I asked ex-BBC Radio Northampton Reporter, Joe Townsend a few questions about his time on reporting for the Cobblers. Firstly, I asked him what was his top five moments from reporting on the Cobblers, I’m sure there was plenty to choose from.
Northampton Town 1-1 Leyton Orient | 26/09/2015
BBC Sport report headline “Two goals in a dramatic injury time saw Northampton Town go in front, only to draw with Leyton Orient. Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed in Joel Byrom’s corner in the third minute of stoppage time before O’s midfielder Dean Cox’s final-minute free-kick.”
For the drama of Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring what looked like a winner deep in stoppage time and me describing it as “completing the smash and grab job” because the Cobblers had been totally outplayed. Only it wasn’t completed, because Dean Cox scored a free-kick in the 96th minute to equalise. I still get hammered for that commentary by some old colleagues at Radio Northampton, because Dominic Calvert-Lewin going on to big things at Everton means there’s no forgetting it!
Notts County 1-2 Northampton Town | 21/11/2015
BBC Sport report headline ‘Goals from Rod McDonald and Brendan Moloney helped financially-troubled Northampton earn a narrow victory at Notts County in League Two.’
Hugely memorable for reasons that most Northampton Town fans will know. It had been a really odd week with on off takeover news, players and staff still not being paid etc. I’d spoken to Chris Wilder in the week on the record and he didn’t want to discuss any of that, just focus on the match. But when I got to the ground on the Saturday and went for a chat just to say hello and good luck before the game I could tell his demeanour had totally changed; he was already fizzing a bit. But his post-match interview, I certainly didn’t expect that and I was actually worried he might be sacked. It was very brave of him and a privilege to be holding the microphone.
Northampton Town 3-2 Northwich | 05/12/2015
BBC Sport report headline “Northampton Town scored three late goals in four minutes to shatter non-league Northwich Victoria’s dream of FA Cup glory at Sixfields.”
Possibly the most memorable day of my career, and I’ve since covered England in the World Cup semi-finals! I always split each half of commentary with Tim Oglethorpe but on this occasion, I didn’t do any until the final 20 minutes because the Walter Tull pub set on fire. I went to report live from there and interview staff. It was burnt to the ground by the end of the match. As if that wasn’t enough drama, the Cobblers scored three goals in the final five minutes to win having looked like being on the end of a major upset – quite a day!
Stevenage 2-3 Northampton Town | 5/12/2015
BBC Sport report headline “League Two leaders Northampton Town came back from 2-0 down to defeat 10-man Stevenage.”
This was really the moment when promotion became almost certain, and Chris Wilder said pretty much that afterwards. But it was the fact that it was hugely dramatic that makes it memorable, the Cobblers coming from 2-0 down and Ricky Holmes scoring an incredible individual winner in the 96th minute.
Northampton 1-3 Man Utd | 21/09/2016
BBC Sport report headline “Manchester United ended a run of three successive losses and eased the concerns surrounding manager Jose Mourinho with a comfortable EFL Cup win at League One Northampton Town.”
My last game covering the Cobblers and a brilliant match to finish on. Just fantastic to see Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marcus Rashford and Wayne Rooney to name a few, with Jose Mourinho on the touch-line. It was a contest until about 10 minutes to go as well.
Through your time at the Cobblers you interviewed many different players managers, opposition managers but what was your most difficult one.
Although Wilder after Notts County was an incredible interview moment, I wouldn’t describe it as difficult because he had something he wanted to say, and also by that point I had a really good relationship with him. When the Cobblers signed Adam Smith, it was after he’d been sacked by Leicester in controversial circumstances and both he and the club agreed to an interview straight after he signed so it could be dealt with as an issue. It wasn’t enjoyable at all because I basically had to tear into him, and he was just taking it. Didn’t enjoy that but I know he didn’t take it personally.
Throughout your career you’ve visited many stadiums which ones would you say is the best and worst you’ve visited.
Worst was The Hive (Barnett) and that’s not because of the ground per se as it’s a tidy little stadium and fairly new, but it was in the first couple of weeks that I was in the job and the point from which we needed to broadcast didn’t work. It was a nightmare. We had to kick the home commentary team out in the end by using an EFL rulebook.
Best is Fratton Park. I am a lover of old, traditional English football grounds and I just think it’s brilliant. Give me that over a new flat pack stadium any day. It was the final game of the Cobblers’ promotion season and they beat Pompey 2-1 too so it made it all the better.