“It’s different now – when I was there, Kettering were in the National League, Alliance Premier League, whatever they used to call it then, but they’re two leagues down [from that] and I think the gap’s too big this time.”
Northampton are currently 19th in League One under current boss Jon Brady, a former Kettering player, while The Poppies are top of Southern League Premier Central, the third tier of non-league football.
Carr was in charge of Northampton the last time they played Kettering in the FA Cup in 1989, a 1-0 win at the latter’s former Rockingham Road home.
“I was nervous going there because of the tightness of the divisions,” he said.
“They had a really good non-league side and lots of players wanted to play for Kettering at Rockingham Road. They used to love playing in front of that big stand – it was a really lovely ground.”
Following his coaching career, which also included spells at Blackpool, Maidstone United and Dagenham & Redbridge, Carr, the father of TV personality Alan, was a scout for Newcastle United for several years until 2017.
He subsequently became an associate director at Northampton and believes there is “a good feel” about the entire club ahead of the Kettering game, in which the Cobblers will try to end a run of four successive first-round defeats.
“I know Kettering will come with a full quota of tickets [sold] and I’m expecting a great atmosphere,” Carr added.
“It’s better than playing somebody like a Burton Albion or a Morecambe, who might bring 200 or 300 [fans] in an FA Cup run, it is an ideal tie for both clubs.”