New Cobblers keeper Ross Fitzsimons relishing another Football League chance

And he is also looking forward to being reunited with Town boss Kevin Nolan, his former manager at Notts County.

The 31-year-old has spent the past five years on the non-League scene with the likes of Weymouth, Chesterfield and Scunthorpe United, who he helped to promotion from the Vanarama National League North last month.

But Fitzsimons has played in the EFL before, racking up more than 50 appearances for Notts County in Sky Bet League Two between 2017 and 2020, and he is excited to have the chance to make his mark again at Sixfields.

Nolan was his boss at the Magpies for 18 months between January, 2017 and the summer of 2018, and the Cobblers manager believes Fitzsimons is the ideal man to challenge Lee Burge and teenager James Dadge for the number one jersey at the Cobblers.

And that is a challenge Fitzsimons is more than happy to take on.

"I got a phone call from the gaffer and he asked me if I wanted to come in and push for number one, and have an opportunity to get back in the Football League," said Fitzsimons. "I am really excited to get going."

Regarding his spell under Nolan at Meadow Lane, the Londoner added: "It was a great little spell that was short-lived in the end, but I loved playing under the gaffer.

"I am now really excited to work under him again."

Fitzsimons joins the Cobblers on a high, having helped Scunthorpe to promotion back to the National League via the play-offs.

He enjoyed a superb season at Glanford Park, keeping 27 clean sheets in 44 appearances, a record that saw him named the non-League goalkeeper of the year.

And it was an enjoyable time for the player, who began his career as a trainee at Crystal Palace back in 2011.

"I ended up with 27 clean sheets in the season, and we got promoted in the end through the play-offs," said Fitzsimons.

"Off the back of that I got the goalkeeper of the season for non-League, so all of it together it was a really good season for me."

Fitzsimons is now looking forward to getting stuck into life at Sixfields, and working with Burge, Dadge and goalkeeping coach James Alger.

"It is important for a goalkeeping department," said Fitzsimons, who was hails from Hammersmith.

"We are sort of players separate to the rest of the squad, so it is good and it is healthy for us all to push each other and help each other along.

"Hopefully I can bring a little bit of experience to that and a litte bit of my knowledge as well.

"I have had a good chat with Algs as well, and he seems brilliant.

"The first impressions are really good and he seems really eager and hopefully I will add to the department."