FANCY A BEER WITH PAT GAVIN?

So then, it's nearly over and we are out the bottom two for first time since September thanks to the son of god and my new hero, Ivan Toney.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that we as fans played a huge part in Saturdays result, because we were loud, we were boisterous and more importantly we were unified.

 

Everybody seems to think that the battle is over and whilst it looks better than it has done, it only takes us to lose to a side who have been top half most of the year and for Wycombe to beat a side who is bottom of the league and we're consigned to trips to the middle of nowhere on a Tuesday night.

In Dagenham we gave 110%, on Saturday we need to give a minimum of 150%. Yes it is possible before one of you smart arses pipe up.

So, here is the plan...

We start at 10am in the 'Moon on the Square'. This makes us visible to the rest of the teyn and people will realise that Northampton people do care about the football club. It also means we can sing about cobblestones while being on cobblestones, the madness.

 

 

 

Then at 11am we move on to the 'Sevens' (Red Rover) - hopefully if we pack it out we can get a Liverpool Street atmosphere going in there, nothing naughty and just some good old singing and support for the club we love.

Final stop is at 12pm and down to Carrs Bar for one final push, if you joined us in there for Portsmouth you'll know it takes only 8 people to make a noise in there, so imagine if we can get 50+ in there, it will be bloody raucous. 

 

At 3pm we go and sing our way to safety - we don't stop from 5 minutes before the game until the game has finished.

 

Two other things to mention....

Bring scarves, flags, beach towels, confetti the lot - ESPECIALLY SCARVES, a lot can be done with a scarf. You can swing it round your head and pretend you're a Spanish ultra, you can throw it in the air if Chris Wilder tells you to, you can throw it at your mate if Chris Wilder tells you to, you can even attempt suicide with it if we are relegated - (please don't try this at home etc)

BRING A SCARF. BRING A SCARF. BRING A SCARF. BRING A SCARF.

#scarvesforlaughs

Finally, (and I'll say it quietly in case it doesnt happen) we may have got the man himself Pat Gavin to come down and have a beer with us. Seeing as we're using his name, lets not let him down with a poor turnout or a poor atmosphere. Let us show him how much we all appreciate his fantastic deriere.

 Hopefully we'll have done enough to retain our Football League status, whatever happens though I'll see you all in the Sixfields Tavern for a debrief and planning for next season - whatever division we are in. This movement does not stop.

 

 

If anybody needs anything, please get in touch and I'll do my best to sort it. Search the hashtag on Twitter if needs be.

 

#gavinitlarge

**This blog post was brought to you by @snake_moore (that is his Twitter handle, his real name is Louise)**

The Pat Gavin It Large Movement

OK so as it stands the Cobblers are fucked. We've just been beaten 3-0 at probably the worst possible time and we've all royally got the arse. 

So heres what I reckon we should do (and this movement is a democracy so if you think its shite im open to suggestions), a three point plan that hopefully works better than a 5 year plan.

Portsmouth on Easter Monday : Lets get as many people as possible in Carrs bar at 1.30 until kick off - I know none of us like Cardoza much these days (me for the past 6 years) but I reckon it would be a good symbolic gesture, that ultimately we control the club, a message to let him know - if he did things correctly he could have this sort of thing going all the time. We get that shitty bar rocking for 90 minutes prior to the REAL 90 minutes, then we all go and PAY ON THE GATE at the North stand we fill that stand to the brim if we can and we try and be as loud as we possibly can for 90 minutes, louder than Cheltenham. Hopefully we can still get to safety following this game.

Dagenham away : we all meet at the station at 8am, we all head down together to Dagenham and take over whatever pub we can nearest the ground right up until kick off, I hear Neil can source a big flag for these sort of things, Karl if you're about maybe you can source some claret/white flares. We then do exactly what I hope we will have done against Portsmouth (not that I doubt we will for a second) and hopefully after the game we can still reach safety.

Oxford Home : ultimately this will be our cup final this year if everything goes to plan. For this one I think we should do the ultimate and deliver on one of Cardoza's many failed promises. We create our own fan village. If Coventry City can stand at the top of our hill and arse about and fight each other every sunday then I can't see why we cant stand at the bottom of the hill together drinking beers and singing some songs. Jeff Lake can paint peoples faces and all sorts. Obviously this won't work if there is 10 people, but if there are hundreds it will look great. I might even bring a rubbish gazebo. If we do face major opposition from the club over this then we will obviously have to rethink it, but for now that is the first part of the plan for this day. Second part is to once again get in the north stand and sing our hearts out one final time.

