Skipper Goode is 'loving' his surprise role as Town's leader

Having signed the likes of Alan McCormack and Nicky Adams, among others, during the summer, there were several more experienced and supposedly better-suited candidates Curle could have turned to.

But while Adams was named club captain, 24-year-old Goode assumed responsibility as the team’s leader on the pitch.

It’s a decision that has emphatically paid off for Curle. Not only has Goode led the team impressively, it’s also taken his game to a new level.

“I’m loving it,” said Goode. “When I first got given the role I looked around the dressing room and there was a lot of experienced heads who might have been ahead of me in the pecking order.

“But it was a lot of faith put in me by the manager and hopefully I’m repaying him because I think it’s getting the best out of me.”

At the heart of Town’s resurgence in recent weeks has been the excellent form of Goode, the leader of a defence that’s kept four clean sheets in the last five games.

So, is the extra responsibility of being skipper benefiting his game?

“Definitely. It was a hard one initially because I didn’t expect to get it with the names that came into the club.

“But I’ve made that switch in my performance and the way I want to lead the lads and I think I’m really growing into it now.

“It’s improving me as a player and I want to keep having that impact on the lads.”

If it wasn’t for two late goals at Oldham Athletic, the Cobblers would have kept five successive clean sheets prior to Saturday's 4-1 victory over Crewe.

“I think it’s been very good,” added Goode when asked about playing alongside Jordan Turnbull and Scott Wharton in a back three.

“We all get on really well, on and off the pitch, and our job is to keep the ball out of the net.

“We were very disappointed not to get another clean sheet at Oldham because after 85 minutes we thought it was nailed-on.

“But it’s not just the defence, Dai (Cornell) has been brilliant all season and our defending starts from the front with the press that we do.

“The defence gets the credit but it’s a team effort.”