Former Northampton Town boss Jon Brady says he has no regrets over his surprise decision to step down from his role last year, insisting he was ready for “something bigger” after nearly four years in charge at Sixfields.
Brady left the Cobblers in December 2024 following a 2-0 defeat at Stevenage, with the club hovering just outside the League One relegation zone. His departure came after 200 games in charge, during which he guided the team to promotion from League Two and a solid first season back in the third tier.
Speaking to The Independent about his time at the club and his next steps, Brady said the choice to walk away had been a difficult but deliberate one.
“It took real courage to resign when I did, and I stand by that decision,” he said. “I believed I’d earned the right to go after something bigger. The next club that hires me isn’t just getting a manager. They’re getting someone who can transform a culture, unite fans, and is proven to win games of football. A game-changer.”
Brady, who has since been linked with a number of clubs including Carlisle United and MK Dons, remains out of work but says his time away from the dugout has only reinforced his determination to return on his own terms.
He also reflected on his Northampton side’s progress during his tenure, from the heartbreak of missing out on promotion to finally delivering it a year later. The Australian highlighted the attacking identity that his team built and the deep connection he developed with the town and its supporters.
“Transitionally, we’d rip teams apart. By the time I got into League One, we dominated possession,” he said. “I played for a lot of clubs in the area, I ran a business in the town, coached a lot of kids who were now going to games. So the connection was so much deeper. Any time I brought a player in, I told them about this.”
Brady first joined Northampton as an academy coach in 2016 before taking interim charge of the first team in 2021. Despite immediate relegation that season, he was appointed permanently and went on to oversee a promotion push that culminated in the club’s return to League One in 2023.
His record of 75 wins from 200 matches reflected a tenure defined by steady progress, strong development pathways and a clear sense of identity.
Writer’s View
Brady’s departure from Northampton was as surprising as it was symbolic of his self-belief. Having rebuilt the club through promotion and stability, his comments now suggest a manager looking beyond the comfort of consolidation and towards a larger stage.
Whether his next role comes soon or further down the line, his record and his words point to a figure determined to apply the same grounded ambition that made him a key part of Northampton’s recent resurgence.
