130-403: The Northampton Chronicle & Echo (known locally as "The Chron" ) is a local newspaper serving Northampton , England, and the surrounding towns and villages. It was published daily from Monday-Saturday until 26 May 2012 at a price. It then began to publish one edition per week each Thursday. The paper is owned by National World . The title was the result of a 1931 merger of two dailies:
260-461: A water wheel , on the River Nene. A permanent military presence was established in the town with the completion of Gibraltar Barracks in 1797. By the end of the 18th century, Northampton had become a major centre of footwear and leather manufacture. In 1801, the population was 7,020; it more than doubled to 15,351 in 1831, attributed to the fact that there was great demand for footwear caused by
390-558: A 1–0 win at home to Chester City . On 30 May 2006, Northampton announced that Calderwood was leaving to join Nottingham Forest as their new manager, and he was replaced by John Gorman on 5 June. On 20 December, Gorman resigned due to "personal issues" with the side 18th in the table, with Ian Sampson and Jim Barron briefly taking care of first team affairs. He was replaced by former Southampton boss Stuart Gray on 2 January 2007. The Cobblers were relegated from League One on
520-577: A 5–0 defeat to Bristol Rovers , Rob Page was sacked and replaced with Justin Edinburgh . Northampton finished 16th, meaning that they would continue to play third-tier football. They made it to the third round of the EFL Cup , where they lost to Manchester United . On 26 June 2017 a 60% stake in Northampton Town was purchased by Chinese company 5uSport. The company indicated that they would invest in both
650-642: A century. The Chronicle & Echo and its associated titles moved to new quarters at Upper Mounts. Printing in Northampton ceased at the time of the weekly change in 2012 and is now done at the Johnson Press location in Peterborough . A glossy monthly, the Northampton Town and County Independent , edited by Bernard Holloway and the local author-editor Lou Warwick, was also published by the same company, which
780-518: A closed body until 1835. In 1261, the medieval University of Northampton was established by royal charter from King Henry III . Had it survived, it would be the third oldest university founded in England after Oxford and Cambridge . However, after members of the university sided with supporters of Simon de Montfort (who was rebelling against the King ) and advisors to The Crown said that Northampton
910-560: A copy in his desk and, during rare dull moments, would proudly peek at references to himself. Green's book The Art of Coarse Acting was based on his experiences as an amateur actor at Northampton's amateur drama group the Masque Theatre. Green, Foot, Marquis and Warwick were all at different times editor of the Chronicle ' s long-running daily 'chat' page, called Town Talk and County Gossip by Hamtune. Three went on to become authors and
1040-466: A double against Aston Villa and victories at home over clubs including Leeds , Newcastle , West Ham , and Blackburn , the latter being the only team Northampton would finish above in the table. Since their relegation from the Second Division in 1966–67 , Northampton have played every season in either the third or fourth tier of English football. In 1970, they lost 8–2 to Manchester United in
1170-451: A home tie which ended in a 1–0 victory for Northampton Town. He was sacked on 2 April 2018 after Northampton Town went nine games without a win and was replaced by Keith Curle . Curle had his contract extended in July 2020 for a further two years. On 29 June 2020, the club were promoted to League One after beating Exeter City 4–0 in the play-off final , despite a delay in the season due to
1300-513: A large part of the town. When the forces of King Henry III overran the supporters of Simon de Montfort , the Second Barons' War broke out. The First Battle of Northampton took place in 1264 at the site of Northampton Castle where King Henry III and his son Prince Edward attacked with a large army, pillaged the town and took prisoners. In 1349, the Black Death pandemic killed more than half
1430-526: A mayor was appointed by King John in 1215. The town was also the site of two medieval battles, in 1264 and 1460 . The town largely supported the Parliamentary Roundheads during the English Civil War , which prompted Charles II to order the destruction of the town walls and most of the castle. The Great Fire of Northampton in 1675 also destroyed much of the historic town. Northampton
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#17328687333161560-572: A new Council headquarters, the restoration of Delapré Abbey, the expansion of Northampton Museum , the resiting and rebuilding of the university on one new campus in town centre and the renovation of both the Grosvenor Shopping Centre and Weston Favell Centre. In 2015, St Giles Street in the town centre was named the "Best British High Street" in a national competition run by the Department for Communities and Local Government . Northampton
1690-456: A population of 2000 people, ranking between Warwick and Leicester in size. With the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the town rose to national significance: its geographical location in the centre of England made Northampton a valuable strategical point for government and as a convenient meeting place for political, social, ecclesiastical and military events. Northampton Castle
1820-614: A protracted dispute with the owners of their previous home, the Ricoh Arena in Coventry . On 27 January 2014, David Cardoza appointed former Oxford United manager Chris Wilder as the new manager of the club on a three-and-a-half-year deal. In October 2015, HM Revenue and Customs issued the club with a winding-up petition over unpaid taxes. (See Sixfields Stadium ) In February 2016, Northampton Town broke their club record of eight successive wins by beating Wycombe Wanderers 1–0, extending
