EFL manager breaks down as he says ‘our goalkeeper coach woke up one morning and his wife didn’t’ in emotional interview
NORTHAMPTON boss Jon Brady broke down in tears during an emotional interview following the death of his goalkeeping coach’s wife.
The Cobblers will move up to League One next season after finishing third in the fourth tier to gain promotion.
It comes after last year’s heartbreak, which saw the club miss out on automatic promotion to Bristol Rovers on goals scored due to them winning 7-0 on the last day of the season.
Emotions ran high as they beat Tranmere 1-0 on the final day of the campaign, which sparked an early pitch invasion.
Afterwards, the manager gave a touching tribute to his wife and his assistant’s partner following her sudden death.
Brady said to Sky Sports: “There has been a lot of pain to get here, last year hurt.
“I want to say thank you to my staff Colin Calderwood, who is unbelievable. I would not call him an assistant, we are levellers, we are all together.
“Marc Richards and James Alger, my goalkeeper coach, he woke up one morning and his wife didn’t wake up, We lost his wife this year and Colin has lost his dad.
“So for the people who have been with us in spirit it is absolutely amazing.
“It gives me incredible perspective, really. People might say I’m getting carried away in the moment, but I’m not.
“We are like a family and we look after each other and that is what it has been.”
On promotion celebrations, Brady cried and said: “I am going to go and see my family, my wife, unbelievably supportive, my three children.
“Sometimes in football management you push them aside, you work insatiably to achieve something but they have been so supportive. I’m in not the greatest mood at home at times.”
Brady is Australian and spent most of his playing career with Rushden and Diamonds.
He has worked his way up in management after six-years at non-league side Brackley Town, winning seven trophies and he also coached the youth team at Northampton.