Skipper Taylor fully focused on helping Cobblers '˜get back to where they belong' after transfer speculation

SKIPPER'S DELIGHT: Ash Taylor celebrates with goalscorer Matt Crooks. Picture: Kirsty Edmonds

Town faced a battle to keep hold of the 27-year-old after he was voted Player of the Season for his performances at centre-back last term, with several higher-level clubs rumoured to be interested in his services.

But last Thursday’s deadline came and went without any player leaving the PTS Academy Stadium, including Taylor, and now the new campaign is up and running, he’s determined to make amends for last season’s relegation.

“You’re going to get speculation because we’ve got good players at this club, especially for this league,” said the former Aberdeen defender.

“It’s going to come and go but the window has closed and we’ve got a strong squad so now it’s about knuckling down and get this club back to where it belongs.”

Town put their first point on the board at the weekend when Kevin van Veen and Matt Crooks netted either side of half-time in a 2-2 draw with Carlisle United.

“We could have won the game,” added Taylor. “The performance was there.

“The first-half we didn’t get into the rhythm of it and didn’t get out of second gear, but we had words at half-time and put things in place.

“We came out second-half and controlled the game up until the second goal. It was more like us, we kept the ball and moved it from side-to-side. I don’t know how many passes it was but the second was a really good team goal.

“It’s a shame we conceded so quickly. You’re most vulnerable when you score and we switched off but it’s a point on the road and a good point.”

League Two is sure to throw up some different challenges for the Cobblers following their two-year stint in League One, and Taylor says they have to adapt quickly.

He continued: “I find that you get punished for your mistakes if you go up a level. I think it goes from back to front very quickly in League Two whereas in League One most teams now try and look to play football.

“The two games we’ve played this season has gone from back to front quickly but we look to play football and our second goal shows what we’re about when we do control it and pass the ball quickly with one or two touches.

“We’re going to be difficult to deal with when we do that.”