1950-480: A series of regeneration schemes across the town. Some have been completed, including the opening of the Radlands Plaza Skatepark and the development of Becket's Park Marina just south of Northampton's town centre, as well as the improvement of the town's Market Square, the building of the new North Gate bus station, the rebuilding of the railway station, the designation of a Cultural Quarter, the building of
2080-554: A single season in the third tier. They won promotion back to League One in 2023. Northampton are nicknamed the Cobblers , a reference to the town's historical shoe-making industry, and the team traditionally plays in claret and white kits . The Cobblers played at the County Ground from 1897 until 1994, when they moved to Sixfields Stadium , which has a capacity of 7,798. Northampton's predominant rivals have been Peterborough United in
2210-610: A substantial four-figure fee. Northampton were promoted three times in the five years 1960 to 1965. Starting the 1960–61 season in the Fourth Division , they reached the First Division in 1965–66 , their only season ever in the top division of English football. They were then relegated back to the Fourth Division over the next five years, playing in the bottom tier again in 1969–70 . During their top-flight season they earned
2340-534: A supporters' trust taking over a football club. The club needed to win the final game of the 1992–93 season to avoid being relegated to the Conference . Over 2,500 made the trip to Shrewsbury Town and saw the Cobblers win 3–2, despite being 2–0 down at half-time. The 1993–94 season got worse for the Cobblers as they finished bottom of the Football League for the only time in the club's history. Relegation
2470-401: A then-record 62,998 crowd, with the Northampton support greater than 40,000 fans also a then-record for the most supporters taken to Wembley by one team. Northampton were not able to progress from the previous year's success because of long-term injuries to 16 of their players during the 1998–99 season. The team was relegated to Division Three , despite being unbeaten in the last nine games of
2600-506: A wall of timber and enclosing an area of 160 acres (65 ha) which dates to around 400 BC. In the Roman period , a small rural settlement is thought to have existed in the present-day district of Duston ; remains of Roman pottery were found there. Following a Danish invasion, the central area of the town was turned into a stronghold called a burh probably by the Anglo-Saxons. By
2730-645: Is a professional association football club based in the town of Northampton , England. The team competes in League One , the third level of the English football league system . Founded in 1897, the club competed in the Midland League for two seasons, before joining the Southern League in 1901. They were crowned Southern League champions in 1908–09, allowing them to contest the 1909 FA Charity Shield . Admitted into
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#17328687333162860-578: Is also thought to have built the medieval town walls, which enclosed about 245 acres (99 ha) and had four main gates . Though demolished now, the circular pattern of the main roads surrounding the town centre marks the original position of the walls. de Senlis founded the Cluniac Priory of St Andrew's in the area of Semilong, and built The Church of the Holy Sepulchre – one of four remaining round churches in England – and All Hallows' Church on
2990-414: Is subdivided into suburbs, council wards , constituencies , ecclesiastical parishes , and other less formal areas. Suburbs and districts of Northampton include: Concurrent with the abolition of the borough of Northampton in 2021, the unparished area of Northampton became parished with three new parish councils being established: A new Town Council covering the majority of the urban area of Northampton
3120-500: Is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the unitary authority of West Northamptonshire . The town is situated on the River Nene , 60 miles (97 km) north-west of London and 50 miles (80 km) south-east of Birmingham . Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; the population of its overall urban area was recorded as 249,093 in the 2021 census . Archaeological evidence of settlement in
3250-446: Is the largest parish level authority in England. In addition, two smaller parishes were created for the suburbs of Far Cotton & Delapre and Kingsthorpe . Policing in the town remains the responsibility of Northamptonshire Police ; and firefighting , the responsibility of Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service . The Royal Anglian Regiment serves as the county regiment for Northamptonshire, with former county regiments being
3380-488: Is thought to have been built by Simon de Senlis , who became the first Earl of Northampton , circa 1084. It was originally an earth and timber stockaded construction which was later rebuilt in stone. The castle became an occasional royal residence from the reign of King Henry I in 1130 until that of King Richard II . King John regularly stayed at the castle and moved The Treasury there in 1205. Some 32 Parliaments were held there. The last Parliament at Northampton
3510-515: The Western Mail , the Press and Journal and The Journal ). Among the Chronicle & Echo 's editors were W Cowper Barrons, John Barrons, Vincent Halton, Gerald Freeman, Philip Green and Mark Edwards. One of the company's most notable figures was L W Dickens, long-serving editor of The Mercury and Herald , in its heyday the 'bible' of Northamptonshire farmers. Another of the company's characters
3640-521: The 2024 general election . Northampton is currently represented by two Labour MPs: The town existed as an ancient borough in the medieval period before being one of the 178 boroughs to be reformed under the Municipal Corporations Act in 1835, with a democratically elected council replacing the corporation before it. Town government alternated between the Liberals and Conservatives, and
