No Cobblers return for Holmes as he signs deal with League Two outfit

Ricky Holmes will not be coming back to the Cobblers this season after he signed a short-term contract with boyhood club Southend United.

The 33-year-old winger returned to Northampton in November but his second spell at the club lasted only two months with his short-term deal not renewed by then-manager Keith Curle, who needed to make room in his squad ahead of the January transfer window.

Town's supporters had been hoping the club would re-sign the 2016 title-winner, especially now Jon Brady and Marc Richards have taken caretaker charge, but that will not be the case.

Holmes, who started his career in Southend's academy, has penned an appearance-related contract at the League Two Shrimps, with whom he has trained for the past two weeks.

"It’s great to sign,” Holmes said. “It’s been a good week of training with a game in there as well to show that I’m fully fit and I can’t wait to get going on Saturday.

"The games are coming thick and fast so hopefully I can bring a lot to the team.

"It’s been known over the years that I support Southend, I’m from the area and one day I said I’d hopefully come back after getting released as a kid, and thankfully it’s happened."

Holmes was involved in a behind closed doors game at the start of the week in which he provided an assist for Brandon Goodship.

"When you’re training you only really look forward to games as a footballer and until you’ve signed you can’t look forward to that," he added.

"Now I’ve signed I can look forward to Saturday.

"When you come back to your local club, especially the one that released you as a kid, you’ve always got a point to prove and I managed to do that a few times.

"Now that I’ve got the shirt on I’ll hopefully score a few goals and get the assists we need to start winning games."

Southend, who are just outside the relegation zone in League Two, host Bolton Wanderers this weekend.

Holmes continued: "When I broke into the professional game from non-league I was in a Barnet team that were struggling at the wrong end of the table and we survived both times.

"So hopefully I can bring the experience, know-how and galvanise the group.

"The results have been good of late, so hopefully we can continue that and I can bring a lot to the team."