Cobblers boss on Capital One Cup tie
Cobblers boss Aidy Boothroyd is pleased to get the season under way as he previews the Capital One Cup first round clash with Cardiff City at Sixfields on Tuesday night (7.45pm).
"Cardiff are a very good team and it will be a difficult game for us but we are at home," he said.
"We go into the game as underdogs but that is a tag that we will have to live with until we become successful enough to call ourselves favourites.
"That's a right you have to earn and we are a long way off that at the moment.
"Whilst I'm pleased with where we are at right now it's a very long campaign and once the season gets underway we've got some very difficult games coming up and they will come thick and fast.
"I'd like to think we are on an upward curve and I've been very pleased with a lot of things that have gone on behind the scenes.
"I have to thank the Chairman for putting his hand in his pocket and I have to thank Martin Church for helping us put together a new gym for the players.
"We did a lot of good work in Croatia as a squad and in the games we've had in pre-season there have been certain things that we have found out, good and bad.
"Hopefully we've rectified the bad things but we are still learning and growing as a team.
"I keep using the phrase 'work in progress' because that's what we are. It feels like my team now but when I came to Northampton I saw it as more of a long term project.
"There has been a big turnover in players at the club and I think that was needed but what we want now is some stability and to build on what we've done so far.
"Lee Nicholls isn't available for Tuesday so clearly I've got a decision to make there.
"I still haven't made my mind up yet as to which way I'm going to go, I've got Dean Snedker and we've also had another goalkeeper training with us for the last seven days who could come in.
"Dean is a very talented youngster and I'm a great believer in throwing young players in at the deep end if I think they are ready."