JON Brady was “honoured” that Mark Hughes took time to offer some advice after the last game between City and Northampton.
The Cobblers boss grabbed the opportunity to quiz his counterpart about his vast football experience when they met in April.
But Brady is still desperate to get the better of the Welshman when he heads to Valley Parade this weekend.
“I spent some time with Mark Hughes after our game last season,” he told the Northampton club website.
“He was good enough to give me some time to pick his brain about his experiences in the game and you know with everything that he has achieved that he will put a team together that will do well.
“I was very privileged and honoured to have that time with him and he is doing a great job. But we'll be trying our best to get one over on him on Saturday.”
Brady, now into his second season in charge since succeeding Keith Curle, is doing a fine job at Sixfields.
Having been pipped for promotion by Bristol Rovers’ seven-goal blast on an incredible final day, Northampton have dusted themselves down and begun strongly again.
They sit two points ahead of City in third and are unbeaten in five in the league with only one away defeat.
Sam Hoskins, who currently heads Andy Cook by one goal as the division’s top scorer on 13, is a big miss after his needless fifth booking last week.
Experienced former Luton frontman Danny Hylton could get the start in his place as the 33-year-old looks to break his duck since dropping down from the Championship in the summer.
Brady is confident Northampton can continue their strong road record and says they will not be fazed by the Valley Parade crowd.
“Our focus is purely on the game and not everything around it.
“I feel our group is used to these type of occasions, we’ve played a lot of big games in the last two years and really come through that.
“After this weekend we will have played four of the top six away from home already and we’ve taken points from those games we’ve had so far and we can take confidence from that.
“The boys know what they can do and how to deliver it, we are in good form but I’m sure Bradford will be going into the game confident as well.
“On paper it looks a good game and I’m sure it will be for the neutral. We know what we can do and we will be ready for this.”
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