Founded: 1897
Nickname: The Robins
Honours: League Cup Winners 1969, Third Division Champions 1995-96

The team turned professional in 1894 and joined the Southern League which was founded in the same year.

Originally playing in black and white with the addition of blue sash for away games, the club changed to black and red quarters on entry to the Southern League in 1894. The club changed again in 1897 with green shirts, with white sleeves. Town changed their shirts to the more familiar red in 1901. Initially a dark maroon, a lighter shade was chosen for the start of the 1902-03 season and also resulted in the club’s nickname “the Robins” appearing in print for the first time in programme notes for the first game.

In 1969 Swindon beat Arsenal 3-1 to win the League Cup for the first and only time in the club’s history. Roger Smart opened the scoring before two goals from club legend Don Rogers sealed victory, a triumph that still stands as Town’s greatest ever achievement.

First-Team Coach Luke Williams was promoted to the role of Head Coach and he successfully led his side to safety last term, but he could not repeat the trick in 2016/17.

Newport County 0 Northampton 1 Leauge Two

Northampton Town moved into the top three with a controlled win at an off-colour Newport County.

Jon Guthrie put Northampton ahead when Newport failed to clear Mitchell Pinnock’s free-kick and the centre-back gleefully slammed home.

Jake Cain almost had the Exiles level early in the second half but his free-kick whistled just past the post.

But it needed a fine close-range save by Joe Day to prevent Nicke Kabamba from doubling Northampton’s lead.

Newport’s miserable night was compounded when they lost defender Scot Bennett to a worrying looking injury with 18 minutes of normal time remaining.

Swindon Town 1 Port Vale 2- Leauge Two

Ben Garrity’s impressive brace got Port Vale their second consecutive away victory with the Valiants winning 2-1 at Swindon.

Garrity brilliantly volleyed the away side into a deserved lead with 22 minutes played, as he connected perfectly to David Worrall’s cross to put an unstoppable strike into the bottom corner from 12 yards out.

Tyreece Simpson levelled four minutes into the second half after an intricate passing move resulted in Alex Gilbert squaring across goal for Simpson who had an easy tap-in for 1-1.

But Garrity struck back in the 81st minute with a second powerful strike from inside the area after James Gibbons hit the post and the midfielder blasted in the rebound.

Gilbert almost made it 2-1 to Swindon soon after the equaliser but he saw his strike brilliantly saved by Lucas Covolan after Gilbert glided past two Vale defenders.

Simpson also hit the bar with a piledriver from range with the score at 1-1 but Vale never looked like losing their 2-1 lead once they got it.

27 February 2021 – Swindon Town 2 Northampton Town 1

Brett Pitman and Scott Twine scored the goals as Swindon came from behind to beat fellow strugglers Northampton and bolster their survival hopes.

The Cobblers took the lead in the 26th minute when Ryan Watson’s drilled right-foot shot proved too hot to handle for Swindon goalkeeper Archie Matthews.

The hosts hit back against the run of play on the stroke of half-time when Jonathan Mitchell failed to keep out Twine’s 25-yard free-kick.

Mickel Miller’s volley 13 minutes into the second half forced a good save from the overworked Matthews as Northampton continued to be the dominant force.

But the visitors were hit with another sucker punch when Pitman put Swindon in front with 20 minutes remaining.

Matty Palmer fed Jordan Garrick down the right and his pinpoint cross was nodded beyond Mitchell by the unmarked Pitman.

Twine came close to a third in the 85th minute when his powerful curling effort was parried away by Mitchell.

The defeat extended Northampton’s winless run to 10 matches and leaves the managerless Cobblers rock bottom of League One.

A solitary strike from Paul Harsley gave Northampton a narrow win over Swindon – their first victory at Sixfields since November.

Swindon squandered several first-half chances, with Lee Harper twice denying Matt Hewlett and Chris Hargreaves clearing off the line from former Cobblers striker Sam Parkin.

But Harsley produced the decisive goal when he lashed the ball home from the edge of the box following a half-cleared corner.

It then took a fine reflex save from Harper to prevent Eric Sabin from equalising shortly afterwards.

Northampton: Harper, Gill, Sampson, Reid, Frain, Johnson, Trollope, Harsley, Hargreaves, Stamp, Asamoah. Subs: Spedding, McGregor, Gabbiadini, Abbey, Lincoln.

Swindon: Griemink, Gurney, Heywood, Reeves, Duke, Robinson, Miglioranzi, Hewlett, Beswetherick, Sabin, Parkin. Subs: Ifil, Dykes, Invincibile, Farr, Taylor.

Referee: A Leake (Lancashire).

Played	Won	Draw	Lost	F	A
138	49	28	61	198	208

Brett Huxtable will be the man in the middle as the Cobblers host Swindon Town at Sixfields this Saturday. Bretts last Cobblers game was a 2-0 loss to Peterborough in October 2020.

Ian Smedley and Anthony Da Costa
Fourth Official : Declan O’Shea

The last league meeting between Crawley Town and Northampton was back in December 2019, a 4-0 victory for the Red Devils.
In the eight previous Football League meetings between Crawley and Northampton, both sides have won three games apiece with draws in the other two Northampton’s 3-1 win in this season’s reverse fixture snapped a run of four successive league defeats against Swindon.
Swindon have won their last two league trips to Northampton, with the Robins looking to win three consecutive games there for the first time since 1951.
John-Joe O’Toole, who scored twice on Saturday v Chesterfield, is the player with the most bookings in League One (11).
Swindon have suffered four successive League One losses, failing to score in three of those matches.
Northampton have scored exactly three goals in three of their last four league match