3770-517: The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom . This was Northampton's fourth EFL play-off final and it ended in victory, 23 seasons after their only other Wembley win for promotion. They made it to Wembley following a second leg comeback against Cheltenham Town , after the first leg at Sixfields Stadium where they had trailed 2–0 and faced an uphill battle to progress to the play-off final. However, in
3900-773: The Chron issued a free version of the weekly Northampton Mercury with a circulation of 44,000 to compete with its rival. Among the Chronicle & Echo ' s most notable journalists were author Michael Green , who wrote The Art of Coarse Rugby , scriptwriter Alistair Foot, the Guardian 's readers' editor Ian Mayes, chairman of the Sportswriters Association Barry Newcombe, former Boxing Board of Control general secretary John Morris, theatre historian Lou Warwick, and author and editor John Marquis (formerly of Reuters and Thomson Newspapers ), whose books about
4030-457: The Cobblers , Liverpool bought Neal for a then club record of £65,000, whilst playing in the same side of another future England International, John Gregory . Finally during the 1975–76 season , the club finished second in Division Four and were promoted behind champions Lincoln City . They did this without losing a home game and having every regular player score during the season, including
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4160-542: The County Ground during December 1929, when a fire destroyed three stands, with damage valued at around £5,000. Only one stand was saved although this was charred. The source of the fire was thought to be in the away dressing room; the Cobblers had earlier entertained AFC Bournemouth reserves. By August 1930, the stands were rebuilt. In 1932–33 , the club created history when brothers Fred and Albert Dawes both scored in an 8–0 win over Newport County . The latter finished
4290-561: The European Cup with Aston Villa two years previously. Barton's only season in charge proved severely disappointing however, as the club were never outside the bottom two, and health problems forced Barton's resignation near the end of that season. Success was achieved under Barton's replacement, Graham Carr , who brought in several players from the non-league in addition to a number of quality league players to finish eighth in his first season in charge. The 1986–87 season saw Northampton win
4420-486: The FA Cup fifth round. Six of the goals conceded were scored by George Best , who received the match ball (signed by Northampton players) as a reward for his performance. For the first time since becoming a league side the club had to apply for re-election in 1971, they finished the most favoured club with 49 votes. In the 1974–75 season , future England International Phil Neal was sold, after 200 games in all competitions for
4550-470: The Football League in 1920, they spent the next 38 years in the Third Division South . Under Dave Bowen , the club achieved three promotions from the Fourth Division to the First Division within five years. However, Northampton only survived for one season in the top tier of English football after relegation in 1966. Northampton then experienced two further relegations in three years to return to
4680-411: The Football League , a crowd of 942 for the 1984–85 match against Chester City . The last game to be played at the ground was a 1–0 defeat by Mansfield Town on Tuesday, 12 October 1994. The club moved to Sixfields Stadium in 1994. It is a modern all-seater stadium with a capacity of 7,653 and award-winning disabled facilities. The stadium plan is simple with the west stand seating 4,000, opposite
4810-540: The League Two play-off final , losing 3–0 to Bradford City at Wembley Stadium . After a poor start to the 2013–14 League Two season, Northampton found themselves at the foot of the table, and as of 21 December, they had only won four games. Boothroyd was subsequently sacked. From the start of the 2013–14 season, Northampton shared their Sixfields Stadium with Coventry City with the West Midlands club going through
4940-570: The M1 motorway was opened to the south-west of the town; in 1968, Northampton was designated a New Town . Both these events and the rail link helped Northampton's growth as a commuter town for London. The Northampton Development Corporation (NDC) was set up in 1968 to substantially redevelop the town in partnership with the local council, spending £205 million to build new housing and industrial estates, initially in Lumbertubs, Moulton Park and Round Spinney to
5070-509: The Napoleonic Wars of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. A third of the adult males alone were shoemakers at the time. Northampton grew beyond the old town walls and industry grew rapidly with the mechanisation of factories by the middle of the 19th century. The Nene Navigation Company had previously made the River Nene navigable from King's Lynn as far up as Northampton in 1762, allowing cheap transportation of coal and other goods to
5200-576: The Nene derby , after the river which links Northampton and Peterborough. Other significant rivalries include Oxford United , Milton Keynes Dons , Coventry City , Cambridge United and Rushden & Diamonds . Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. The following have been included in
5330-420: The Nene derby . The club was founded on 6 March 1897 by a group of local school teachers who, together with a local solicitor A.J "Pat" Darnell at The Princess Royal Inn, Wellingborough Road, formed the town's first professional football club. Initially, their chosen name was Northampton Football Club, but after objections from the town's rugby club, the club was called Northampton Town Football Club. They joined
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5460-601: The Northampton Daily Chronicle and Evening Herald (founded 1880) and the Daily Echo (founded in 1885 and retitled as the Northampton Daily Echo in 1908), which occupied a striking art deco office building overlooking Northampton's famous market square. This was demolished in the late 1970s to make way for a shopping development. A blue plaque marks the spot where the Daily Echo was published for almost
