Pinnock saw Cobblers as a 'great opportunity' to 'enjoy' his football again

Mitch Pinnock during his AFC Wimbledon days.

Winger Mitch Pinnock believes Sixfields is the perfect place to rekindle his love for football after penning a two-year contract with the Cobblers this week.

The 26-year-old snubbed a new contract offer at previous club Kilmarnock at the end of last season before opting to make the switch to Northampton.

'It's a big club and an ambitious club," said Pinnock. "Obviously they have just dropped out of League One but I think they were unlucky not to stay in the division, especially after the new gaffer came in.

"I feel, for me, coming here, it's a great opportunity to go straight back up and win a promotion and it's a place where I can get back to enjoying my football again."

As always, the manager played a big role in Pinnock's decision to sign on the dotted line.

"The gaffer has told me a lot about the club," he added. "He told me about the changes to the training setup at the college so it'll be the club's main training ground. He's been saying a lot of stuff like that and also what he wants to do to make it more of a community thing.

"Everything he was telling me sounded good and if he's got that sort of attitude, hopefully it'll filter down to the players and we'll all be on the same page and will be looking to get promoted - it should be a good season."

Like Town's first summer signing Nicke Kabamba, another player from Kilmarnock, Pinnock has taken the long route before reaching this point of his career.

"I've played in most of the leagues," he continued. "I was at Arsenal's academy for eight years when I was young and then I went to Southend and by the end of that I was playing in non-league.

"I played a couple of games in League Two when I was 17 so this will be my first proper season in the league and I'm looking forward to it."