New Cobblers owners are 'very ambitious' - Whiting
Cobblers chief executive James Whiting says Sports Alpha Capital, the club’s new majority owners, are ‘very ambitious’ but will be ‘sensible and realistic’ in their efforts to bring success to Sixfields.
The Brazilian-led consortium, which was founded by new co-chairmen Tim Chamberlain and João Xavier, alongside Pedro Piquet, completed their purchase of a 70 per cent stake in Northampton Town Ventures Limited, the club’s parent company, earlier this month.
Xavier attended the recent games against Grimsby and Tranmere and he’ll also be at Sixfields for Thursday’s Open Forum where fans will get the fans to meet the new owners.
“It has been a pleasure to get to know and to work with our new owners over the last few weeks,” wrote Whiting in Tuesday’s matchday programme. “Everyone involved in the group is very ambitious and has the determination to take the club forward, but they also have a realistic and sensible approach to where we are and that is a really good balance to have.
“Joao, Tim and the investors understand and want this to be a long term project, a project where the club grows gradually and sustainably over the next few years and that takes time.
“I was really impressed with the knowledge that Joao, Tim and the rest of the group had about the club when they arrived, they had clearly done a lot of homework, and over the last few weeks the new owners have met as many different people as they possibly could.
“That process will continue for sometime yet of course, and if you haven’t yet had the chance to meet our new owners, a reminder that there is an Open Forum taking place here at Sixfields on Thursday evening with the It’s All Cobblers To Me podcast. All supporters are welcome, doors open at 6.30pm and the event starts at 7pm.”
Whiting also paid tribute to outgoing chairman Kelvin Thomas, adding: “Before we move on, we must say thank you and pay tribute to Kelvin Thomas, who recently stepped down as chairman after nearly 11 years in the role.
“Kelvin, and his partners David Bower and Nigel Le Quesne have done a terrific job for the club, when Kelvin and David came in the club was in very real danger of going out of business, wages and bills had not been paid and the East Stand was a shell of course.
“Fast forward nearly 11 years, we now have an award winning stand, a host of community awards, a thriving community programme, a strong academy and a growing female football programme as well as an expanded education programme.
“On top of all that, having inherited a club that was millions of pounds in debt, the club is now debt free and all Northampton Town supporters owe Kelvin, David and Nigel a huge amount of gratitude. That they are staying on the board and working with and supporting Sports Alpha Capital is a huge benefit to the club and shows how professionally and amicably the acquisition has been handled.”