5590-627: The Northamptonshire Regiment and the Northamptonshire Yeomanry The Northampton urban area is covered by 13 civil parishes . The parish councils of these form a local tier of government below West Northamptonshire Council. The largest by far of these is the area covered by Northampton Town Council , which was created in 2020, ten more, covering several outer suburbs were pre-existing, and two (Kingsthorpe and Far Cotton and Delapre) were created concurrently with
5720-573: The PFA Team of the Year whilst playing for Northampton Town: The following were chosen by fans as the favourite club heroes in the BBC Sports Cult Heroes poll in 2006: Below is a list of all permanent managers of Northampton Town since its foundation in 1897. Northampton Town hold the record for the shortest time taken to be promoted from the bottom tier to the top tier and relegated back down to
5850-433: The goods shed . Bridge Street Station closed in 1964 and St John's Street closed in 1939, leaving only Castle station serving the town. It is now known simply as Northampton railway station . Tram lines were also laid down in the town in 1881 and electrified in 1903. An early omnibus service ran to Wellingborough, and since 1919 motor omnibus services ran to villages around the town which brought buyers and sellers to
5980-434: The restoration of King Charles II in 1660, he took revenge on the town by ordering the destruction of its walls and partial demolition of its castle in 1662, since it did not support his father Charles I and his cavaliers. From then on, the castle was used as a court and a jail, but its physical condition worsened. The new council of the town had to pay £200 to have its charter renewed and also required all officials to swear
6110-545: The ' Meccano Stand ' by fans. The other two stands were at the ends with the Spion Kop, which only reached the goalposts, usually used for away supporters and the Hotel End for the home supporters. In 1965–66 , the only time that Northampton Town were in the top flight of English football, the county ground saw its highest attendance 24,523 against Fulham on 23 April 1966. The ground also saw Northampton's lowest ever attendance in
6240-473: The 'Kop End'. Ian Sampson was sacked as manager on 2 March 2011 after a poor run of form saw the Cobblers fail to win in eight games and sit in a disappointing 16th position in League Two. Sampson's last game in charge was a 2–3 defeat against Burton Albion , the manner of this defeat ultimately costing him his job. Sampson's sacking brought to an end a 17-year association with Northampton, and his commitment to
6370-716: The 13th century, Northampton had a large Jewish population centred on Gold Street. In 1277 – two years after Edward I passed the Statute of the Jewry – some Jewish residents were executed while the remainder were driven out of town. Archaeological sites include a medieval Jewish cemetery and the Northampton Medieval Synagogue . The First Barons' War caused significant destruction to Northampton. The barons besieged Northampton Castle in protest at King John's oppression of his subjects. In retaliation, royalist forces destroyed
6500-937: The Berrywood Asylum (later the Northampton County Lunatic Asylum, then St Crispin Hospital in 1948, and since 2010 Berrywood Hospital) opened in 1876. Northampton is formally in the East Midlands region but is also referred to in Government planning as being part of the South Midlands "growth area". The town is 30 miles (48 km) south-southeast of Leicester , 16 miles (26 km) north-northwest of Milton Keynes , 43 miles (69 km) west of Cambridge , 37 miles (60 km) northeast of Oxford and 37 miles (60 km) southwest of Peterborough . Northampton
6630-517: The Briar Hill district show evidence of a Neolithic encampment within a large circular earthwork where local farmers assembled for tribal ceremonies and seasonal events from approximately 3500 BC to 2000 BC. During the British Iron Age , people typically lived in protected hill forts . Present-day Hunsbury Hill is an example of this settlement; a circular ditch and a bank faced with
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#17328687333166760-574: The Elder , Saxon King of Wessex (who controlled the southern and western part of the English Kingdom of Mercia) in 921 In the 9th century Regenhere of Northampton , an East Anglian Saint with localised veneration , was buried in Northampton. By 918, Northampton had an earl and an army dependent upon it, whose territory extended to the River Welland . Edward the Elder turned Northampton into
6890-510: The Fourth Division by 1969 – this set a record in English football of moving from the fourth tier to the first tier and back in only nine years. After six seasons of stability in the fourth tier, the club won promotion before returning to the Fourth Division after another relegation in 1977. Northampton won further promotions to the third tier in 1987 and 1997 . Relegated in 1999, they won immediate promotion after securing an automatic promotion place
7020-464: The Fourth Division championship, gaining a club record total of 99 points and scoring 103 goals, 29 of them from Richard Hill , who was transferred in the summer to Watford for a club record fee of £265,000. The club adjusted to life in Division Three quickly and just missed out on a play-off place despite finishing sixth. Important players such as Trevor Morley and Eddie McGoldrick were sold and
7150-582: The House of Commons lobby in 1812. By the late 19th century, Northampton had acquired a reputation for political vanguardism . In 1880, radical non-conformist Charles Bradlaugh was elected as one of the MPs. During one of his election cross-candidate hustings a riot broke out in the Market Square. Local figures of authority called military to disperse it. For some decades following the 1918 general election , representation
7280-578: The Northants League and spent two seasons there, winning the championship the second season. They then spent two seasons in the Midland League , before joining the Southern League in 1901–02. Led by player-manager Herbert Chapman the club were champions of the Southern League in 1908–09 and played against Newcastle United in the Charity Shield match, losing 2–0 at The Oval . In 1919–20 ,
