McCormack: Cobblers more determined than ever to win promotion

Midfielder Alan McCormack says the Cobblers are ‘hugely motivated’ to grasp their promotion chance when they do battle in the League Two play-offs later this month.

Town will just about sneak into the top seven using the points-per-game model that is expected to be applied when clubs formally vote on ending the season next week.

That will pit them against Cheltenham Town, who look set to just miss out on automation promotion, in the semi-final, with training having resumed yesterday (Monday).

It will be a step into the unknown for all play-off chasing teams given the unusual circumstances caused by the coronavirus, but McCormack believes his team-mates are as motivated as ever to clinch promotion.

“Since last week when the news came through about playing in the play-offs, the motivation from everyone jumped tenfold,” he said. “It massively went up. The conversation in the group chat went from a little bit of laughter to being deadly serious.

“The confidence we’ve got in the group massively jumped up and the big thing that stood out in our group chat was how much everyone wants it now.

“Potentially it could have ended after those nine weeks of training on our own and that would have been it but to now have that chance of going back and playing for something, it gives you huge motivation.

“I know every player in our squad is now dying to get back and get playing again.”

Cobblers have played Cheltenham twice this season, drawing 1-1 in December and then losing 2-1 at Whaddon Road shortly before the season was suspended.

McCormack added: “It looks like we’ll be playing against Cheltenham who are a very, very good side and they’re probably a little bit disappointed because they could have caught automatic promotion.

“Unfortunately what’s happened across the world has put a stop to that but they’ve got a chance to come back and play.

“But fingers crossed if we go back with the attitude we’ve shown over the last nine weeks, we can win the games and get to the final and give ourselves a chance of going up.”