"The Team That Beat Liverpool At Anfield!!"

William S. Burroughs, (American Novelist), once said "There couldn't be a society of people who didn't dream, there'd be dead in two weeks."

How very apt. It's been 14 days since my last blog and the time in between my attendance, like a lot of other supporters is spent dreaming of maybe, just maybe. We hold out in eternal hope that the next match will be better than the last, we will sign that 20 goal a season striker, our players will be selected for internationals, we'll be live on Sky, and we'll achieve global fame for our achievements on the pitch. Yeah right - keep dreaming folks.

So let's round up the last two weeks of dreams in the world of Northampton Town;

Marcus Hall continues to make a good recovery from his hamstring injury - good.

More coaches available for the Liverpool game - good.

We travelled to Shrewsbury for an away game on the back of our first league win of the season, and got firmly put in our place, losing 3-1. Poor Seb Harris was substituted in the first half having been run ragged by the Shrewsbury strike force. This is a real shame for the lad. He had a solid looking pre-season albeit playing in an unfamiliar centre back role, but he looked accomplished and capable. Hopefully he will not let this experience shatter his confidence and the sooner he can get back on the pitch the better. He shows a lot of promise.

"Cobbler's sign Premier Division centre back, Ben Tozer." Ben who? I hear you ask. Ben is the young central defender with who Newcastle paid big money for him from Swindon Town. Ben will make his debut for the Cobbler's at Anfield, against Liverpool, two days after signing!

"Cobbler's beat Liverpool at Anfield in Carling Cup!!"

What?

"Cobbler's beat Liverpool at Anfield in Carling Cup!!" (I may never get the opportunity to write this down ever again, so I've written it twice 'cause it sounds good, it looks good and bloody hell it feels good!!!).

I was unfortunately not able to travel to the Anfield game as my season soccer partner, son and therefore potential pension fund, was travelling back from musical commitments in Northumberland.

Never the less I felt I was in touch with the match through the BBC Northampton radio coverage, The Hotel End Forum's and Sky Sports.

Terry Angus deserves a medal for his sheer commitment to the cause with his input to the BBC Radio commentary team. He lived and breathed every kick of the game, every tackle, every cheer, every ounce of energy - It travelled through the radio airwaves to every listener back home in Northampton - Passion at it's finest. This man is Northampton to the core. Well done Terry Angus.

I feared the worst when Liverpool scored. I dreamed the dream when we equalised. I sat in Northampton Train Station car park for the whole of extra time waiting for the fiddler! (he missed his connection at Rugby). I was texting him a running commentary of the action as it happened. I exploded when Jacobs put us 2-1 up in extra time. I called Ngog everything under the sun when he equalised. (I've never been a fan of Ngog and have never thought him good enough to play in the premiership, let alone wear the famous red shirt of Liverpool. I know he's scored goals. I know some people like him. I just don't OK. I liked him even less at this moment. While I'm at it I can't stand Kalou at Chelsea either. Don't know why, I just don't).

Penalties - I am now totally engrossed in the shoot out. I am shut off from the outside world with fingers poised to text my son updates on the outcome of every kick. Guinan first to go for Cobbler's. Should be OK he's already scored one at Bury - Guinan misses, pratting hell. Ngog for Liverpool - Ngog misses, how I love this man, zero to hero in the space of ten minutes!

It get's to 2-2 when I suffer my first heart attack of the evening! I am rudely disturbed from my penalty world of texting by a bang on the car window. If I'd had a sun roof - I would have been through it. I thought I was about to get mugged, attacked, shot etc. etc and looked round to see what it was. My son's smiling face trying to open the car door!

"Hi Dad, I'm back."

"I'm texting you, it's penalties, get in and shut up."

Jacobs scores 3-2 Cobblers. Traffic lights, Station, Ecclestone hits bar for Liverpool. OMG, OMG we only have to score the next penalty to win. Carlsberg roundabout, Abdul Osman, cool as a cucumber, 4-2 Cobblers. Hysteria. Grown man and teenage son screaming with delight and doing a damn fine impression of that "Wayne's World" moment a la Bohemian Rhapsody.

Suddenly aware of car alongside. Look of bewilderment from driver and passenger as two faces just can't stop beaming at them. If it's been a police patrol we would have been taken back to our institution!!! Life memory moment. Priceless.

