Thomas expects Cobblers to be competitive on a 'realistic' budget in Sky Bet League One

That is the message from chairman Kelvin Thomas, who while accepting what Town have to spend won't be in the 'top half' of budgets in the coming season, still expects the Cobblers to be competitive.

And he held up Wycombe Wanderers and their remarkable promotion to the Championship earlier this month as the example for Curle and his team to follow, as they prepare to lock horns with the likes of Sunderland, Portsmouth and Ipswich Town.

The Cobblers currently have a first team squad of 17 players under contract, with the latest addition being midfielder Christopher Missilou, who joined from Oldham Athletic earlier this week.

That is a decent starting point with the beginning of the season still six weeks away, and with many clubs facing the prospect of tightening their belts in the wake of football's shutdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Finances are going to be an ongoing issue, especially with the season starting with matches being played behind closed doors, and Thomas feels Curle will relish the chance of piecing together a squad that can punch above its weight in the third tier of English football.

"We have set a realistic budget in terms of income and in terms of where we think we will be, and it's fair to say that in league one we are definitely not going to be in the top half of budgets," said Thomas.

"But we think we can be competitive, and we didn't have a top three budget last season and got promoted.

"Wycombe didn't have a top three budget last season, and they got promoted out of league one, in fact I would say Wycombe's budget was nowhere near the top half.

"Keith jokes around and says Wycombe did all chairman in league one a favout by doing so well on such a small budget.

"But we understand the character of the player coming in is important, and it is not about how much money you spend, as the reality is it is all about getting the right boys in the building, and the right lads that can come together, just like they did last season."

The Cobblers are still waiting on a reply from striker Vadaine Oliver after he was offered a contract in the days after the play-off final win over Exeter City, while they have also asked about taking Callum Morton and Scott Wharton back on loan from West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers respectively.