Holmes reveals Nicky Adams' role in his Cobblers return

Ricky Holmes has revealed the role that team-mate and close friend Nicky Adams played in his return to the Cobblers this week.

Adams and Holmes have been close ever since the 2015/16 League Two campaign when both were instrumental in Town romping away with the title. Adams finished top of the assists chart that season while Holmes scored a number of stunning individual goals.

After going their separate ways at the end of the campaign, the two have been reunited at Northampton over four years later. Adams was re-signed by Keith Curle last summer and then had an important role in Holmes' return to the club for rehab on a back injury two months ago.

"Nicky was very influential, he was the one that I called," said Holmes on BBC Radio Northampton. "It's all well and good me speaking to Pablo (Garcia) but I was coming in after the boys had finished training to do one-on-one sessions so we could focus on my rehab.

"It was Nicky who spoke to the manager to see if I could come in and do my rehab because those two have got a great relationship. Some managers wouldn't have been interested but it was fantastic from Keith to allow me to do that and now we've managed to work out a contract.

"I wouldn't play if I was struggling, it wouldn't be fair on the team or myself, and you don't want to go out with a whimper. I said to the manager I didn't want to sign until I knew I still had the ability to do it. I'll definitely be at it and I want to win and do the best that I can."

Holmes also revealed that Town's class of 2015/16 remain in touch, adding: "We're still in a group chat! Buchs (David Buchanan), Brendan (Moloney), Cressy (Ryan Cresswell) and a few others.

"We're still a very tight-knit group and that's testament to Chris (Wilder). I never been at a club so together from top to bottom like Northampton were at that season and it's been the same since I got back."

Holmes, who made his second debut against MK Dons on Tuesday, has plenty of League One experience and he believes the division has rarely been more competitive.

"I think this is the toughest League One I've seen with the calibre of players and the size of the clubs," he said. "We will need commitment and we need to play from a shape as we did on Tuesday night.

"I know some people might have thought it was a bit negative but it was a perfect gameplan. Had we taken one of those chances, we win 1-0 and we walk away thinking we executed it perfectly.

"If we came out of our shape, MK Dons would have picked us off because they are so good at passing through teams. It showed tactically we can get it right and if we can keep more clean sheets, we will win games because we'll create chances."