Cobblers Past

History Never Forgotten

Stat Preview

Ethan Grande

ByEthan Grande

Jun 29, 2020

• This is Exeter’s third Football League play-off final, losing each of their previous two in League Two in 2016-17 (1-2 vs Blackpool) and 2017-18 (1-3 vs Coventry).

• Northampton Town are appearing in their fourth Football League play-off final and first since 2012-13, when they lost 3-0 against Bradford. Their only win in a final was in 1996-97 under Ian Atkins, a 1-0 win over Swansea City.

• Exeter have won just one of their last nine League Two matches against Northampton (D2 L6), a 3-2 home win this season. They have failed to score in six of those nine encounters.

• In all competitions, Northampton have only lost three of their last 27 games against Exeter (W17 D7 L3), a run stretching back to 1985.

• The last time Exeter won a play-off final at Wembley was in 2007-08, winning 1-0 against Cambridge United in the Conference Premier (now National League) final to reach the Football League. Current manager Matt Taylor played the full 90 minutes that day, as did full-back Dean Moxey in his first spell with the club.

• In the semi-final, Northampton Town became only the third team in the history of the Football League play-offs to lose the first leg by two or more goals at home and then progress to the final, after Bradford City in 1995/96 and Yeovil Town in 2006/07.

• A victory for Exeter City would see them return to League One for the first time since the 2011/12 season, while Northampton last featured at that level in the 2017/18 campaign.

• Northampton’s Callum Morton has scored with seven of his 11 shots on target in League Two this season (inc. play-offs) – all seven of his goals have been scored away from the Cobblers’ home stadium.

• Exeter City striker Ryan Bowman has scored 14 League Two goals for the Grecians this season (inc. play-offs), double the amount of any other player.

• Northampton boss Keith Curle last featured in a Football League play-off final back in 2003/04, leading Mansfield Town to the final of the fourth-tier play-offs against Huddersfield Town. After a goalless draw, the Stags lost 4-1 on penalties.

Stats from OPTA SPORTS