Striker Waters wants to '˜make a name' for himself at the Cobblers

The 22-year-old was signed from Sky Bet League Two side Cheltenham for an undisclosed fee last week, and was handed a three-year deal at Sixfields.

Waters admits putting pen to paper on such a long-term deal is reassuring and does ‘take the pressure off’ a little, but he has promised the Cobblers supporters he is desperate to be a Sixfields hit.

“Having a three-year deal does take the pressure off in some way,” said Waters, who began his career at Crewe Alexandra..

“I have been on one-year deals all of my career, but I thrive off pressure and I know I am coming to this club and I have to make a name for myself here now.

“I am excited to do that.”

“I can’t wait to meet all the lads in pre-season, meet all of the staff, and just get a feel of the place, I am really looking forward to it.”

Waters is also a player full of ambition, on both a personal and club level, and says he isn’t coming to Sixfields to play in a struggling team.

The Cobblers didn’t secure their league one safety until the end of the penultimate game of last season, and their new striker says he’ll be doing all he can to ensure the team is looking up this time around.

“It is going to be tough, but the gaffer has expressed his views about where he wants to end up, and that is pushing for the play-offs,” said the Epsom-born player.

“I don’t want to be involved in a relegation scrap or anything like that, you have to aim as high as you can, so pushing for the play-offs has to be at the top of the list.

“I am confident we have got the staff, the squad and the fanbase to go and do that.”

Waters was an in-demand player following his 16-goal camapign for the Robins, claiming four different player of the year awards for his efforts.

The Cobblers won the race to grab his signature though, and the player admitted he was impressed by manager Justin Edinburgh after meeting him.

“He seems like a non-nonsense gaffer, and he said to me ‘I am bringing you here and I don’t want you to change anything about your game’,” said Waters.

“That is always good to hear, as sometimes you get managers talking about your weaknesses, but all the gaffer did was talk about my strengths.

“Obviously, there are things I need to brush up on, and he is as much aware of that as I am, but he sold the club to me and I liked the way he was.”

Waters also had good words for his former boss at Cheltenham, Gary Johnson.

There won’t be too many people around Sixfields singing the praises of the the former Cobblers manager after his disappointing spell in charge of the club, but Waters says Johnson was nothing but good for him.

“He was really good for me,” he said. “I had a good relationship with Gary, and when I spoke to him the other day he said there was no bitterness.

“He said to me ‘I completely understand your decision to go to Northampton’, he understands it is a level up for me.

“He will always be a manager I remember, beacuse to have experienced so much stuff with him, in getting promoted and everything. I have had a good time with him.”