Alexandre Pato consortium completes Northampton Town takeover
Sports Alpha Capital takes 70% stake in League Two club
A consortium involving former AC Milan, Chelsea and Brazil forward Alexandre Pato has completed its takeover of Northampton Town after securing approval from the Independent Football Regulator and the English Football League.
Sports Alpha Capital will hold a 70% shareholding in Northampton Town Ventures Limited, the company that owns the majority of shares in the League Two club. Existing owners David Bower, Nigel Le Quesne and Kelvin Thomas will retain a combined 30% stake.
The club said the transaction will leave Northampton debt-free, following a pre-tax loss of just under £3m announced in April 2026. Thomas will step down as chairman after more than 10 years in the role, although he will remain a shareholder and director alongside Bower and Le Quesne.
“It has been an enormous privilege to lead the club,” Thomas said.
Sports Alpha Capital representatives Joao Xavier and Tim Chamberlain will become co-chairmen, while Pato will join the board as a director. Chief executive James Whiting and supporters’ representative Tom Cliffe will also remain on the board. Jim Rosenthal and Mike Wailing will leave the board and become associate directors.
New owners promise sustainable ambition
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,” they said.
The new owners added that the takeover represented “the beginning of a long-term commitment” and promised to work with supporters, staff, partners, the Community Trust and local stakeholders. They said further details of their vision would be announced in due course.
Pato joins board after investment in club
Pato was identified by Sports Alpha Capital as one of its investors alongside Gemcorp Capital, a London-based independent investment management firm. He and fellow investors attended Northampton’s 1-0 victory over Newport County on 5 September.
The 37-year-old retired from playing last year. He is best known for his five-and-a-half-year spell with AC Milan, where he scored 63 goals in 150 appearances and won the 2010-11 Serie A title.
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 signed 13 players during the summer transfer window, including Matty Warhurst from Manchester City.