Long-awaited East Stand 'on track' for early 2025

Northampton Town's East Stand work continues on pace with the original schedule according to Chairman Kelvin Thomas

The chairman of a League One football club said it was "well on track" to complete a long-awaited new stand at the club's ground.

Northampton Town's East Stand has remained incomplete since construction work stopped in 2014 due to a contractual dispute, but work restarted in the summer.

A non-material amendment application on the land was rejected by West Northamptonshire Council in September.

Cobblers chairman Kelvin Thomas said: "The East Stand is being completed in front of everyone's eyes. We've always said [the stand would be built] by the first quarter of 2025 and we're well on track for that."

The new East Stand will see the installation of a link road around the stadium and a concourse area with kiosks and screens

Once completed, the stand would increase the stadium's capacity by about 400 to more than 8,200 and give the club its first pitch-facing hospitality with executive boxes.

More parking spaces, new dining areas and the return of the accessible viewing platform for supporters who use wheelchairs are also in the plans.

The club finalised an agreement to complete the stadium work after West Northamptonshire Council approved a land sale to the club in February.

This deal included land behind the stadium, an area that has been the focus of ongoing discussions about development plans over the years.

Mr Thomas added the plot would "probably be warehousing", as it represented "the best financial return to the club".

Northampton Town Chairman Kelvin Thomas said the land behind the stadium would "probably be warehousing"