Northampton footballers facing pay delay

David Cardoza, the club's chairman, has done the deal with Kelvin Thomas, who was chairman of Oxford between 2008 and 2012

Financial problems at Northampton Town Football Club mean there is "every chance" players and staff will not get paid on time.

Chief executive James Whiting said he expected salaries to be paid eventually - but not by Friday, after the club's bank account was frozen.

Chairman David Cardoza plans to sell the club to ex-Oxford United chairman Kelvin Thomas.

The club owes Northampton Borough Council more than £10m.

Mr Whiting said the sale would only go through if Mr Thomas was able to do a deal with the council over the £10.25m loan, which was to have been used to redevelop the club's Sixfields ground, including the building of the new East Stand, along with a hotel and conference centre - none of which have been completed.

A winding-up petition has been sought by HM Revenue & Customs, to whom Mr Whiting said the club owed £166,000.

Part of the loan was to build a new East Stand at the Sixfields stadium

A council spokesman said: "We note that the outline of a deal to acquire the Cobblers is reported as having been agreed.

"The council will consider any proposal with due regard to its responsibility to protect the public purse."

At a public meeting on Monday, Mr Whiting thanked fans for their support.

He added: "We were asked a direct question about whether the players and staff would be paid on Friday. The situation is that because of the ongoing uncertainty it is likely that the wages will be paid late this month."

'Difficult times'

Skipper Marc Richards said: "These are difficult times, but we will all stick together, we appreciate being told face to face and we will help each other through this."

Mr Thomas is the owner of US-based radio station, Shaq-Fu. He took over at Oxford United in 2008, with the U's lying 19th in the Blue Square Premier.

In December 2008, he appointed current Cobblers boss Chris Wilder as Oxford manager.

Under his chairmanship, Oxford returned to the Football League and achieved two League Two top-half finishes.

More recently, he worked in an advisory role at Torquay United.