Pato-Backed Consortium Completes Northampton Town Takeover

A consortium including former AC Milan, Chelsea and Brazil forward Alexandre Pato has completed its takeover of Northampton Town.

Sports Alpha Capital (SAC) had its proposed deal with the Cobblers approved by the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) and the English Football League (EFL) earlier this month.

SAC will take a 70% shareholding in Northampton Town Ventures Limited (NTVL), the company that owns the majority of shares in the League Two club.

Existing owners David Bower, Nigel Le Quesne and Kelvin Thomas will collectively retain a 30% shareholding.

Northampton confirmed the deal will leave the club debt-free after it announced a pre-tax loss of just under £3m in April 2026.

The takeover sees Thomas step down as chairman after more than a decade in the role, although he, Bower and Le Quesne will remain as shareholders and directors.

Thomas, who headed the takeover of the Cobblers when the club faced a winding-up petition in 2015, said it had been “an enormous privilege” to lead Northampton.

SAC’s Joao Xavier and Tim Chamberlain will become co-chairmen, with Pato set to join the board as a director.

Chief executive officer James Whiting and supporters’ representative Tom Cliffe will also remain on the board, but Jim Rosenthal and Mike Wailing will step down from the board and become associate directors.

In a joint statement, Xavier and Chamberlain said they were “extremely proud to become custodians of a club with such a rich history, passionate supporter base and important place within its community.”

“We have ambitious plans for Northampton Town, but ambition must go hand in hand with sustainability and an understanding of what the club means to the people of Northampton and Northamptonshire,” the statement added.

“We want the club to continue to be a source of pride within its community and will work closely with the Community Trust, supporters, staff, partners and local stakeholders to ensure that relationship continues to grow.

“We are looking forward to spending much more time in Northampton, listening to supporters and working together to help the club realise its potential both on and off the pitch.

“This is the beginning of a long-term commitment from Sports Alpha Capital to Northampton Town Football Club, and we are incredibly excited about the journey ahead.”

Xavier and Chamberlain said further details of their vision for the club would follow.