Northampton have completed their takeover, with Sports Alpha Capital taking a 70% shareholding in Northampton Town Ventures Limited and Alexandre Pato named among the investors. The club says the deal leaves it debt-free after announcing a pre-tax loss of just under £3m in April 2026.

The ownership split

Existing owners David Bower, Nigel Le Quesne and Kelvin Thomas will collectively retain a 30% shareholding. That is the new structure Northampton have put in place, and it gives Sports Alpha Capital control without a full buyout.

Joao Xavier and Tim Chamberlain, the founding partners of Sports Alpha Capital, said in a BBC interview: "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 added: "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."

Pato's move into ownership

Pato's involvement is the headline name in the group, and it comes after he retired from playing last year. The 37-year-old spent the final years of his career far from the stage that made him famous at AC Milan, where he scored 63 goals in 150 matches and won the Serie A title in 2010-11.

Northampton are coming out of a difficult stretch on the pitch, with five straight losses in their recent listed results and relegation to the fourth tier last season after finishing bottom of the League One table. They brought in 13 players over the summer transfer window, including striker Matty Warhurst from Manchester City.

Xavier and Chamberlain also said: "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."

They attended Northampton's 1-0 win over Newport County on 5 September, which gave them an early look at the scale of the rebuild. The ownership deal is done, and the club now has to turn that new structure into results on the pitch.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →