Keeper Burge 'buzzing' and loving life at ‘brilliant’ Cobblers

The shot-stopper signed on at Sixfields in the summer, having the spent the previous three years at Sunderland.

Burge was number one at the Stadium Of Light in the 2020/21 campaign, but found himself sidelined at the start of the next season, and he didn't play a single game for the Black Cats after a 5-1 EFL Cup defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates in December.

The 29-year-old was released by Sunderland at the end of last summer, and the former Coventry City man was tempted back to the east midlands by Cobblers boss Jon Brady, who was looking to replace player of the year Liam Roberts, who left Town to sign for Middlesbrough.

Burge knew he was going to have big shoes to fill, but he took on the challenge and has proved to be a more than able replacement, producing some strong performances and a collection of stunning saves in his eight League games for the club to date.

All that was missing was that elusive clean sheet, but that came in Tuesday night's 2-0 win at AFC Wimbledon, when Burge was one of the Cobblers' star men, producing a clutch of solid saves in horrible wet conditions, and commanding his area superbly.

He was rewarded with that shut-out, and also the first demand of fist pumps in the post-match celebrations from the 600-strong Cobblers away contingent, who were so used to Roberts doing exactly that at the end of each victory last season.

"I didn't really know what was going on!," admitted Burge. "The gaffer was saying 'they want you to do it', and I was like 'do what?!'.

"But I did it and it was good, I really enjoyed it."

He has only been at the club for a matter of months, but the Hereford-born keeper is enjoying himself, and said: "I am buzzing to be here, it has been excellent and that goes from everyone at the club from the top to the bottom.

"All the staff behind the scenes have been absolutely brilliant, and I am loving my time here.

"It is great to be back playing and enjoying football, and everything seems to be coming together at the minute.

"Hopefully we can keep on winning, keep on getting clean sheets having got one on Tuesday, and hopefully many more will come."

And what about those travelling supporters that made the trip to south west London?

"The fans were excellent, and they made it a bit harder for me because I was trying to shout to some of the lads, but the fans were too loud and they couldn't hear me!

"The following was impressive, they were really loud and it does make a real difference."