7410-526: The Parliamentary armies were manufactured in Northampton during the Civil War, and a further 2,000 for Cromwell's New Model Army in 1648. Until well into the 19th century, the shoe industry boomed in and around the town with small manufacturing workshops set up in the surrounding areas. The War ended with a Parliamentary victory, resulting in England becoming a Commonwealth , which lasted a decade. Following
7540-627: The Sir Harry Oakes murder case and the Haitian tyrant Papa Doc have found an international audience. Valentine Low, a journalist on the Times , columnists Yvonne Roberts and Matthew Engel also worked on what is known locally as "The Chron". Helen Blaby writes a general interest column. Michael Green's novel Don't Print My Name Upside Down was based largely on his experiences at the Chronicle & Echo . The paper's chief sub-editor Stanley Worker kept
7670-542: The University of Northampton, since 2013, and PTS Academy, since 2016. Previous sponsors have included Chronicle & Echo (1985–86 and 1994–95), TNT (1986–88), Costain Homes (1988–91), Van Aid (1991–92), Carpet Supacentre (1992–94), Lotto (1995–97), EBS Mobile Phones (1997–98), Nationwide (1998–2003), Jackson Grundy (2007–13), Red Hot Buffet (2011–12), Gala Casinos (2012–13), and Opus Energy (2015–18) Northampton moved to
7800-435: The area dates to the Bronze Age , Romans and Anglo-Saxons . In the Middle Ages , the town rose to national significance with the establishment of Northampton Castle , an occasional royal residence which regularly hosted the Parliament of England . Medieval Northampton had many churches, monasteries and the University of Northampton , all enclosed by the town walls. It was granted a town charter by Richard I in 1189 and
7930-550: The bottom again, in the space of nine years. Tommy Fowler holds the record for Northampton Town appearances, having played 552 first-team matches between 1946 and 1961. Centre half and former captain Ian Sampson comes second, with 449 games. The record for a goalkeeper is held by Peter Gleasure , with 412 appearances. Jack English is the club's top goalscorer with 143 goals in competitive matches between 1947 and 1959, having surpassed Teddy Bowen 's total of 120. Bowen's record had stood since September 1931, when he overtook
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#17328687333168060-454: The centre of one of the new shires, and it prospered as a river port and trading centre. In 940, it resisted the invading forces of Danish opposition in Northumbria when the Mercians successfully defended the town in a siege by King Olaf of York , but was burnt in 1010 by a Danish army, and again in 1065 by the rebellious northern earls Edwin and Morcar . Despite this, the Domesday Book records Northantone as possessing 316 houses with
8190-422: The club has guaranteed his status as a legend in fans' hearts. David Cardoza moved quickly and Gary Johnson was unveiled as the new manager on 4 March 2011. However, things didn't go well under Johnson: the club slid further down the table in League Two and only just avoided relegation at the end of the 2010–11 season . The beginning of the 2011–12 season saw no improvement for the Cobblers and Johnson left
8320-416: The club on 14 November 2011 by mutual consent. In November 2011, Northampton appointed ex- Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd as their new manager. After drafting in players such as Ben Harding , Luke Guttridge and Clarke Carlisle , Boothroyd managed to keep Northampton in the league and over the summer set about transforming the club into a club with promotion ambitions. On 18 May 2013, Northampton reached
8450-440: The club raising £5,000 to build a stand with a players' tunnel underneath and also improved terracing in the Hotel End. The following season saw the formation of the supporters' club. In 1925 the club's first foreign transfer took place as William Shaw was signed from Barcelona. A new ground record was set for the F.A. Cup third-round replay with Sunderland, 21,148 turned up to see the Cobblers lose 3–0. However, disaster occurred at
8580-401: The club went into administration in April 1992, with debts of around £1.6 million. Ten players were sacked and youth players were drafted in to make up the numbers; results did not improve. These events sparked the formation of the Northampton Town Supporters' trust , which has a shareholding in the club and a representative on the board of directors . This was the first such instance of
8710-400: The club's centenary season 1996–97 , Atkins lead the Cobblers to Wembley for the first time in 100 years, where they beat Swansea City 1–0 in the Third Division play-off final , John Frain scoring the winning goal from a twice-taken free kick deep into injury time . The following season Northampton made the Second Division play-off final , but lost 1–0 to Grimsby Town in front of
8840-415: The club's promotion to League One .) The north Stand is known as the Sheinman Opticians Stand, due to a naming rights partnership with local Opticians, Sheinman Opticians. The stadium was renamed the PTS Academy Stadium in June 2018 after the club agreed a naming rights partnership with local training provider PTS Training Academy. The name of the stadium reverted to Sixfields Stadium in July 2021, following
8970-548: The county be abolished, and replaced by two unitary authorities, one covering the West, and one the North of the county. These proposals were approved in April 2019. It meant that the districts of Daventry , Northampton and South Northamptonshire were merged to form a new unitary authority called West Northamptonshire , whilst the second unitary authority North Northamptonshire consists of Corby , East Northamptonshire , Kettering and Wellingborough districts. These new authorities came into being on 1 April 2021. Elections for
