COULD IT HAPPEN?
My general reaction has been to smile when, in the past few weeks, people have suggested to me that the Cobblers might be involved in the play-offs this season.
But the notion is becoming more realistic with every passing game. Now when people talk about the end-of-season promotion shake-up I'm more likely to ask "why not?"
By my reckoning only one team has comprehensively outplayed Town this season (Swansea), while two others have got the better of them with some comfort (Doncaster and Leeds).
Swansea will definitely go up, of that there can be little doubt now. But the Cobblers beat Doncaster at Sixfields, and could have won against Leeds here last weekend.
Of the other contenders, Carlisle United were given a good game here but didn't exactly look world-beaters, and Nottingham Forest needed a last-minute goal to scrape a point in the City Ground meeting.
Walsall looked a good side in the 47 games they played against Northampton in the space of about four days before Christmas, but are not infallible.
Tranmere Rovers are very reliant on the mercurial Chris Shuker, and Leyton Orient can be beaten, as the game at Sixfields a couple of weeks ago proved.
In short, there's little in the top 10 to concern the Cobblers, who may well be timing their run just right.
In Adebayo Akinfenwa and Gabor Gyepes they have two players who - if supporters of Swansea and Wolves are to be believed - will be great players at this level should they both recover their fitness.
Stuart Gray has proved himself a pretty good gambler so far, putting his faith in untested but hungry young players. If the gamble over Akinfenwa and Gyepes pays off, the reward might be bigger than anyone could imagine.
Cobblers supporters don't get the luxury of a roof on their stand when they visit Gillingham but in the press room the tea is always hot and the sandwiches plentiful, and for those reasons today's visitors get a warm welcome from my corner of the west stand.
Maths has never been my strong suit but I reckon I've been to Priestfield six times now, thrice as a fan and equally as many on business.
I must admit I haven't had the dubious pleasure of being seated in the uncovered stand behind the goal - when I went visiting supporters were given a corner of terracing where the view wasn't great.
Perhaps that's the main reason why the only two things I can remember about games on that patch of the Garden of England are that Andy Woodman once saved a penalty there and Martin Aldridge produced a dazzling piece of skill that will stay with me forever.
Full marks to the Manchester City fans who immaculately observed the minute's silence for the Munich crash victims in their derby at Old Trafford last weekend.
But a big thumbs-down to those who have since made the complimentary scarves the club gave out at the game available for sale on eBay.
I don't know which upsets me more - the ghoulish profiteering of a minority of 'supporters' or the presence of chief executive David Gill's name on the plaque at the club which commemorates the disaster.
