Cox impressed with how far Poppies have come already

Paul Cox believes Kettering Town have made more progress in the early stages of his reign than even he expected them to make.
Paul Cox has led Kettering Town on an eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions since taking charge. Picture by Peter ShortPaul Cox has led Kettering Town on an eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions since taking charge. Picture by Peter Short
Paul Cox has led Kettering Town on an eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions since taking charge. Picture by Peter Short

There was a sure sign of how far the Poppies have come since Cox took charge of the club at the end of October as they held title-chasing York City to a 0-0 draw at Latimer Park last weekend.

That made it eight games without defeat in all competitions since Cox arrived as the permanent replacement for Nicky Eaden.

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It is a run that has lifted the club five points clear of the relegation zone in the Vanarama National League North and has seen them make progress in the NFA Hillier Senior Cup and the Buildbase FA Trophy.

Kettering turn their attention back to the Trophy this weekend with a tough first-round trip to Northern Premier League side FC United of Manchester.

But Cox couldn’t be happier with the way the team has progressed in the last couple of months, even though he admits he is always hungry for more.

“We are heading in the right direction, the boys are working extremely hard and we are becoming something I envisaged would have taken a lot of longer,” the Poppies boss said.

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“I’d like to think that when any team comes up against us, they will realise we aren’t a soft touch and the players have to take a lot of credit for that.

“You look at the last three games we have played – Gloucester away, Curzon Ashton away and York at home – they are three tough matches but we are becoming hard to beat.

“At this stage, I can’t ask too much more of them.

“And when I looked at our performance last weekend I thought that for the first 20 minutes the two games in three days the week might have taken a bit out of us.

“But these players aren’t giving up, they aren’t making any excuses and they are getting on with it.

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“We are in the early stages of the building of this club as I see it and what we are trying to implement first and foremost is that pride in the shirt and that pride in performance.

“I have said before that I am not a patient person, I want everything yesterday. But I know I have to be patient here.

“It’s all positive at the minute. There’s a good feeling in the camp and we move on to the next game.”