Proud McWilliams could become a one-club man ahead of 200th Cobblers appearance

As he prepares to play his 200th game for the Cobblers, Shaun McWilliams feels a mixture of emotions.

The main one is pride and rightly so. He’s a local lad who rose through the youth ranks to become a regular for his boyhood team.

But there is also frustration that the landmark didn’t come earlier and determination that there will be many more in the future.

"I'd say it's gone quick! I probably should have reached 200 games sooner because I've had my fair share of injuries,” admitted the 25-year-old. “But it's a nice milestone to hit and I'm happy and proud to have played so many games – bring on the next one!"

McWilliams is not one to look too far ahead but there’s every chance he could become a one-club man and spend his whole career at Sixfields, although that will depend on whether or not the club can match his ambition.

"Definitely,” he replied when asked about the possibility of staying at Northampton for another 200 games. “I'm in the last year of my contract so we'll see how that plays out but to be honest I've never really looked too far ahead with the contracts I've signed.

"My focus has always been on playing and then deal with the contract situation when it comes around and I think that's the case again this year. I'm enjoying my football and I'm happy to be part of this team and our aim is to stay in the division.

"We've been a bit up and down before but we don't want to do that anymore – we want to consolidate in League One and I think we've shown we're capable of doing that. It's about enjoying it and seeing how things go and I'm sure it'll all take care of itself."

It’s true that at the start of his career McWilliams was considered an injury-prone player whose game was all about running and tackling.

But those days are long gone. He has made 112 appearances in the last three seasons and during that time he’s developed into a well-rounded midfielder who can pass as well as he tackles.

"I’m happy with how I’m playing,” McWilliams added. “It all changed when the gaffer took over. He's implemented his style slowly and I think people are now seeing how he wants us to play, especially this season.

"If you look at the stats, we're in most games, we have most of the ball and we're creating chances. We haven't finished as many as we would have liked but I think that's changing now.

"It is a joy to play in this team. When we set up in training, we have a specific game plan and we stick to it and it's really enjoyable to be a part of.”

The 25-year-old missed the start of the season with an achillies injury that he sustained in pre-season, but he’s started the last five games in all competitions.

He continued: "I feel good. You can always improve and when you watch games back, there's stuff you see that can be better, but the fitter you get, the easier it is.

"When you first come back, you're just trying to get through the games and making sure you come out unscathed while trying to pick up points and that's when it can be quite hard.

"The cup games help because although you want to progress and do well, for some players it is going to be about playing minutes and building fitness so it can be difficult to find the balance.

"But the way the staff have handled me and how they've built up my game-time has really worked well. It’s been nice to have this break but now I feel fit and ready to kick on.”