Cobblers Soccerline, a new telephone information service for Northampton supporters, was launched on December 1. An updated daily message of news, views and interviews from the County Ground became available by ringing 0898-700-275.
Regular competitions are also held on the service, with free tickets for home games offered as the prizes.Northampton fans invaded the pitch from the Hotel End after the 2-1 F A Cup defeat Brighton, and were warned that any repetition for the underland game the following week could bring the cages back at the Hotel End.
Sanity prevailed, with the Sunderland game watched by over 7,000, but with little sign of trouble.
December 5 – Northampton Town 1, Brighton 2 (F A Cup, second round)
Brighton, whose fortunes were to run parallel to those of the Cobblers for much of the season, had a little too much class. Kevin Bremner shot the Seagulls ahead on 53 minutes, which whipped the Cobblers into a frenzy of activity.
Trevor Morley was convinced he had been fouled in the box, but referee Vic Callow would have none of it.
It made no real difference as the same player rifled in the equaliser, the chance having been made by substitute Eddie McGoldrick.
But unlike the Newport tie, the Cobblers were unable to sustain the pressure and leading scorer struck the winner on 71 minutes.
December 12 – Northampton Town 0 Sunderland 2
While Mike Gatting was having his infamous tiff with a certain Pakistani umpire, Graham Carr was wrestling with the worst run for two seasons.
The Cobblers, who had enjoyed so much success, suddenly found themselves in a rare crisis – three straight defeats.
Sunderland, the Third Division aristocrats, who were successfully recovering from the Laurie McMenemy era, displayed a vide gulf in class.
He showed his ruthless streak by leaving 290,000 worth of talent – Singleton and Longhurst – on the bench.
Paul Lemon and Marco Gabbiadini scored the goals that scarcely reflected Sunderland’s superiority.
December 19 Wigan 2 Northampton Town 2
Resilient Cobblers showed their character by bouncing back with a richly deserved point at muddy Springfield Park. New man Singleton got his first goal for the club and Warren Donald his first of the season.
Singleton had been quickly re-instated by Carr as had Longhurst. The four goal thriller triggered off a run of four successive draws, which saw the Cobblers struggle to cling on to the pace-making group.
December 26: Port Vale 1 Northampton Town 1
A useful away point but at considerable cost – a thigh injury to expensive striker Paul Culpin, which was to end his season prematurely.
Lady luck was kinder to another costly recruit, Singleton, who was emerging from the shock of being dropped, as a player of class in the Cobblers midfield.
He swept home an equaliser on the hour, after Gary Hamson had scored from the penalty spot with just four minutes gone.
December 28 Northampton Town 0 Bury 0
There was little or no festive fun about this footballing version of Blankety Blank.
Bury strangled what life the game had by concentrating solely on defence to frustrate players and fans alike.
With so little action on the field, probably the most interesting facet of the game was that both substitutes were locally born teenagers – Glenville Donegal, who got on, and Bradley Sandeman, who did not.