Leicester and Northampton are close neighbours, but lived a life away from each other in League football. A number of former foxes and cobblers are known in both camps. They will play each other in pre-season friendly this summer.
Last season Josh Eppiah spent time on loan at Northampton playing there also the season before adding up 17 league games and scoring 2 goals, despite having a time on the sidelines with injury. Eppiah was released by Leicester this summer and we will see what happens next fro the Belgian forward.
Going back to the 60’s and 70’s we do have a number of names to count, from the tall forward Frank Large to the legendary defender Alan Woollett.
Frank Large was signed by Leicester from Northampton in 1967, being in his 2nd spell at Sixfields, previously playing for the club from 1962 to 1963, scoring 30 goals in 47 league apperances. His 2nd spell laste from 1966 to 1967, again scoring on demand, 15 goals in 37. He left Leicester in 1968 to join Fulham, scoring 8 goals in 26 league games while at Filbert Street. A third spell at Sixfields came to surface in 1969 staying until 1972, playing 136 league games and scoring 43 goals. A real Cobblers hero and among their greatest players ever.
Alan Woollett spent most of his career at Leicester, making his debut in 1967, playing his last 11 years later in 1978. A total of 228 league games, never scored. He made his move to Northampton in that summer of 78, joining Northampton, playing 23 league games in a season, then moving on to amateur football with Corby Town.
John Farrington and Carl Jayes also found their way to Northampton. Farrington playing from 1974 to 1980 for The Cobblers adding up a total of 232 league games, scoring 29 goals. He was a stylish winger, playing at Leicester from 1969 to 1973, adding up a total of 118 league games, scoring 19 goals. Carl Jayes had to move on to get any first team football under his belt, being an understudy for Mark Wallington and just getting 5 league games from his years at Filbert Street. He was first choice for Northampton from 1978 to 1980 playing 68 league games, joining A.P. Leamington.
Paul Culpin was a youth player at Leicester and made his name during his days with Northampton. He scored 23 goals in 63 league games from 1987 to 1989, making a move to Peterborough. Another bright talent at Leicester, David Buchanan also played for Northampton on a short loan spell in the 1982/83 season, adding up 5 games before his return.
Former Leicester goalkeeper and Germany World Cup winner Ron-Robert Zieler spent time on loan at Northampton while on the books at Man Utd, playing two league games in the 2008-2009 season.
Billy Mckay is a forward who had his first years at Leicester, but never made it to the first team and took his step down to join Northampton. He was a success at Sixfields and has since moved on to play at the highest level in Scotland doing so during spells at Ross County and Inverness Caledonian Thistle. He has also represented N Ireland at full international level. He is in his 3rd spell with ICT, being a key goalscorer over time with more than 80 goals in 202 league appearances.
One other player to mention is Ryan Watson who joined Northampton from Leicester on two loans, never been given a first team appearance at our club. He played 80 league games while at Sixfields and scored 13 goals.
Players in both camps,
- Goalkeepers
- Carl Jayes
- Kevin Poole
- Chris Weale
- Ron-Robert Zieler
- Defenders
- Alan Woollett
- Guy Branston
- John Curtis
- Paul Friar
- Matt Heath
- David Rennie
- Geoff Scott
- Rob Ullathorne
- Midfield
- John Farrington
- Paul Bucne
- Jacob Blyth
- Paul Fitzpatrick
- Stewart Hammil
- Jonny Hayes
- Tom Kilkelly
- Josh Low
- Ben Marshall
- Paul Matthews
- Ryan Watson
- Forwards
- David Buchanan
- Frank Large
- Paul Culpin
- Josh Eppiah
- Lawrie Dudfield
- Pat Gavin
- Derek Watts
- Billy Mckay
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