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What A Load Of Cobblers

Bootroom Special podcast: Ian Clarkson

Season 1, Ep. 15

WALOC is joined by legendary ex-Cobblers right-back Ian Clarkson who played an integral role in driving Cobblers to two Wembley playoff finals in the late 1990's.


Clarkson talks us through the beauty of captaining the club he supports in Birmingham City, then moving to Stoke before taking the chance of dropping down the divisions to join Ian Atkins' project at SIxfields.


Clarkey was the epitome of the reliable right-back taking care of the right side in a rock solid defence that gave Cobblers a base to build on that ended in Wembley glory in 1997.


Ian discusses the subsequent season where Town again reached the twin towers of Wembley and the effort that too. Of course that '98 comeback against Bristol Rovers in the playoff semi-final at Sixfields lives long in the memory for Cobblers fans and he recounts the night clear as day, as well as the movement which led to his crucial goal.


As usual at Cobblers nothing is plain sailing and Clarkson talks frankly of the physical and mental pain of breaking his leg and watching from the sideline as the club were relegated. He later joined Kidderminster and found one final challenge in his career to inspire the Harriers to promotion.


His is a story of unassuming hard work, passion for the game and some beautiful moments at Cobblers where the club were on a real roll.

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  • 9. Cobblers catch up: Rochdale and Stockport

    01:29:15||Season 2, Ep. 9
    It's Town V County on Saturday at Sixfields as Stockport visit and Tom Reed, Martin Maloney, James Averill and Max Miller are back to chew the fat on all the week's news from Sixfields.We go over the Rochdale game and what turned out to be a comfortable win for Cobblers with Hoskins bagging a brace for the claret and whites.There's discussion of the Jon Brady to Huddersfield rumours as we consider whether the grass is always greener and whether the Terriers are the right fit for the Australian at this moment in time.Jay Cave of Against League 3 drops by to discuss the reported Premier League plans to scrap FA Cup replays as we go dewy eyed about the Rotherham replay that set up the game against Man Utd that year.In a bumper episode, Russ Johnson of excellent Stockport County Podcast "The Scarf Bergara Wore" is with us for a full preview of the clash at Sixfields on Saturday and we cover all bases including County's form, tactics, their stadium expansion plans and how Fraser Horsfall is getting on.Last but not least, the lads from the Scratched Record Podcast pop by to tell us about the Town Takeover music festival which is happening in Northampton Town centre after the game on Saturday and will provide the perfect all layer/nighter with loads of local bands.All this for free and no Patreon nonsense. Can't be arsed to keep up with the comings and goings at Sixfields or just like a Northampton Town natter? Don't worry we've got you covered.
  • 8. FA Cup Replays- Keep Or Scrap?

    23:28||Season 2, Ep. 8
    Is the magic of the FA Cup about to disappear?Tom Reed and Jay Cave of Against League 3 sit down to discuss the news that Premier League clubs are discussing the scrapping of traditional FA Cup replay matches.It's a chat which gets to the crux of the identity of the game, taking in factors such as "fixture congestion", the football pyramid and just where English football goes from here?
  • 7. Cobblers catch up- Wimbledon and Rochdale

    01:15:51||Season 2, Ep. 7
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  • 6. Ivan Toney: From Eastfield Park to England

    27:32||Season 2, Ep. 6
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    01:18:10||Season 2, Ep. 5
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    01:43:19||Season 2, Ep. 4
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  • 3. Cobblers Catch Up

    01:04:41||Season 2, Ep. 3
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  • 2. Cobblers catch up: Summer Special

    44:37||Season 2, Ep. 2
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    01:19:37||Season 2, Ep. 1
    It's been a tumultuous week of transfer activity at Sixfields and Tom Reed, Brendan Walsh and James Averill are on hand to discuss the four new incomings to the Town plus a couple of outgoings.There's a comprehensive discussion on the signings of Lee Burge, Ryan Haynes, Ben Fox and Danny Hylton, caveated with the "Leon Constantine Rule" that any of them could turn out to be rubbish.Russ Johnson of the excellent the Scarf Bergara Wore podcast joins us to chat Fraser Horsfall's transfer to Stockport County, giving us some good context on the move and why it might not be a "sideways" one.Charlie Cross of the Grimsby podcast Cod Almighty pops by to fill us in on the attributes of Ben Fox who could well be a lower league (Poundland) Ngolo Kante if things go well.Plus in a bumper episode, Edward Walker, EFL analyst and host of the popular D3D4 podcast casts his eye over the transfer business and picks his standout signing.About as comprehensive a chat as you'll find anywhere with added poppadum wrist and Angel Delight fingers content.Out of the loop or can't be arsed to keep up with the latest at Sixfields? We've got you covered.