I dont know about you lot but supporting the Cobblers is something we should all be immensely proud of, not ashamed! Whilst we all know that some of us are clueless and some of us are too happy to accept mediocrity and that some of us are too quick to criticise Emile Sinclair for panicking whenever he touches the ball, we all made a decision at some point in our lives that it would be far too easy to support Man Utd, Arsenal or chelsea. We decided to support our home town club because it meant more to us to do that. Our dads did, or our mums did, or our grandparents did. FUCK, WE COULD HAVE SUPPORTED THE SAINTS FOR CHRIST SAKE. 

If this fails and we go down, at least WE went down fighting. I am not a travel club, I am not the trust, I am not a supporters club, I am bloke who wants to give it one last throw of the dice with like minded people. Like i said if you reckon this is shit but you want in - tell us, lets talk about it and lets work something out.

If these are our last three games in the Football League lets make them special, or we can make them the first 3 games of a different era.

PS i will get 'I always deliver' tattooed on me on May 4th if we stay up.

****This blog update is written by Jake Moore, an ardent Cobblers fan, a huge supporter of Boyzone and a general legend in the area - find him on Twitter @snake_moore ****

A letter to Northampton Town FC

Hello Gareth,

I write this email after one of the lowest days I've ever had supporting Northampton Town FC. I'm not after a reply but all I'd ask is that you show this to the players and management of the club....

I chose not to go to the game today, probably for the first time ever I actually decided not to spend my money on going to the match? Why? The pain, the hurt, the inevitable disappointment.

I've been supporting the Cobblers for twenty years now, that is two thirds of my life. The one constant in my life has been going to watch Northampton, when having tough times at school I used to look forward to that weekend release of going to cheer on Cobblers, when having a shit day at work it's the thought of 90 minutes away from reality that keeps me going. I work hard to support my loving family and to enjoy my life, I choose to spend my money following Northampton Town FC as much as possible, it's a choice because I love it. Why do I do it rather than choose to support Man City or Chelsea? I'll tell you why, because it's my home town - I'm proud of my town and I'm proud of my club and it is my club, us supporters make the club, we are the club. We were here before any of you came along and we'll be here after you've all gone. We have formed special friendships with fellow fans, there have been relationships, weddings, babies all thanks to Northampton Town FC. It's one of the greatest clubs in the world - maybe not in stature, money or ability but to us it is without question one of the best. Why do we feel like that? Because we bloody love the club, we've invested our life in supporting the side through thick and thin - this is why we'll never walk away, despite feeling like we want to on numerous occasions.  We're proud of where we come from, we're proud of our home town and we want to spread the word to the world that little old Northampton is our town, our football club and by god we fucking love it.

What does Northampton mean to you? Fuck all? Pay packet? Just another club? None of you have been here long enough to really love the club - maybe apart from Kelvin ' Thundercock' Langmead, who I might add bloody well epitomises everything about Northampton a Town FC - some of you probably don't care what happens to the club, some of you probably don't care about this message - guess what? It's time to care. What does it matter to you if we get relegated? You'll still get a half decent wage with decent working hours and lots of perks, you'll pick up another club if the worst does happen. You'll get over it before you're on the plane to Vegas with your bro's, it won't matter to you. You'll still have money to get another sleeve tattoo or to buy another 9 pairs of trainers. You'll still be able to get that big exhaust on your car. You'll be at another club next season, a new contract, new perks, new start - not a care in the world!

What about us fans of Northampton? Will we get over it? No. Will we hurt all summer and into next season? Yes. Will we shed tears? Yes. Do we wish we could do more to halt this seemingly non stop slide into football oblivion? Yes of course we do.

What's the point of me sending the message? I'll tell you - we've got 6 games left of the season, just 6 games. The cliche is that they're all cup finals but they're not, they're just 6 games against sides of similar ability to ourselves. We need one big unified push to save this football club from relegation. I don't care if you hate the club, your team mates, the manager, the chairman or even Clarence - fuck it. We don't have time for petty things, now is the time to play for each other, to play for the supporters and show some big fucking balls. None of you are bad footballers, hey none of you are great footballers either but you have moments where you make us sit up and think 'fuck me, they have got it in them' - we need those moments more than ever over the next 6 games. Expend all your energy trying to save this football club, chase down every ball, harass and hurry every single opposition player - I saw you do this against Southend with my own eyes, Emile you were a man possessed, get that fucking fight back - grow some fucking balls. All of you, every block, every tackle - throw yourselves into it, defence take the pledge 'thou shall not pass'. Strikers, Don't be afraid to shoot, don't be afraid to miss, don't listen to us if we sound frustrated - it's because we care. You can fucking well do this.

