Cobblers boss Keith Curle declared himself happy as he reflected on the pre-season campaign.
“We’ve brought in some good players to add to the good players that were already here and pre-season has been about turning a squad into a team,” he said.
“The understanding from the players out of possession has got better and better as pre-season has gone on, there is still more to come from us in possession but it’s important to have that defensive understanding out of possession as a base mark.
“Results are not immaterial in pre-season but they are secondary and really it’s all about getting that understanding in and out of possession. It’s been about getting that understanding throughout the squad so everybody knows their roles and responsibilities.
“As a manager you live and die by your decisions and without being disrespectful to the group last year I knew there needed to be changes. The backing I’ve had from the Chairman downwards has been excellent and it’s been a real team effort to put this group together.
“We want to be a progressive football club and we want to get better and better.”