start of their journey and we're no different," said Curle.

"You never know where your next game could lead you and that's the exciting thing about it - trying to go as far as possible and waiting to find out who you're going to play."

The rewards for clubs this season have been reduced due to the pandemic but a good run would still bring in valuable income, although first the Cobblers must avoid an upset themselves against National League South outfit Oxford City live on BT Sport this evening.

"We treat the game as any other," Curle added. "We're very respectful as a coaching staff and a football club. We'll do our due diligence and we'll watch the videos to gain as much information as we can and then we come up with a plan.

"Oxford have a good coach with a lot of experience. He's been around a lot and I played against himself a few times. They're not a bad side. They have a system of play that can fluctuate and can vary and they've got good players, they've got pace and they've got physicality, but it'll be down to us to go there and impose ourselves on the game.

"These games are not easy because you have to be in the right place mentally. If you go there and get distracted by the playing surface or the surroundings, it can have a detrimental effect on you. The work we've been doing with the players is focusing on making sure the mindset is that we need to win a game of football."