Northampton Town defender Max Dyche has admitted he is hoping to solidify his place in the team after committing to a new two-year deal at Sixfields.
The 22-year-old has risen through the ranks at the Cobblers, making his first team debut in 2020. Loan spells followed at non-league Kettering Town and Brackley Town before he enjoyed a run of games in the 2022/23 season, helping his team achieve promotion to League One.
Dyche struggled for minutes during the 2023/24 campaign and eventually joined National League outfit Woking. With minutes looking unlikely under then-manager Jon Brady, he returned to Woking on a season-long deal at the beginning of last season, making 21 league appearances.
Kevin Nolan replaced Brady in December, which led to the centre-back being recalled by his parent club. He was introduced as a late substitute in a 1-0 defeat against Lincoln City in January, but was thrust into the starting lineup against Bolton Wanderers 10 days later.
This triggered a run of 12 starts in 13 games and he would eventually go on to make 20 League One outings as Northampton retained their League One status.
Dyche Commits To New Deal
Dyche’s contract was due to expire at the end of the month, although the club revealed in May that they were in discussions over fresh terms. He finally put pen to paper earlier today, extending his stay at Sixfields to 2027.
Via Northampton Chronicle & Echo, the youngster admitted the new coaching team was a key part of his decision to commit his future to his boyhood club:
“It was great to play so many games last season and I enjoyed working with Col (Calderwood) and the gaffer (Kevin Nolan) and the environment they’ve created so I’m happy to stay here and continue my journey.
“And it’s great to have those sort of people around me, like Col and Sammo and the gaffer, who’s played at the highest level. I can’t ask for better people to learn from and now it’s about applying their knowledge into games. Hopefully I’ll get more opportunities and go out there and do what I do.
“It was brilliant to play as many games as I did. I didn’t get too many opportunities under the last gaffer so I felt hungry to play more and the time I had at Woking on loan did me a lot of good. I learned a lot about myself.
“To come back to Northampton and go straight into the team under the new manager, it was really good. I felt really excited to play against Bolton and then to get a little run in the team after that.
“I just want to solidify my place in the team now. I’m a fan that went through the academy so to get to this point and sign another two-year contract, I’m just excited to see what the next couple of years have to offer.”
Writer’s View
This is great news for Northampton, who clearly feel they have a real talent on their hands. Having Dyche commit to a new two-year deal will now protect their interests should he continue to rise in the game. In the short term, they have a defender who played a key role in last season’s survival and one that is likely to become a mainstay of Nolan’s defence next season.
