Giles Coke could not hide his delight after coming successfully through the reserve team's 3-1 victory over Southend United on Tuesday - his first game for around 10 months.

"It's great to be back," he said.

"It's been a long, hard ten months but I've worked really hard and I'm just happy that I got through the time I had on the pitch without picking up any injuries.

"I think I definitely need a good few more games before I am totally there in terms of my fitness and I still feel in myself that I am a yard off the pace.

"I need to build my fitness up but hopefully it won't take too long and when I've done that hopefully I can try and break into the first team.

"I haven't looked at the fixture list as too which game that might be in, I've just been concentrating on getting my own fitness back upto where it needs to be and I'll only look at the games when I'm ready.

"I picked up the injury in a game for Mansfield against Accrington Stanley back in January, their guy caught me and my knee just twisted round and I damaged my whole cartilage. It wasn't nice but that's football.

"I've had three operations on it now so hopefully there won't be any more problems.

"Central midfield is my preferred position and I see myself as a box-to-box midfielder. I like to put myself about and get involved.

"I've been watching the team this season, we've been doing alright at home it's just away from home where we need to start picking up a few results.

"Apart from Ian Henderson, I think everyone is fit here now near enough. It's a good squad and there is real competition for places in the team when everyone is fit.

"Northampton is a step up for me and as soon as the Gaffer came in for me I jumped at the chance to come here."

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