Wilder: Cobblers won’t be ‘boom and bust’ under Thomas

New Cobblers executive chairman Kelvin ThomasNew Cobblers executive chairman Kelvin Thomas
New Cobblers executive chairman Kelvin Thomas
Boss Chris Wilder says there’s no chance Cobblers will become a ‘boom and bust club’ under the leadership of new executive chairman Kelvin Thomas.

Thomas finally completed his takeover of the club on Thursday, and Wilder is looking forward to teaming up with a man he enjoyed success with at Oxford United.

While chairman at the Kassam Stadium, Thomas hired Wilder as the Us manager, recruiting him from Halifax, and the pair went on to steer Oxford to promotion from the Conference and re-establish themselves in league two.

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They know each other well, and Wilder has previously stated that he knows Thomas ‘runs a tight ship’, and he expects that to be the case at the Cobblers.

Kelvin Thomas and Chris Wilder enjoy Oxford United's promotion at WembleyKelvin Thomas and Chris Wilder enjoy Oxford United's promotion at Wembley
Kelvin Thomas and Chris Wilder enjoy Oxford United's promotion at Wembley

“Kelvin is a football guy, and he wants to win football matches, and will want us to do it in the right way, which we are,” said Wilder.

“I have had a chat with him, and he has addressed the players and the staff, and I think he has a lot of respect for them and what they have had to put up with over the past four or five months.

“I have told him there are a lot of good people at this football club, on and off the pitch, and it’s a positive club that is waiting to go forward.

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“It is just waiting for some drive and leadership from the top, and I am sure he will provide that with his board of directors.

“Hopefully it is a new and exciting period in the history of this proud football club.

“I know I will get the full support from him (Thomas), I know we have to win games, but Kelvin will do his utmost to give me, the staff and the players the opportunity to go and do that.

“That is all you can ask from a manager’s point of view.”

When asked about possible investment for new players, Wilder made it clear he is not even thinking about that yet.

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But he did say that silly money won’t be being paid for any player in the future, and that any investment will be sensibly done.

“This club won’t be a boom and bust club, we’ll not take ridiculous gambles, but we will be ambitious and will want to do well,” said the Cobblers boss.

“I am sure than when the time comes we will talk about the squad, and if we need to improve on it in anyway, but I don’t think there is much wrong with at the minute.

“League two is a tough competition, there are a lot of strong clubs, and we are one of them.

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“In time we will talk and discuss how to improve the club in many aspects, but at the moment, a few hours after the deal was fianlised, it is time just to let Kelvin get his feet under the table and go from there.”

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