If you, as players, do the above then you will have absolutely 100% support from us supporters - we can save this football club and we can do it together, at the moment it seems only one side cares - Time to change it guys, time to stand up and be counted. We'll be there every inch of the way with you, at every game you'll see us in our numbers, you'll hear us screaming, shouting, singing and willing you to gain the points needed. 

It's time to collaborate and achieve greatness. You've got 6 games to become heroes - in our eyes. Please take that chance with both hands - fuck it if your elsewhere in the summer or next season, I don't give a shit and nor should you - at the moment you're employed by Northampton Town FC.

I ask you one thing, Save my club from relegation to non league, please.

Many Thanks

Neil

The Final Countdown

48,600 seconds, 810 minutes, 13.5 hours, 9 games. Whatever way you look at it, time is running out for Northampton Town to secure their Football League safety.

Cobblers currently sit on 38 points which is officially 3 points from safety but with goal difference as it is then you're looking at 4 points at least to get out of the relegation zone. We could spend hours looking over other teams form and fixtures to try and work out what the results will be and what we need to do to be safe but what's the point? As crazy as it may sound but the end outcome is still in the hands of Northampton Town. Pick up enough points and they won't get relegated, simple as that.

Too much emphasis is put on other sides and what they are doing when in reality it doesn't fucking matter. Cobblers simply need to pick up 14 points to secure safety. How can they do it? I've no idea, I think we'll only get 12 more...

Morecambe (a) - Draw

Wimbledon (h) - Win

Bury (h) - Lose ( Clive Platt with the winner )

Accrington (a) - Win

Burton (h) - Draw

Wycombe (a) - Lose

Portsmouth (h) - Lose

Dag & Red (a) - Win

Oxford (h) - Draw

That is of course just my personal opinion. I genuinely think it will come down to the final game v Oxford and we'll most likely need to win the game.

This blog update is very much like the cobblers season to date - a fucking mess-  so sincere apologies but bear with me.

One thing that needs addressing if we are to have any chance at all is the lack of goal threat, this has been an issue all season, here are a few startling stats for you :

Average Goals Per Game - 0.81

Failed to Score - 43% overall (58% for away games)

How can we solve this issue? There are two glaring issues that could be addressed. A stinking lack of creativity from centre midfield = bring in a creative little wanker on loan. Ravenhill is great as the annoying little fucker that breaks up play but by god his passing and shooting is atrocious. Carter has improved ten fold over the last month but he's not going to create chances from nothing due to his style. There is a school of thought that Connell could be the creative one and I wouldn't disagree, if he is used that way then use a loan signing to address the other situation, goals. Bring in a selfish prick that lives to score - hell, pluck one from non league if needs be, someone that is going to stick their head where it hurts when required. What about Emile Sinclair I hear you ask? Well, it all depends if Emile fancies it or not doesn't it? He can be brilliant but equally he can be lazy and disinterested - part of this may well be de-motivation due to the lack of service? Although I'd argue that we put a fair amount of balls into the box and more often than not he is nowhere to be seen.

As supporters, the time has come to lay down your spears, lay down your protest banners, stop tweeting negatively, refrain from posting angrily on MySpace and offer full and conditional support to the club you love. Once the season is over then any agendas can be picked up again. Take Tuesday night - I wasn't at the game thankfully but by all accounts when the MOM announcement was made for Chris Hackett there was laughter and booing. Step back for a moment and imagine what kind of effect it may have on the player? Sixfields can actually be quite a hostile environment for our own players, that's not right is it?

I don't have an issue with the odd boo at the end of the game if a performance warrants it but when it's targeted towards individual then it's not a good approach. Yes the season has been shit, yes we pay our money, yes we are entitled to our opinion but there is a time and a place. I'd suggest if you're the type that booed the MOM announcement then maybe don't go again this season? If you love your club you'll realise it's for the right reasons. The more support the better? Not always.

I love a moan like the best of them and I'm also one fickle bastard when it comes to football but this club and David Cardoza do not deserve to be playing in the conference.