Cobblers chairman tells Northampton Borough Council to provide evidence of claims or withdraw statement

In the latest public statement to be issued in the on-going, and very public, row between the club and the council, chairman Kelvin Thomas dismissed many of the points raised by the borough in their statement last night. Wednesday.

The borough council's statement came in response to Mr Thomas's earlier statement that he was frustrated at the lack of progress in the paperwork relating to the lease to land around the club, including the area of the East Stand, to the point where he said he may have to sell his share of the club. He blamed the borough council for the delays.

In reply, the borough council said "progress on the East Stand has been very much within the gift of the football club since 2017" and that there were no lease issues that had held up this process. The borough also claimed that the chairman had "proposed inclusion of further land, which was not part of the original documentation".

This morning, Mr Thomas has issued another public statement, disputing the council's reply.

"The council suggests in their statement that 'no lease issues have held up the process’ but if that was true why did the council’s solicitors issue draft documentation to correct the position?" the statement said.

He said the draft document was "slightly amended" by the club's solicitors in December 2017 and sent back to the council but that no formal response had been received since.

Mr Thomas also disputed the council's statement that he had proposed the inclusion of further land, saying that was not the case.

“We are more than happy for the council to make this ‘suggested’ request public and show how it relates to the relevant Deed of Surrender. If they are unable to show this to us and the public, then we feel it would be appropriate for them to withdraw that statement," he said.