Kelvin Thomas as the 2016/17 build up starts in earnest
As Northampton Town head into pre-season action at Sileby Rangers on Saturday afternoon (kick off 2pm), Chairman Kelvin Thomas has stressed how much he is looking forward to the new season.
"I'm really excited for the season ahead," he said in a Cobblers PlayerHD interview.
"We have done a lot of hard work this summer and there is more to come, there are still a few players to come in, but Rob (Page) is really happy with the squad, he is very happy with the way they have trained and it has been good for him to assess the players this week.
"Saturday will be good for him to see the boys in a match situation. It is a fitness exercise more than anything else but Rob is very relaxed, he is a real calming influence. John Harbin has worked the players hard, Marc Richards has told me about how hard the work has been this pre-season so far, and the lads are feeling very fit and strong.
"We have been talking to a few clubs about some loan players coming here the season, players who Rob and Andy (Melville) have their eye on. With the loan changes things are different, and some clubs aren't rushing to move players out while they wait for players who have been at the Euros to come back and then have their break. We are happy to be patient. Rob consistently says the squad is very good as it is but we are looking to add a couple of wide players and a striker to the group.
"Rob knows what's needed and he is very comfortable with where we are. We are looking to recruit from a different market place now we have been promoted, and if you are looking to recruit players from the Championship and League 1 then the salaries needed are a different level to League 2.
"We have increased the budget accordingly after Ricky Holmes left, but you have to be careful and sensible and manage it right. Over the next couple of weeks we will be looking to tie down a couple more players and add the finishing touches to the squad. We won't have the highest budget in League 1, we will be ambitious but sensible and we can't compete with some of the huge budgets around, but we have to make sure we do compete on the pitch.”