FURIOUS Northampton boss Jon Brady stormed onto the pitch to get his own fans off as they celebrated promotion BEFORE the final whistle.
Some away supporters dashed out as a stoppage-time penalty miss in ANOTHER game guaranteed the Cobblers going up to League One.
Brady at first rejoiced with his bench when news of promotion rivals Stockport only drawing 1-1 with Hartlepool came through.
But when the Aussie saw Northampton fans entering the field he ran towards them, screaming and waving his arms wildly for them to get off.
Ultimately, Sam Hoskins’ brilliant fifth-minute volley earned the Cobblers a 1-0 win at mid-table Tranmere that was enough for promotion.
But Stockport would have overtaken Northampton if they beat relegated Hartlepool at home and the Cobblers only drew.
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Callum Camps hit a penalty opener for County but Callum Cooke smashed a long-range leveller for Pools, whose heroic keeper Ben Killip then saved Camps’ second spot-kick in the 95th minute.
That left a group of Northampton fans 155 miles away at their own game in Tranmere getting too excited too early – rushing onto the field and sparking angry gesticulating from Brady.
However, Cobblers’ supporters didn’t have to wait long to rejoice properly as they match soon ended and they erupted onto the pitch in far bigger numbers.
Final-day promotion was particularly emotional for Northampton after they missed out in incredible circumstances at the same stage last season.
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The Cobblers won 3-1 at Barrow in May 2022 but Joey Barton’s Bristol Rovers leapfrogged them on GOALS SCORED – thanks to a 7-0 triumph over relegated Scunthorpe.
Rovers bagged five goals in the last 38 minutes to go level on goal difference with Northampton – but Barton’s men had netted 11 times more.
This time, though, it was joy unconfined, with long-serving Cobblers’ midfielder Hoskins hoisted high by hordes of fans in the middle of the pitch.
And Brady too looked ecstatic too as he revelled in his finest achievement as a manager, having taken over two years ago after bossing part-time Brackley Town from 2009-2015.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
