Pato joins Northampton Town board after club takeover

Former Brazil star and AC Milan player Alexandre Pato has joined the board of Northampton Town after Sports Alpha Capital (SAC) took over the club.

BBC Sport reported on Wednesday that SAC has bought a 70% stake in Northampton Town Ventures Limited. This company owns most of the shares in the League Two club. The current owners David Bower, Nigel Le Quesne, and Kelvin Thomas will keep a combined 30% share.

The Independent Football Regulator and the English Football League approved the takeover earlier this month.

Northampton confirmed that this deal leaves the club with no debts. They reported a pre-tax loss of just under £3 million in April.

Pato, who is 37 years old, is one of the investors in SAC. He will now serve as a director on the Northampton board.

He is well-known for his time at AC Milan, where he scored 63 goals in 150 matches. He also won the Serie A title in the 2010-11 season. Pato retired from playing professional football last year.

Investors from SAC, including Pato, were present at Northampton’s 1-0 win against Newport County in League Two on 5 September.

This takeover will also change the club’s leadership.

Kelvin Thomas, who has been chairman for over ten years, is stepping down. He will still be a shareholder and director.

Joao Xavier and Tim Chamberlain from SAC will become co-chairmen. Chief executive James Whiting and supporters’ representative Tom Cliffe will stay on the board.

Jim Rosenthal and Mike Wailing will leave their board positions but will take on roles as associate directors.

In a joint statement, Xavier and Chamberlain said SAC has "ambitious plans" for Northampton. They also said these plans would focus on sustainability and the club’s role in the local area.

The new owners want to work with supporters, staff, partners, the Community Trust, and other local groups as they aim to grow the club both on and off the pitch.

Last season, Northampton was relegated to League Two after finishing at the bottom of League One.

Chris Hogg was named manager in May. The club signed 13 players during the summer transfer window, including striker Matty Warhurst from Manchester City.