Southend boss Brown no longer feeling sorry for Cobblers

Brown was on media duties at the national stadium when Bradford City completed a 3-0 success over the Cobblers with all three goals coming in the game’s first half an hour.

It was a terrible afternoon for Northampton and one which means they began the current campaign in Sky Bet League Two for a fifth consecutive season.

But while Brown admits he was sympatheic to Boothroyd on that occasion, there will be no such emotion when the teams meet at Roots Hall on Saturday.

“I watched his team on the final day of last season and really felt for him when they were 3-0 down to Bradford City inside the opening 29 minutes of the play-off final,” said Brown.

“But I certainly won’t be feeling for him on Saturday and I want us to build on the promising start we’ve made.”

That promising start includes back-to-back wins in Southend’s first two league games - both by a 1-0 scoreline.

But Brown is expecting something very different from Northampton compared to what his team has faced in their matches so far.

“Northampton will provide us with a different kind of challenge this weekend and it’s one we’re going to have to stand up to,” he said.

“On the opening day of the season, John Sheridan’s Plymouth side had a passing style we were able to deal with and Hartlepool came at us with a young, attacking style on a big pitch which we were able to combat last weekend.

“I’m expecting Northampton to be more of a physical encounter and they will certainly be hard to play against because any team managed by Aidy Boothroyd always is.”