Perry 'really excited' to get started with Cobblers after last-minute move from Nottingham Forest on 'hectic' deadline day

The young midfielder has played 10 Premier League 2 and three EFL Trophy games for Forest this season and the club had no intention of letting him leave before Monday’s 11pm deadline.

But Town manager Kevin Nolan, who lives in Nottingham, has a good relationship with Forest and a late phone call convinced academy coaches Andy Reid and Warren Joyce to allow Perry to head to Sixfields for the second half of the season.

"It was a pretty hectic day,” admitted the 20-year-old. “I wasn’t too sure what was happening to be honest but I got a call late at night and was given the message about moving here and I was really excited about it.

"It’s always been my plan to test myself at senior level as soon as I can. I wasn’t sure if it would be this month but when this opportunity came up, I was very excited and I feel it’s a great chance for me to show what I can do.

"I haven’t spoken to the manager too much yet, I’ve obviously not been here long but I’m going to talk to him after training and, being a midfielder, I can’t wait to play under him because he had a great career and I’m going to soak everything up and learn as much as I can.”

Whilst signing another midfielder wouldn’t have been a priority for some Cobblers fans going into deadline day, it’s a key position for Nolan, whose recent move to a box midfield has proved effective.

Very few Town supporters, if any, would have known about Perry before his arrival but his versatility and quality in and out of possession are important attributes that will come in handy.

"I’m a midfielder and I’d probably say I’m honest, I’m hard-working and I like to get on the ball and make things happen,” he said. “For Forest this season I have been playing a bit deeper but I can play higher up and I’ve done that role when I’ve been asked.

"I have different things in my game and it’s just really good to get into a men’s first-team dressing room, a different environment for myself, and I just want to test myself in different ways. I’ve seen other players go out on loan and now this is the next step for my career.

"It’s a tough league with a lot of strong teams but I see it as a big opportunity and I’m really excited to get going. I can’t wait.”