Northampton boss Nolan slams festive schedule

Northampton Town boss Kevin Nolan says he is "really angry" with the EFL over the Christmas and new year fixtures schedule for his team.

The Cobblers had to travel to Burton Albion, Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers, with their only home game since Boxing Day against Stockport County.

"Everybody else did two and two - Bolton did two and two, Stockport did two and two, so why aren't we doing two and two," Nolan told BBC Radio Northampton.

"It's been really tough on our boys and we've lost players because of that. They've got a lot to look at themselves for.

"It's not only getting them out for 90 minutes on the pitch, it's the travel and everything that goes with it, trying to get the nutrition in them, keep them right.

"I'm really angry with the EFL at the minute."

Nolan is not the only manager unhappy with the scheduling around the festive period - Colchester boss Danny Cowley and Paul Warne of MK Dons described it as "ridiculous" and "a joke" following their game on New Year's Day.

Wycombe boss Michael Duff made reference to there being "an extra game in this Christmas period that there isn't normally" following their win over AFC Wimbledon on Sunday.

Northampton's goalless draw at Bolton left them two points clear of the relegation places and they do now have a nine-day break before their next game against Walsall in the EFL Trophy on 14 January.

Nolan said, however, following the match that the club would send a letter to the league about what he claimed was "unfair" treatment with regards to their fixtures.

"It's unfair on my lads and unfair on the fans, having to travel to three games over Christmas. How many of them here was incredible. But if this was another day, a Saturday, there'd probably have been another 500 on top of that," he continued.

The EFL told BBC Sport that they would look at any fixture-related issues raised by clubs.

Northampton's Jack Perkins had to go off with 10 minutes remaining and Nolan is hoping the defender's problem was just cramp.

"If you want to keep the product in the EFL, in League One, the way it is, so tight, everyone can beat anyone, and keep the quality up, then you shouldn't be turning people out every couple of days," Nolan added.

"Down here we do not have squads to do that. In the Premier League it's okay; Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, they've all got the squad to be able to churn out two or three games in a week but they haven't been asked to do that, so why are we doing it? It's incredible and I'm really furious."