Football
Northampton Keen on Fan-Favourite Andy Woodman as Kevin Nolan Replacement
published: 10-03-2026
Last updated: 10-03-2026
Bromley FC v Barrow - Sky Bet League Two by NurPhoto | Getty Images
Northampton want old boy and fan favourite Andy Woodman as replacement for sacked manager Kevin Nolan, SportsBoom can reveal.
But our sources understand the Cobblers are drawing up a Plan B with Woodman’s Bromley potentially swapping divisions with Town at the end of the season.
That will include sounding out Darren Ferguson who hasn’t worked since losing his job at Nene rivals Peterborough United last October.
As previously revealed by SportsBoom earlier this month, Ferguson remains in the running.
Woodman, 54, won promotion to the EFL with Bromley in 2024 and now has them top of League Two, five points clear of second placed MK Dons and six in front of fourth placed Notts County.
In contrast, N’ampton are second bottom of League One, three points adrift of Blackpool who sit 20th.
They have won only one league game since December 19 and Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at AFC Wimbledon took their winless run to seven games.
It seems unlikely Woodman, a close friend of ex England manager Gareth Southgate, would jump ship at Bromley. But the former goalkeeper has massive ties to Northampton for whom he played over 150 times and helped to Third Division promotion via the play-offs in the 1996/97 campaign.
Timing Is Everything
Indeed, he was on the Cobblers' shortlist as replacement for Aussie Jon Brady back in 2024.
And Woodman has previously said: “This is where I had the most enjoyable time of my career as a footballer. The fans took to me, I took to this place. It just clicked for me.”
Woodman was in goal when Northampton beat Swansea in the 1997 League Two final in the club’s first ever trip to Wembley. He was so loved that Town organised a testimonial match for him in 2007.
So, the bond remains strong. It remains to be seen for Woodman, a friend of chairman Kelvin Thomas, whether it is the right job at the wrong time.
Former Wales manager Rob Page, now in charge of Liverpool Under 21’s, and ex Lincoln chief Mark Kennedy are also on Town’s radar.
Shane is a seasoned sports journalist and one of the most recognisable voices in the snooker pressroom. From Ronnie O’Sullivan to Zhao Xintong, he has sat down with the sport’s biggest names and broken hundreds of front-page national stories.
Alongside his work for SportsBoom, Shane regularly freelances for national outlets including the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star.
While cricket is Shane’s true passion, particularly Test cricket, he keeps it largely separate from his professional work. But don’t expect him to be sold on The Hundred as the future of the game.