This game, coming after two public matches at Cambridge City and Kettering Town, is the natural progression in our build-up. I've tried to make the standard that little bit harder with every match and Northampton should give us a good test.

They won promotion from our Division the season before last and did more than just survive last time out. They had a very good year, losing in the Division Two Play-Off final at Wembley, and so I know that they will provide us with some tough opposition. That is just what we need to see where we are placed at the moment.

Northampton have spent a little bit of money over the summer to bring in one or two new players. It is nice to be in a situation where you can do that, but Ian Atkins has done quite well and they will no doubt be hoping to get into the First Division this year.

Here at The Abbey we would obviously like to follow the route that Northampton have taken in getting out of the Third Division. This season the players will be twelve months older and hopefully twelve months wiser. We have a very young squad - the average age of our outfield players is around 22 - and some would say this is too young to win promotion. We'll just wait and see.

There has been a bit of change in personnel at the Club over the summer with Colin Foster, Paul Wilson, Jamie Barnwell, Adie Hayes and Jason Rees being released and we wish them well at their new Clubs. At present there has only been one signature, that of Neil Mustoe from Wigan Athletic, although there have been plenty of players on trial.

Two we're currently looking at are Rochdale midfielder Alex Russell, who grabbed a goal in our 6-1 win against Cambridge City, and goalkeeper Arjan Van Heusden from Port Vale.

I'm still looking for players and think we need two or three to add some strength to the squad. I think we need an extra striker or maybe a wide player - just someone who can either create chances for our strikers or put them away.

Overall, the preparation has been good and the players have worked very hard to get ready for the season's opener at Torquay United on August 8th.

So far we're unbeaten in our friendlies - Ian Ashbee's goal ensuring a 1-1 draw at Kettering and goals from Martin Butler (two), Trevor Benjamin, Alex Russell, Jamie Scales and Tom Youngs seeing off Cambridge City.

But then I've always taken pre-season games with a pinch of salt because what matters is when the season gets underway. Therefore, I'm just looking for a little bit of progression today and I hope you'll get behind us again this season.