For Northampton Town, the 2025/26 EFL Trophy campaign provided one of the bright spots of the season. A competition often used for squad rotation quickly became a serious opportunity, as the Cobblers put together an impressive run all the way to the semi-finals.

It was Town’s best run in the competition for a number of years, and for a while, Wembley began to feel within touching distance.

A Perfect Start in the Group Stage

Drawn in Southern Group C alongside Shrewsbury Town, Walsall and Chelsea Under-21s, Northampton wasted little time showing their intent.

A strong opening victory over Shrewsbury set the tone before another hard-fought win against Walsall put Kevin Nolan’s side firmly in control of the group. By the time Chelsea’s youngsters arrived at Sixfields, qualification was already within sight, and the Cobblers sealed top spot in style with a commanding 3-0 victory.

Three games, three wins, and nine points from a possible nine — the perfect start.

Wycombe Put to the Sword

The Round of 32 brought a home tie against Wycombe Wanderers, a tricky test against fellow League One opposition.

With confidence high and momentum building, Northampton came through another tough encounter to book their place in the next round. By now, the sense was growing that this could be more than just another cup run.

Familiar Foes, Same Outcome

The Round of 16 saw Walsall return to Sixfields for the second time in the competition.

Having already beaten the Saddlers in the group stage, Town repeated the trick in an entertaining contest, this time winning 4-2 to move into the quarter-finals.

The dream was growing.

Quarter-Final Joy at Wimbledon

A trip to AFC Wimbledon stood between Northampton and a place in the final four.

It proved to be one of the standout performances of the campaign. Winning away in knockout football is never easy, but the Cobblers rose to the challenge and secured a memorable victory to continue their run.

It was the type of gritty, determined display that cup runs are built on.

Heartbreak at Kenilworth Road

The semi-final draw handed Northampton a huge away tie against Luton Town.

With Wembley now just one game away, Town gave everything, but it wasn’t to be. Luton edged the contest 2-1, bringing Northampton’s run to an end.

The Hatters would go on to lift the trophy at Wembley, showing just how close the Cobblers came to reaching the final themselves.