Liam Dolman and Alex Dyer both signed new 18-month deals at Sixfields at the start of November, keeping them both at the club until at least summer 2009.

Alex Russell's loan spell from Bristol City was meanwhile extended into a third and ultimately final month.

Back to the action on the field and the Cobblers suffered successive 1-0 home defeats.

First up it was Adam Barrett's second half header securing a 1-0 victory for Southend but it could have all been so different if Andy Kirk's first half penalty had gone in.

Next up it was Bristol Rovers and it was a case of deja vu as Rickie Lambert's second half header from a corner condemned the Cobblers to their second 1-0 home reversal in 4 days.

Colin Larkin then earned the Cobblers a 1-1 draw up at Darlington in the FA Cup first round, Gregg Blundell having initially given the Quakers an early lead.

Away from first team matters and the Cobblers youth team won 3-0 at Ebbsfleet to book their place in the FA Youth Cup second round while the Cobblers ladies team exited the FA Women's Cup with a 4-0 defeat at Leicester.

The Cobblers were meanwhile dealt a major blow with skipper Chris Doig ruled out for upto three to four months with a knee injury sustained up at Darlington.

With Doig sidelined boss Stuart Gray snapped up Peterborough defender Guy Branston on a month's loan after a move for Polish defender Marcin Adamski fell through.

Back to the on the field action and Ryan Lowe's stunning second half volley for Crewe saw the Cobblers slump to their third successive 1-0 defeat in the league before goals from Andy Kirk (his 10th of the season) and Bradley Johnson helped the Cobblers to a 2-1 victory against Darlington in their FA Cup first round replay at Sixfields, Tommy Wright grabbing a late consolation for the Quakers.

It was one in and one out on emergency loan deadline day with striker Dean Bowditch signed on a month's loan from Ipswich and Sam Aiston loaned out to League Two strugglers Wrexham.

The club were meanwhile saddened to learn of the death of former player Ken Leek at the age of 72.

The Cobblers miserable month in the league ended with Walsall winning 2-0 at Sixfields, Mark Bradley and Ishmel Demontagnac on target for the Saddlers. This was the Cobblers fourth successive league defeat and their fourth game without scoring a goal although this result could have been very different with video evidence showing that Guy Branston's second half effort had crossed the line.

The Cobblers ended the month 17th in the League One table, 6 points clear of the relegation zone.

It had been a bad month for the first team in the league but the Cobblers youngsters ended the month on a high, Shaun Goodall's hat-trick helping Sean Parrish's side to a 6-2 home victory over Tiverton Town in the FA Youth Cup second round.