9100-430: The county ground in 1897, sharing it with Northamptonshire County Cricket Club from 1905. The main stand was situated alongside Abington Avenue and was a covered stand with seating to the rear and terracing to the front. The stand survived until 1985, but following the Bradford City stadium fire , it was deemed unsafe and demolished, leaving only the terracing. This was then replaced by a small temporary stand nicknamed
9230-414: The current site of All Saints' Church . His son, Simon II de Senlis , built St Peter's Church on a site between a former Anglo-Saxon palace and Northampton Castle. Simon II de Senlis also founded Delapré Abbey – another Cluniac priory – which still stands today. Other priories in medieval Northampton include St James' Abbey , Graye Friers, Blackfriars and Whitefriars. St. John's, a medieval hospital,
9360-541: The east, followed by Briar Hill, Camp Hill and East and West Hunsbury in the south of the town, mainly to accommodate the overflow population of new residents from the London area. In the town centre, older buildings were demolished and replaced or redeveloped for other buildings, including the former Greyfriars bus station , the Grosvenor Centre , Peacock Place (now Market Walk), shops, flats and hotels. Although growth
9490-504: The existing eight Northamptonshire councils be scrapped for new unitary authorities. In March 2018, following suspension of the County Council arising from its becoming insolvent , due to financial and cultural mismanagement by the cabinet and officers, the then Secretary of State for Local Government, Sajid Javid , sent commissioner Max Caller into the council, who recommended the county council and all district and borough councils in
9620-820: The final automatic promotion place based on goals scored across the season. In the play-off semi-finals, the Cobblers were subsequently defeated by Mansfield Town 3–1 on aggregate. In the following season, they defeated Tranmere Rovers on the final day of the season to seal automatic promotion to League One. Northampton's kit has been manufactured by Puma since 2023. Previous manufacturers have included Bukta (1975–82), Adidas (1982–83), Umbro (1983–86), Spall (1986–88), MG (1988–89), Scoreline (1989–91), Beaver Sports (1991–92), Ribero (1992–93), Swift (1993–94), Lotto (1995–97), Pro Star (1997–2000), Sport House (2000–03), Xara (2003–05), Salming (2005–06), Vandanel (2006–09), Errea (2009–16), Nike (2016–20), Hummel (2020–23) and Puma (2023–). The club's shirts are sponsored by
9750-425: The final day of the 2008–09 season, after suffering a 3–0 defeat away at Leeds United and other results that went against them. Northampton caused an upset in the third round of the 2010–11 Football League Cup , knocking out Liverpool at Anfield . The game was drawn 2–2 after extra time, as the Cobblers beat the team 69 places above them 4–2 on penalties , the winning penalty being scored by Abdul Osman at
9880-636: The fire, apart from buildings made of stone, like the Welsh House on Market Square, built in 1595, and Hazelrigg House in Mare Fair, built in 1662. The devastation led to an Act of Parliament for the rebuilding the town. Local people and businesses helped to raise around £25,000 towards the rebuilding of the town centre based around the Market Square. Streets were widened and buildings made of brick and stone and tiled to prevent such devastation again. In an act of reconciliation, King Charles II donated timber from
10010-570: The first half of the decade, but 16-year-old Aidy Mann became the club's youngest player in May 1984. In 1984–85 , the lowest ever league attendance was recorded at the County Ground where only 942 people turn up to watch the Cobblers lose 2–0 at home to Chester City ; this was also Northampton's only ever league attendance below 1,000. In the same year, the club managed what seemed like a major coup when they appointed as manager Tony Barton , who had won
10140-487: The first season after the war, Town conceded a club record 103 goals. Nonetheless, the club was allowed to join the Football League for the following season, in Division Three (South) . 1922–23 saw the club become a public company and 8,000 shares were released at £1. The season produced a record crowd of 18,123 against Plymouth on Boxing Day and gate receipts for the first time exceeded £1,000. 1923–24 started with
10270-533: The following season. However they were once more relegated after three seasons of struggle in the third tier, before securing promotion out of League Two in 2005–06 after two unsuccessful play-off campaigns. Relegated at the end of their third season in League One , they won the League Two title in 2015–16, but only lasted two seasons in League One before again being relegated. In 2020, they gained promotion to League One, but were relegated to League Two once again after
10400-416: The former borough boundaries but inside the designated New Town. The town tried for unitary status during the 1990s UK local government reform , but failed and it remained a non-metropolitan district until its abolition in 2021. On Good Friday 1998, Northampton suffered severe flooding, particularly in the areas of Far Cotton and St James; two people were killed and thousands of homes were affected. Since
10530-847: The fourth (Foot) a playwright. Mayes has also published compilations of his 'corrections and clarifications' columns in The Guardian . Two went on to become editors: Lou Warwick of the Northampton Town and County Independent , John Marquis of the Packet Newspapers group in Cornwall and The Tribune (a morning newspaper) in the Bahamas . Both John Morris and John Marquis were also London Sports Editors and Chief Boxing Correspondents of major newspaper groups—Morris of United Newspapers ( Yorkshire Post , Lancashire Evening Post and Chronicle & Echo ) and Marquis of Thomson Regional Newspapers ( The Scotsman ,
10660-436: The goalkeeper, Alan Starling , who netted from a penalty in the penultimate home game against Hartlepool . In 1976–77 , the club were relegated back to Division Four. The season started with ex- Manchester United assistant manager, Pat Crerand in charge; however, he resigned in the new year. No new manager was appointed and instead a committee was formed consisting of the chairman, the coach and three senior players. Prior to