So Northampton Town goes global - we are no longer the team that lost 8-2 to Manchester United. After 40 years the tag changes to "The Team That Beat Liverpool." we're all over the papers, we all over the radio, we're all over the TV. Our fifteen minutes of fame feels FANTASTIC!

It was interesting to hear the excuses from Liverpool fans but the one that made me laugh most was on Talk Sport. Mickey Quinn, loyal scouse and famous pie eating centre forward of repute was discussing the match with fellow presenters. "Technically Northampton didn't win at Anfield as it was a penalty shoot out!!!" Yes, he was taken to task by other presenters but you can't doubt his loyalty to the cause. However we're in the fourth round and Liverpool are out!! End of.

So onto our next challenge - Northampton Town v Bradford City.

It's back to reality for the Cobbler's. The bread and butter games of the football league season need to be won and we're pitched against one of the tipped favourites for promotion. Could we recover from our exertions at Anfield? Would we have eleven fit players? Would those that went to Anfield boost the attendance to welcome back our heroes?

Same routine as for Southend, I collect Cameron from music centre and we head off for our pre match preparations. (Last time it was KFC and we struggled to find a good momentum despite winning the match). This time is the Golden Arches eatery at Sixfields - Drive thru and eat in the Car Park.

"If we lose today Dad, it'll be your fault 'cause we've changed our routine!"

I kinda see his point, but we might play better and I'll have to stick to McDonalds till it changes. So the five a day routine has bitten the dust and I am now armed with 100% pure beef, slices of rubbery cheese and doughy tasteless bread! (Why do I put myself through this?). Time to eat healthy - Chunky Kit Kat from Lindley Catering - That's better.

I'm chatting with an Oxford fan before the match. He tells me he couldn't be bothered to go to Crewe so he decided to come and have a look at the Cobbler's game ahead of the forthcoming derby match in a few weeks. He also proceeds to tell me of the activities of drugged up, drunken Oxford fans on their visit to Wycombe, the scraps they have had at their own ground and how they'll be when they come to Sixfields. Who am I chatting with? Time to take my seat and hope he's nowhere near me for the next ninety minutes!!

And so to the match. I don't write match reports as they are provided far more eloquently by professionals on other sites but I will report that Cobbler's played some very good football in the first half. Plenty of possession but nothing to show for it.

I can also report that our drink bottles are still the tidiest in the league - well done Glen Thurgood.

Most interesting thought of the first half was how much better the weather in Bradford must be compared to Northampton. How do I reach that conclusion you ask. The answer my friends is Peter Taylor.

Peter Taylor is the most tanned manager to stand on the touchline at Sixfields this season. Gus Poyet was the title holder, but you'd expect that as he is of Olive skin and Uruguayan!

Peter Taylor is English, mouthy, argumentative and has a view on everything. (You're not on Sky now mate. Sit down and shut up!) Peter Taylor was a successful and entertaining Winger in his playing days, he is now just a W(h)inger. Mind you his Bradford team were not giving him much on the pitch to cheer. Their first half was extremely disappointing for a so called fancied team.

Fuel for the second half - Coffee and a Mars Bar. Sugar rush.

Buoyed by the shout of "Shoe-Army, Shoe-Army" (Caused a lot of interest in our section once everyone realised what we were singing), the lads continued to dominate the game. Billy McKay pounced on the ball to put us 1-0 up. Twenty minutes later, Ben Tozer scores on his home debut to seal the game 2-0.

Ben Tozer played extremely well today. How he missed out on the MoM award I cannot tell you. He didn't put a foot wrong, tackled well, passed well and is very vocal and organised. (Dear Chris Hughton...as you are not using Ben as a first team regular, why don't you let us have him for a season and add to his football experience. It is always an experience being at the Cobbler's and one I am sure will stay with him for the rest of his career....you know it makes sense!!)

A great result today, boosted by the quality of the football on the pitch. We're back again on Tuesday for the next home match against Chesterfield.

It's interesting that for most of the pre-season games we played 4-5-1 with great success. We've played 4-4-2 for early league games with limited success. Supporters call for 4-5-1 and they duly deliver. Supporters now calling for 4-4-2 to score more goals. God I love this game!!!

(Oh by the way - We've been drawn to play Ipswich away in the next round of "It's Only The Carling Cup." Please play on the Wednesday as I will be stuck at an evening work function in Birmingham on the Tuesday).

Come On Cobblers, Come On!