Jacobs in line for second Cobblers debut as Chelsea Under-21s head to Sixfields
Michael Jacobs is set to make his long-awaited second debut for the Cobblers in Tuesday night's Vertu Trophy clash against Chelsea Under-21s at Sixfields (ko 7pm).
The midfielder has had to be patient on his return to the club where he started his career as a teenager, having picked up an injury on the eve of the first match of the Sky Bet League One season at Wigan Athletic on August 2.
It has been a long road back to full fitness for Jacobs, but the 33-year-old is now fully fit and was an unused substitiute in Saturday's disappointing 2-0 defeat at Wycombe Wanderers.
And boss Kevin Nolan confirmed after that game that Jacobs, who last played a competitive match in Chesterfield's play-off semi-final defeat to Walsall in May, will be in the starting line up to take on Chelsea on Tuesday.
If he is involved, then it will be his first game in his second spell, but his 101st for the club overall, having left for Derby in 2012 after making exactly 100 appearances, scoring 15 goals.
"Crackers will play," said the Cobblers boss, who is also keen to give game time to many of his squad that have been starved of minutes so far this term.
"A lot of the lads you have seen come on at Wycombe, they will probably start the game, along with a few others who were unlucky to miss out.
"Jordan Willis is one, and Joe Wormleighton, they are two great lads who train very well and do everything properly and deserve their opportunity on Tuesday.
"We have really good competition, I am really pleased with the squad we have got, but now it is about these lads producing and making sure they are ready to go on Tuesday, because it is going to be a difficult game."
Managed by Calum McFarlane, Chelsea U21s will go into the Trophy clash off the back of a first Premier League 2 defeat of the season, going down 4-2 at home to Ipswich Town at Kingsmeadow on Saturday.
Prior to that, the young Blues had won three out of three, including a win over reigning champions Manchester City, and Nolan is expecting a tough test for his side.
"Chelsea have been really good this season, they are near the top of Premier League 2, so it's not going to be an easy one and we are going to have to turn up," he said.
"We can't perform like we did on Saturday, otherwise I will be a lot more angry than I was then!
"We smiled through that, although we were disappointed, and we go again on Tuesday."