10790-505: The liquidation of PTS Training Academy. Since July 2016, Northampton have trained at Moulton College in Moulton, Northampton. Before this, they trained at the former athletics track, located at the back of the East Stand at Sixfields Stadium. The club's biggest traditional rivals are Peterborough United , a rivalry which has endured since the 1960s. Matches between the two clubs are known as
10920-437: The local community for more than 200 years. The East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust is responsible for the provision of statutory emergency medical services in Northampton. St Andrew's Hospital , the flagship mental health facility of the private company St Andrew's Healthcare, is also based in Northampton. Originally opened in 1838 to serve Northampton, St Andrew's became a charity and private healthcare provider when
11050-511: The longest and closed last were at Hunsbury which began working in 1877 and closed in 1920. There are remains of some of these quarries at Hunsbury Hill. There was an iron works by the river to the west of the town next to the railway that then operated between Northampton and Blisworth. This was called the Hunsbury Ironworks and operated between about 1874 and January 1921 using ore from these quarries and elsewhere. Following World War I ,
11180-421: The market. There were iron ore quarries in the countryside around the town during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries which have left their mark on the landscape. Some of the quarries were in what is now the town area in an arc from Kingsthorpe through Duston and Hunsbury round to Hardingstone beginning in about 1860. Some have now been built over and not all lasted very long. The town area quarries that lasted
11310-472: The month. Former Chelsea player Wilson was appointed manager at the start of November, going on to win two manager of the month awards. The following season started promisingly, with players such as Marco Gabbiadini and Jamie Forrester pushing the Cobblers towards a play-off place before the club eventually finished in 18th place due to a large number of injuries in the second half of the season. Kevin Wilson
11440-472: The name Ham tune . The prefix "North" was added later to distinguish it from other towns called Hampton, most prominently Southampton . The Domesday Book (1086) records the town as Northantone , which evolved into Norhamptone by the 13th century and later Northampton by the 17th century. Present-day Northampton is the latest in a series of settlements that began in the Bronze Age . Remains found in
11570-402: The new authorities were due to be held on 7 May 2020, but these were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic , and took place in May 2021. A year prior to these changes, three new civil parishes were created in Northampton's urban area: a large parish covering the majority of the Northampton urban area was created, allowing Northampton to have a Town (parish) Council . Northampton Town Council
11700-402: The non-metropolitan district of Northampton was administered by both Northampton Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council . Propositions for the borough to become a unitary authority failed during the 1990s local government reform and again, in 2011, when the motion was voted down by the council. However, in 2016, the borough council and all seven Northamptonshire MPs called for
11830-615: The oath of allegiance and some confirmed by the Crown. The town centre was further destroyed by the Great Fire of Northampton in 1675, caused by sparks from an open fire in a thatched cottage by the castle. The fire spread eastwards by strong westerly winds and consumed three-quarters of the town centre in 24 hours. Matters were worsened because most buildings were chiefly made of wood and covered with thatch. An estimated 600 buildings were destroyed, amounting to £150,000 lost. Very little survived
11960-488: The playing budget and stadium development. Although the investment was technically a takeover, Kelvin Thomas remained chairman and the two parties have acted in partnership since. On 4 September 2017, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was appointed as manager on a three-year deal, replacing Justin Edinburgh who had been sacked after four losses from the start of the season . His first game was against Doncaster Rovers five days later,
12090-665: The population of Northampton. In 1377, the population was 2,200. The town was rapidly losing its wealth and its importance as a national centre. In 1460, the Second Battle of Northampton took place during the War of the Roses in the meadows between the River Nene and Delapré Abbey. The Yorkists defeated the Lancastrians and King Henry VI was taken prisoner. In 1484, the Mayor declared that Northampton
12220-457: The royal forests of Salcey and Whittlebury to help with the rebuild. In 1678, the Sessions House and what is now County Hall were amongst the first buildings to be completed. A Georgian town with new houses, shops and workshops eventually grew out of the old medieval town destroyed by the fire. In 1742 Edward Cave opened Marvel's Mill , the world's first cotton mill to be driven by
12350-472: The season scoring 32 league goals and even scored four in a 4–0 win over the Netherlands national football team while the club was on tour. In 1933–34 , the F.A. Cup fifth round was reached for the first time courtesy of a fourth round win away to Huddersfield Town who, at the time were top of Division One. The Cobblers lost to Preston North End 4–0 at Deepdale , setting a new ground record of 40,180. In
12480-512: The season. However, there were some promising results such as a 2–1 aggregate win over West Ham United in the League Cup . The 1999–2000 season saw the club bounce back to Division Two , finishing in the third automatic promotion spot. Ian Atkins left the club in October following a poor start to the season; his assistant, Kevin Wilson and coach Kevan Broadhurst took joint charge for the rest of
