Marriott vows to use Cobblers' big day as motivation for next season

Luton visit a Cobblers side on Saturday who have romped to the title this term, and go into the game on the back of a club record-breaking 22 league games unbeaten.

The visitors will no doubt form a guard of honour for Northampton ahead of kick-off, with Marriott stating it’s a tribute he wants to be on the receiving end of next year.

He said: “That’s something that I want for us next season.

“You have to do the guard of honour for another team and you want to be the one coming out and collecting the trophy.

“I think a lot of our players will use that as motivation for next season.”

Hatters boss Nathan Jones believes any appetite that his side get from watching the Cobblers being crowned champions can only be a good thing too, as he said: “Of course, that’s what we aspire to be. I said that we want to be the type of team that Oxford have been in terms of where they’ve competed on all fronts, the squad they have and ironically I don’t think Northampton have the strength in depth that Oxford have.

“That’s not to say they haven’t got a strong 11 or 15, or 18, I just think Oxford have got the biggest, strongest squad, but Northampton have just been the best team and deservedly won the league.

“I watched them on a number of occasions before I came here and they are just a very, very good side and it will be a difficult game, but if it gives our players motivation watching the cup being presented to a team at this level, then all well and good.”

On whether they will form a guard of honour prior to kick off, Jones added: “I don’t know, we haven’t planned on anything, but we’ll be giving them the respect they’re due and if it’s something we can do then no problem.

“Because it’s something they deserve, they’re worthy champions, they’ve been the most consistent side all year and have done it playing right, and doing well.

“They’ve got good players, when they’ve had injuries, they’ve strengthened, so all respect due to Chris Wilder and his staff, the club, especially from the adversity they had early on.

“They’ve got to be proud of themselves, and we congratulate them on it, but from three until five we’re going to want to win the game.”

Meanwhile, Marriott doesn’t think there is any chance that Northampton will take things easy on what is their last game at Sixfields this term, adding: “It’s their final game at home, so I think they’ll want to go out with a bang and we’ll be ready for that. I’m sure they’ll put a strong side out and will be ready to play us, so we’ll be ready for the challenge.”