Excited Haynes relishing the battle with Koiki down the left-hand side

Cobblers’ newest recruit Ryan Haynes is relishing the battle alongside rival Ali Koiki with the two men set to go head-to-head for the left-back berth next season.

Haynes, whose signing was confirmed on Monday, has been brought in to provide competition on the left side of defence following the retirement of last year’s skipper Joseph Mills.

Both Koiki and Haynes can play full-back, wing-back or potentially further forward if required.

"I look forward to that battle,” said Monday’s addition. “It's good to have a challenge. We might be different players and we could fulfil the role in different ways but competition is always good. It'll be good for me and it'll be good for him and it should push us both.

"I'm not sure what the fans know about me but I'm attacking full-back and I like to get up the pitch and create. That's my game. I'm just looking forward to getting started.

"I've always played down the left-hand side. I think I played at right-back once or twice but it's mainly on the left, anywhere down that side."

Haynes has spent the last three seasons at Newport County and was part of the Exiles team that was beaten in the play-off final at Wembley in 2021.

"I was at Newport for three years and I racked up quite a few games and I loved every minute of it,” Haynes added.

"It was really good and I feel like I have grown a lot as a player and a person and I'm thankful for the opportunities they gave me, but it's a new challenge now and I'm really excited to get going.

"Hopefully I can kick-on even more now I'm at Northampton. The club is going in the right direction and they will be challenging at the top end of the league.

"The ambition of the club is to get promoted and that's massive for me because I want to be successful and achieving promotions so that was a big thing when I decided to come here.”