Cobblers Supporters' Trust unable to reveal financial backer for Sixfields land bid in email to members

Northampton Town Supporters’ Trust have said they are not yet able to provide details of their financial backer due to ‘commercial confidentiality’ after confirming they have made an offer for the Sixfields development land in an email to members.

The Trust were given until September 5 to bid for the ACV land at Sixfields but it was reported a month ago that they had teamed up with an unknown financial partner to offer West Northants Council £3million for the whole site, not just the athletics track.

The council confirmed those reports last week, saying they were in ‘discussions' with the Trust and were going through the relevant due diligent checks. Now the Trust themselves have spoken publicly on the matter in an email to their members.

The email, which can be seen in full below, reiterates concerns over the lack of assurances that the East Stand would be built if the club’s deal with WNC is signed off. The Trust argue that the council’s agreement is with CDNL, not NTFC, and as such CDNL should complete the stand. The email does not, however, make clear that the club owns 100 per cent of CDNL.

The email said: “We are now in a position to confirm that the Supporters Trust has submitted an offer to West Northamptonshire Council to buy the development land available for sale at Sixfields for £3 million. The bid was submitted on 2 September but we have not been able to say anything publicly until a legal framework was in place for the bid. This is now the case.

"The bid is in line with our long-stated commitment to protect the land behind the stadium's East Stand – a club and community asset – which has been the subject of an Asset of Community Value (ACV) registered by the Trust since 2019.

“And it has been made as a result of no binding written guarantee to date, from either the football club's owners or the council, that the agreed enabling land deal being sought by County Developments Northampton Ltd (CDNL), owned by David Bower and Kelvin Thomas, will actually see the East Stand completed by CDNL.

"At an open forum on 22 September, Kelvin Thomas told supporters that the football club (NTFC) would complete the stand as part of the deal. But the proposed deal with the council is with CDNL. NTFC and CDNL are not one and the same. There is nothing to prevent the owners selling CDNL, settling the internal debt of the club and claiming that this is all in the best interests of the club. But where does that leave the club in terms of investment benefit going forward?

"The stand should be completed by CDNL, as it is they who are seeking the deal with the council. An assurance that the stand will be completed by NTFC within the next five years – likely heaping debt on the club once more – is unacceptable.

"If the Trust's bid is successful it would first and foremost protect the ACV land asset and we would bring forward a plan for development which would generate revenue for an infrastructure fund looking at improving the stadium and the club's facilities.

"We will be able to release further detailed information in the event of the council accepting the Trust's offer. We are now nearing the end of the ACV land process which has been fraught with difficulties.

"The Trust board voted unanimously to invoke the ACV in April and we have outlined our concerns about the club's future to members in a number of communications that followed.

“In an open and transparent manner, we also informed members about our proposed link up with Goodwill Solutions which unfortunately did not go forward.

“But in making the bid, there was no requirement to revisit our decision with members, given that this has been more than three years in the planning and clearly meets the Trust's long-held view around protecting this area of land as an asset which works for the future benefit of the football club.

“Please be assured there has been minimal expense in preparing this bid and there is no liability for members of the Trust. In respect of the financial backing behind the bid, this is subject to commercial confidentiality pending a positive outcome.

“Finally, the Trust board was disappointed by the many allegations made against us by Kelvin Thomas at the recent open forum. Much of it was misinformation which lacked the appropriate context.

"We do not intend to get involved in an undignified public spat around this but we do feel we need to set the record straight where necessary and, to that end, we will be writing again to members shortly.”