In Support Of Aidy
The title is correct. I am here to wholeheartedly place my faith in our manager Aidy Boothroyd. It seems absurd – but there seems to be more than just a small minority of Cobblers’ fans out there who are anti-Boothroyd. The same man who last season saved our club from relegation to non-league, and this season has put the club in a position to challenge for promotion to League 1.
Let me take this opportunity to say I am not against fans voicing their opinions. Far from it – look at what I am doing now. The fans pay the wages afterall, and have every right to express their feelings. I am also not saying Aidy is perfect and I agree with everything he does. I was shocked when he let Artell go out on loan for the rest of the season recently. I personally thought he was our best defender, and was looking for him to come back after injury and fill in for the inconsistent Carlisle, forming a formidable partnership with the talismanic Langmead. It is no secret our defence is a bit leaky at times, and although he needed fitness and we are at the “business end” of the season I would have been desperate to get him back in the team.
I also cannot see why the boss seems to keep faith with the very frustrating Ben Harding in midfield, who seems to offer nothing except height and an Essex haircut, especially when Guttridge continues to be overlooked.
Now let me take the opportunity to state the case for my unwavering support. 2010-2011 we finished 16th in League 2. Last season we finished 20th in the division having survived very late on in the day. Aidy Boothroyd saved us from relegation last season there is no doubt about that. This season we are in the playoff places. This is a remarkable difference to the 2 previous seasons.
'Brigade'
The chief complaint of the anti-Boothroyd brigade is that we play “unattractive football”. My answer to this would be that people need to step back and remember the club they are talking about. We are Northampton in league 2, not a Barcelona or Manchester Utd. We need to play a style of football that gets results, not that looks pretty. I also defend the style as I do not find it unattractive. Getting balls into the box, using our strengths to give us the upper hand in games and putting opposition defences under considerable pressure is in fact very pleasing on this supporter’s eyes.
The results we are getting make the league table not too bad to look at either. Everyone was expecting a better season this time around but I think the consensus would have been one of mid-table security would have been a relief and a overall good season. To be in with a chance of promotion with 10 games to go is good going by anyone’s book.
I was most recently at the home win over Bristol Rovers and due to the decent seats I was in behind the dugouts I was afforded a good view of the manager throughout the game. His organisation, motivation to his players and attention to detail for everything was astonishing. He had pre-thought out routines for free-kicks, formation tweaks for wherever the ball was on the pitch, and even told the players to “get into position” when goal kicks were taken. The attention paid at set pieces has paid huge dividends this season. Again this could be seen as not the most attractive way to score to some fans but again I would argue that goals should make fans happy – however they come.
There is not such a massive difference between most teams at this level. Some teams find real gems of players for a season or two but they invariably move on to bigger and better things. Other than that the differences in quality are small. Therefore if such dedication to training on set pieces and executing them effectively can make the small difference then hats off to the manager for utilising them so well.
'Legendary'
I have been a lifelong Northampton fan (born 1988) and went to my first game at Sixfields in February 1998, a 3-1 win over Southend (who incidentally had a certain legendary Neville Southall in goal). In the fifteen years since I do not believe we as a club have had a better manager, and I strongly believe that. Calderwood was good and similarly organised, whereas Atkins brought us some good times, but to me Aidy is clearly a top manager working well below his level. If we get to a playoff final or even somehow manage to go up this season I think we will struggle to keep hold of him. I think also in his defence with regard to the style of play he has not been helped in that respect with the season ending injury to Alex Nicholls, who at the time was our player of the season and who would be described as our most entertaining attacking player.
I think we should forget about automatic promotion this year. For me the third spot will be taken by either Burton or more likely Rotherham. I think we as a club would do brilliantly to stay in the playoff places, particularly with our hard run of away games to come. The home games are all very winnable though and its time our fans got behind the team and the manager. Business end it indeed is, and should this "unattractive style of play" book us a place at Wembley come the end of the season I’m sure even the Boothroyd-haters would enjoy the day out. Perhaps they would change their mind who knows? All I do know is that for this Cobbler – In Aidy I trust.