The threat of relegation to the Blue Square Bet Premier is not something that deterred Ben Harding from signing a permanent deal with Northampton Town as he is confident they will climb out of the League Two relegation zone.
Combative midfielder Harding made his loan move from Wycombe Wanderers permanent on transfer deadline day, signing a contract that keeps him at Sixfields for 18 months.
The Cobblers head to fellow strugglers Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday having had a blank weekend after their home clash with Macclesfield Town was postponed due to a frozen pitch.
Harding is ready for a battle against John Still’s side and is backing Northampton to start firing, saying: "I really feel as a club that it definitely can't go down to the Conference.
“There are 18 games to go - just less than half of the season - so there is still a lot of football and minutes to be played.
“I think the club can really get out of the position we are in. It's no desperate time, everyone just has to stay level headed and we just can move on from this.
"I look at the league table and even before I came here I did that, and with the team that was put out every week I didn't really realise the situation.
“I don't think the club should be in this position, so I think that with the players, manager and the team spirit we have got we can get out of the position we are in."
The 27-year-old is looking forward to rekindling his midfielder partnership with Luke Guttridge, who rejoined Northampton during the January transfer window, having previously played alongside him while with Aldershot Town.
As well as that, the decision to switch to the Cobblers has given Harding a bit more security for next season and he was more than happy to put pen to paper.
"The gaffer spoke to me after the fourth game and asked how I was finding it,” he said.
“I had been thoroughly enjoying it, although the results haven't been going our way recently, I still felt the club could progress and push on from the position we're in at the minute.
“I've been enjoying training, the training methods and everyone around the place. I've really liked the feel for the club and that was part of the reason I signed permanently.
"I still had another season left at Wycombe, but I just felt that I was playing football and I was enjoying my time, and I wanted to make it into a positive rather than being on loan and you don't know what is going to happen at the end of the season."
The influence of manager Aidy Boothroyd also tempted Harding to stay with Northampton, and his aim now is to keep improving his own performances after some time out early in the season due to injury.
"He has been really good, he is very positive in his management techniques and the way he goes about things,” said Harding of Boothroyd’s managerial style.
“For me it was a no brainer, I just wanted to get down and play my football, and do my best for Northampton Town.
"I had an operation two months before I came and I was getting over that anyway, so to come straight into the team I didn't know how it was going to go with fitness and things.
“But I seem to have settled in quite nicely, I just need to progress and keep trying to build my performances up and up and up, and progress for myself and for the team."
