Leonard and Bowie ready for 'emotional' Sixfields farewell having 'loved every minute' at Cobblers

Marc Leonard and Kieron Bowie admit it will be ‘emotional’ to play what it likely to be their last ever games at Sixfields on Saturday.

The young Scottish duo will return to their parent clubs Brighton and Fulham in the summer following two hugely successful years with the Cobblers. They have played nearly 200 games between them and both have been instrumental in Town’s rise from League Two to mid-table in League One.

Cobblers play their final home game of the season when they host Exeter City this weekend.

"I think it will be emotional,” said Leonard on the Cobblers Show on BBC Radio Northampton. “My girlfriend and parents will be there at the game and I know they’ll be a bit emotional, but I’ve loved every minute.

"The fans have been nothing but unreal. It will be emotional on Saturday but it’ll be a nice close to what has been an amazing chapter. All you want when you go on loan is to play games and to have played so many and had that trust from the manager, and also enjoyed the success we have, it’s been the dream scenario.

"I feel like I am 10 times the player I was before I came here. I’ve gained so much experienced and I’ve learned so much and I couldn’t put into words how much the club have done for me.

"I’ll miss the lads because we’re such a close group but we’ll definitely stay in touch and I think we’ll be tight for a good while.”

Bowie added: "It’s a bit strange for us to have both been here for two seasons, it’s almost felt like a two-year contract, but it’s part and parcel of the game and you come and go places.

"But obviously it’s special to have been here for two years. The fans have given us their support and we’ve tried to repay that. You see a lot of loans that don’t work out but it’s worked out really well for both of us. We were just young lads hoping for a chance when we first came here and we got that chance and thankfully we took it and I can’t thank the club enough.”