Wilder and Richards urge Cardoza to do deal with Kelvin Thomas

Former Oxford United chairman Thomas has been in talks to buy the club for a number of weeks and Wilder insists he offers “100 per cent the best deal” while Richards feels Thomas represents “a fantastic opportunity” for the club to move forward.

Northampton have also posted a Facebook message in which they have urged Cardoza to sell the club as quickly as possible.

Speaking after Northampton’s win against Notts County, Wilder said: “We’ve got somebody who wants to come in.

“They’re not people who want to make a quid or so, these are proper football people who have seen an interest.

“It’s debatable whether it’s a good deal for them really because they’re putting three and a half or four million pounds into a League Two football club. These guys want to drive it forward.

“It’s got to the stage where my voice has to be heard. I hold a little bit of sway in terms of how we feel as staff and as players because we all want to drive it forward but let’s get the bleeding deal done.

“The best deal for the football club is the one which has been worked at for three or four weeks and that’s what has kept me at the football club and kept Marc Richards at the football club.

“I left a decent club in a decent position because of the ambition here and where we’re going to go. I understand things change in football and some things happen but what has happened is an absolute shambles.

“I don’t want my career to be battling it out at the bottom of League Two. This club needs investment because we are way behind on a lot of things that not a lot of people don’t know about.

“You come to other clubs like Notts County and look at their backroom staff and their players and where they train. These are clubs that are ambitious and want to get out of this division.”

Richards added: “Of course we want a deal done quickly. Everyone does - the fans, myself, the gaffer and if there’s a good deal on the table, which there is by the sounds of it, then let’s get it done and put everything behind us so we can fully concentrate on what’s going on the pitch.

“At the moment we’re producing some good results and I think there are some good times ahead for Northampton Town if we can carry on now.

“Results on the pitch determine everything and we’re certainly working hard and making sure everything is right on the pitch but come on, let’s get everything sorted off the pitch.”

If a deal is not completed by Friday, the club faces administration which could see a number of players released from their contracts and leave.

“No one wants to see that happen to the club,” added Richards. “It’s a fantastic football club, a family football club and the boys are putting in sterling performances on the pitch at the moment.

“We’re doing as much as we can on the pitch but we just need a bit of a push from higher up to help us along the way because we’ve got something good going on this season.”

On Saturday’s game itself, which saw Northampton claim a fifth win in six matches thanks to goals from Rod McDonald and Brendan Moloney, Wilder said: “Happy is the most understated word said to me because I’m so proud of the players and the staff and the supporters.

“It’s incredible. We’ve come to a big, big club in this division and they’re a decent side with some good players and they chucked it at us but we stood firm and went and searched for a winning goal and we got that goal.

“It’s a massive three points for this football club. The players have been unbelievable.

“It was a tight game and I have a lot of respect for this club and it was a real stiff examination of our credentials but for us to be in this position in the league is unbelievable.”