Alexandre Pato-linked consortium completes Northampton Town takeover
September 30, 2026 14:50
WHAT HAPPENED
SAC will take a 70% shareholding in Northampton Town Ventures Limited (NTVL), the company that holds the majority of the League Two club’s shares. Existing owners David Bower, Nigel Le Quesne and Kelvin Thomas will retain a combined 30% stake. The club said the takeover will leave Northampton debt-free after a pre-tax loss of just under £3m was announced in April 2026.
Kelvin Thomas will step down as chairman after more than a decade in the role but will remain a director and shareholder. Joao Xavier and Tim Chamberlain of SAC will become co-chairmen, and former Brazil forward Alexandre Pato is set to join the board as a director. Chief executive James Whiting and supporters’ representative Tom Cliffe will remain on the board; Jim Rosenthal and Mike Wailing will step down from the board and take on associate director roles.
Thomas described it as "an enormous privilege" to have led the club. 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," adding that "ambition must go hand in hand with sustainability" and promising a long-term commitment.
KEY CONTEXT
Pato, 37, retired from playing last year. He is best known for his five-and-a-half-year spell at AC Milan, where he scored 63 goals in 150 matches and won the Serie A title in 2010-11. SAC named Pato among its investors, alongside Gemcorp Capital, a London-based independent investment management firm. Pato and other investors attended Northampton’s 1-0 win over Newport County on 5 September.
Northampton were relegated to the fourth tier last season after finishing bottom of League One. The club appointed Chris Hogg as manager in May and brought in 13 players during the summer window, including striker Matty Warhurst from Manchester City. Earlier this year SAC had been in talks about a potential takeover of Colchester United but withdrew after initial discussions.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Xavier and Chamberlain said further details of their vision for the club will follow and that they plan to spend more time in Northampton, working with the Community Trust, supporters, staff and local stakeholders.