NINE games into the season and Mark Cooper’s side continue to upset the odds and entertain the fans.

The last time Town enjoyed such an explosive start to a League One campaign was almost 20 years ago, when Steve McMahon’s side occupied the top spot after nine games in the 1995-96 season and went on to become champions.

I know it’s far too early to be looking at tables, but it’s great to finally enjoy a good start to a campaign after many years of stuttering starts.

Whenever I think back to Town enjoying successful opening months of a season, I’m transported back to the late 1990s. As part of the famous Junior Robins in the 1997/98 season, I was given the chance to be a ballboy, and of course at the age of 12, I couldn’t refuse.

On the opening day Town beat Crewe 2-0, and I remember being told off by a steward for celebrating Wayne Allison’s opener from the penalty spot – as I was sat in front of hundreds of annoyed Crewe fans in the Stratton Bank.

Town went on a superb run of results, culminating in early November as they went top of the Championship table with a 1-0 win over Bradford City.

But it didn’t last long. The club’s form fell apart over the rest of the season, and Town finished in a disappointing 18th position.

Saturday’s 3-0 win at Barnsley wasn’t all good news, as in-form striker Jonathan Obika suffered a shoulder injury.

After enjoying such a prolific start back at the County Ground the news comes as a big blow for Cooper, but thankfully the club has another striker to fit into the first team.

Andy Williams hasn’t enjoyed a straightforward career at Town, but after one decent and one awful season in Town colours, he is starting to look like the player Paolo Di Canio thought he had bought in 2012.

One major challenge faces Cooper as we head into the rest of the season – keeping this squad together.

It’s no secret that Massimo Luongo has lots of admirers and I’m all but resigned to losing him in January.

But if Lee Power and Cooper have serious plans to take us back into the Championship, we must keep hold of our key players.

Follow me on Twitter @danwjonson