BREAKING: Cobblers takeover deal set for completion after IFR approval
The proposed takeover of Northampton Town Football Club has moved a major step towards completion after confirmation of approval from both the Independent Football Regulator and the English Football League.
The approval paves the way for the new consortium - now confirmed as Sports Alpha Capital (SAC), which includes former Brazil, AC Milan and Chelsea striker Alexandre Pato - to complete its acquisition of a majority stake in the club. The news comes following months of negotiations and the completion of the necessary regulatory checks involving the EFL and IFR.
A club statement on Friday morning confirmed: “Northampton Town Football Club are pleased to confirm that the necessary approval process with the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) and the clearance process with the English Football League (EFL) have both been successfully completed in relation to the investors backing a proposed shareholding acquisition by investment group Sports Alpha Capital.”
Investment talks between Northampton and SAC have been ongoing since April when chairman Kelvin Thomas first confirmed the club had entered a ‘period of exclusivity’ with a ‘well-funded, football-focused’ but, at the time, unnamed investment group. A deal between the two parties has been agreed for some time but the process was awaiting the necessary regulatory approvals, including from the recently-introduced IFR.
The consortium is now set to take control of the club, with further details of the new ownership structure and its plans for Northampton expected to emerge following formal completion of the process. It remains to be seen whether Thomas and current co-owners David Bower and Nigel Le Quesne will retain some involvement.
Pato is the highest-profile name associated with the group, although he is part of the consortium rather than its figurehead. The 36-year-old enjoyed a successful career in Europe, spending more than five years with Italian giants AC Milan, where he won the Serie A title, before also having a brief spell with Chelsea. He also represented Brazil 27 times, scoring 10 goals, before retiring from professional football in 2023. He has since become involved in football-related investment opportunities.
The new ownership comes at an important time for Cobblers, who are now competing in League Two after being relegated from the third tier last season. Thomas had previously said the investment would provide Northampton with additional financial strength and the opportunity to develop the club both on and off the pitch, including clearing all existing debts.
With regulatory approval now secured, the final steps towards the consortium formally taking control can be completed. No timeframe has been set out for this process.