Cobblers boss Wilder says takeover completion is just ‘the start’

There is a massive sense of relief around Sixfields following the purchase of the club by Kelvin Thomas and his consortium.

The club was teetering on the brink of possible extinction, and the fact that it has survived is a reason for celebration.

But Wilder isn’t satisfied with that.

He is as relieved and happy as anybody that the club lives to fight another day, but insists there is now no time for reflection, it’s about getting on with what lies ahead.

“It was good after Tuesday night (the 2-1 win at Crawley Town), because this is not a time for us to stand still on the playing side,” said Wilder.

“A lot of people would have looked at it and thought, yeah, that’s a huge sigh of relief that this is eventually going through and we have a bright future to look forward to.

“They might have thought we could take our foot off the gas, well that certainly wasn’t my message to the players.

“For me, now is the time to work even harder.

“We are there to be shot at, we are seen as as decent side, we have had good reports and received them, and they have been well deserved, but now the trick is to keep going and keep driving this forward.

“We want the feelgood factor to stay, and that will only stay if the boys keep producing performances, keep working extremely hard, and keep winning games.

“For me this is the start.

“It is the start of hopefully good things for this football club, and it is important we keep the focus and drive in our heads at all times to make sure we achieve.”

Wilder did take time out to look back over the past few months, and admitted it has been ‘uncomfortable’ and ‘difficult’ for everybody, but he says he, the players, staff and supporters can be proud that they ‘have come through the other end’.

“This has not been an easy time,” said the Town boss. “But this is life isn’t it?

“You go through times where things aren’t great, and you have to battle through it.

“Everybody has to experience difficulties, and that’s when you show what you are about.

“The players have done that, and most importantly the staff have, and stuck together and worked extremely hard.

“They have had a focus that this would all come to a conclusion sooner rather than later.

“Obviously that wasn’t the case, but they have stuck at it and there a lot of good people here, and I think the supporters recognise that.

“It has been uncomfortable at times, which might be the easiest way to put it, and difficult, but you battle through it.

“Nobody has died, it is still football.

“Jobs are at stake of course which is really important, but we have come through the other end and we can be proud of our efforts.”