Lee Harper, veteran of over 150 Cobblers appearances, is preparing for his first full season in charge of the Poppies after taking over in high-profile circumstances in November following Mark Cooper's move to Peterborough and just in time for the big FA Cup clash with Leeds United.
One of his first moves this summer was to snap up his former Sixfields team-mate Ashley Westwood for the new season.
"When Lee gave me a ring, I could see he was building a good team here at Kettering and I wanted to be a part of it," he told his new club's official website recently.
The Rockingham Road clash kicks off at 7:45pm on Tuesday.