Kevin Nolan: Cobblers are going to prove a lot of people wrong

Town are above only Port Vale in the League One table after seven games without a win and four successive defeats, leading to an increasing number of people, including many supporters, writing off their chances of survival.

But ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Barnsley, where a win would take Cobblers out of the relegation zone, Nolan remains steadfast in his belief that he has what it takes to turn things around.

"At this minute we're in a tough moment and it’s not going for us,” he said. “We're not getting the rub of the green but it will turn and we have to keep the belief. That’s my message to the lads – this is no time to feel sorry for ourselves.

"We’re going to prove a lot of people wrong. I love playing games and I love that feeling, that's what I've lived for my whole life. I've had many of these moments in my career where I've been in relegation scraps and battling down at the bottom and people are putting pressure on you and telling you you're not very good and all of that.

"That's when you have to come out fighting and that's what we'll certainly do. We have plenty of good stuff in that dressing room to make sure we are still in this league come the end of the season, but we don't want to just be in a relegation scrap, we want to be in the middle of the table.

“We're not at the moment so we have to go out there and show what we're about and that's what I've said to the lads. We need to find a result quickly and once we find it, build on it."

Nolan was encouraged by his side’s performance in defeat to Reading on Saturday and he hopes to build on it at Oakwell.

“I was really angry at Rotherham last Tuesday because of the way we lost the game but I can't be angry with Saturday,” he added. “What I am is positive because I know, if we keep performing like that, we'll win more than we lose.

“I’ve never been under illusions that we will go through tough periods this season but what we have to do is dig in and that’s why we brought these lads to the club – because they’re having a right go. They’re good, honest people and they will turn it around.

"Barnsley is going to be another tough one but I’m really confident that we can go there and get something.”