Michael Flynn has warned his Newport County AFC squad that they will face a tough test away at Northampton Town tomorrow, a side he feels will be a force to be reckoned with in League Two this season.
Both County and the Cobblers stayed in the same complex during respective pre-season tours to Spain this summer and Flynn says he knew then that Keith Curle had assembled an impressive squad roster.
Results haven’t quite panned out for Northampton like Flynn predicted but, with such an overhaul of the squad, a transition period was to be expected for a side who currently sit 18th in the table.
Their two victories this season have come against teams expected to also be challenging this season – away at Swindon Town and home to Plymouth Argyle – and Flynn is under no illusions how good County will have to be to get a result tomorrow.
He affirmed: “It’s going to be a very tough game.
“When we were out in Spain doing our pre-season work, they were there as well – same place.
“I spoke to Keith Curle and he watched a little bit of our game [vs Al Ahly] before going off to train.
“I could see they had a strong squad then. They probably have started a little slower than they’d have expected but they have had an overhaul. Once they gel and click, they’ll be a force in this league.”
The Cobblers were the last side to inflict a defeat on County in a regular league season fixture when they secured a 1-0 victory on March 12th.
Their PTS Academy Stadium isn’t exactly the happiest of hunting grounds for the Exiles either as they have lost every visit to that particular venue since it was built in 1994.
And Flynn certainly remembered that last trip to Northamptonshire.
He remarked: “I remember it was the 89th minute and a great strike from Joe Powell, who recently played against us again for West Ham.
“No, I didn’t think we’d get into the play-offs after that. I think it put us seven or ten points behind Colchester.
“It wasn’t a very good evening but clearly we responded well and broke some records.”