The 2017-18 campaign delivered heartbreak and disappointment for Northampton Town as The Cobblers finished 22nd in League One, resulting in relegation to League Two. The season was characterized by immense turbulence, seeing two managers, Justin Edinburgh and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, sacked in an ultimately unsuccessful fight for survival. Despite the defensive struggles and mid-season chaos, Chris Long was a lone bright spark, leading the line with his 9 crucial goals in a difficult year that marked the club's painful, defining descent to the fourth tier.