12610-557: The second leg, the Cobblers performed the turnaround by winning 3–0 away from home. However, Northampton were relegated back to League Two in their first season after finishing 22nd in the 2020–21 season. In the 2021–22 season Northampton finished fourth, narrowly missing out on automatic promotion on the final day to Bristol Rovers . Although Northampton started the final day in the automatic positions and managed to win their away match to Barrow 3–1, Bristol Rovers managed to beat Scunthorpe United 7–0. This meant Rovers would gain
12740-505: The semi-finals by Mansfield Town after a penalty shoot-out. In the 2004–05 season, Northampton finished seventh, again in the play-offs, where they were defeated by Southend United . Following this, the manager made substantial changes to the squad, bringing in experienced players such as Ian Taylor and Eoin Jess , and they enjoyed a successful 2005–06 league season. On 29 April, the Cobblers clinched promotion to Football League One , with
12870-450: The shoe industry was increasingly in decline, despite the town's factories supplying over 23 million pairs of boots to the armed forces. A total of 1,700 men from the town were lost of the 6,000 killed from the Northamptonshire Regiment . The town expanded further during the 1920s and saw the erection of Northampton Power Station , which supplied electricity to areas as far away as Wolverton , until its closure in 1975. Much council housing
13000-537: The smaller 1,000-capacity east stand known as the Alwyn Hargrave stand after the Ex-Borough Councillor who helped the stadium become reality. At either end are identical stands that are the same height as the east stand, the south stand usually for away supporters. (Against Chester City on 29 April 2006, the stand was split and supporters segregated to allow the maximum number of home supporters to witness
13130-413: The start of the 1979–80 season, George Reilly was sold to Cambridge United for a then-club record of £165,000 (he had been the club's top scorer for the previous two seasons). New floodlights were installed in time for the 1980–81 season , but they failed during the first match against Southend United and the game had to be abandoned. The club struggled in the bottom half of the Fourth Division for
13260-508: The team fell back down to Division Four in the 1989–90 season . The 1990s began badly, with the club relegated to the Fourth Division at the end of the 1989–90 season. The following season began well as the club looked on course to return to the Third Division at the first attempt. They were top of the table in February, but fell away and finished mid-table. Things then got even worse and
13390-422: The three seasons prior to the breakout of World War II , the Cobblers finished seventh, ninth and 17th respectively in Division Three (South). In the final match prior to the war, they travelled to Dean Court and lost 10–0, the club's record league defeat. During the war the Cobblers had the record for the first transfer fee received during the hostilities when Bobby King was sold to Wolverhampton Wanderers for
13520-666: The time of the Peace of Wedmore in 878 the Burgh was in possession of the Danes and became the base for one of the Danish armies. A ditch was dug around the settlement and it was fortified with earth ramparts . Having conquered Mercia , the Danes turned the settlement into a centre for military and administrative purposes, which was part of the Danelaw . The Danish army of Northampton however submitted to Edward
13650-438: The town achieved independence from Northamptonshire in 1888 when it became a county borough . It had 6 electoral wards from 1898, 9 wards from 1900 and 12 wards from 1911. Northampton was granted modern borough status in 1974, when it was reconstituted as a non-metropolitan district, a subdivision of its non-metropolitan county (Northamptonshire). From 1974 until 2021, the town had a two-tier structure of local government:
13780-486: The town council, these are: NHS Northampton guides primary care services (general practitioners, dentists, opticians and pharmacists) in the town, directly provides adult social care and services in the community such as health visiting and physiotherapy and also funds hospital care and other specialist treatments. Northampton General Hospital is an NHS trust hospital which founded in 1744 and moved to its present site in 1793, and has continued to provide healthcare to
13910-603: The town willingly became the main Parliamentarian garrison for the south-east Midlands area with the former royal castle as its headquarters. In 1643, Prince Rupert attacked Northampton with approximately 2,000 men, but was beaten back at the North Gate of the town. Oliver Cromwell visited in 1645 and General Fairfax marched from the town to Naseby , where Charles I's Royalist army was decisively defeated. Over 4,000 pairs of leather shoes and 600 pairs of cavalry jack-boots for
14040-521: The town's first railway station, Bridge Street station . This was followed by the opening of Castle station in 1859 on the site of part of the historic Northampton Castle, and later St. John's Street station in 1872. The Northampton loop of the West Coast Main Line was built in the late 1870s. Castle station was rebuilt and expanded over the site of Northampton Castle, the remains of which were purchased and demolished in 1880 to make way for
14170-642: The town, but in 1815, the Grand Union Canal reached the town, joining the River Nene, giving the town a direct link to the Midlands coalfields and to Birmingham , Manchester and London. The first railway to be built into Northampton was the Northampton and Peterborough Railway , a branch from the main London and Birmingham Railway from Blisworth to Peterborough through Northampton which opened in 1845 along with
14300-493: The townspeople certain rights and independence in legal and administrative matters. In 1215, King John authorised the appointment of William Tilly as the town's first Mayor and ordered that "twelve of the better and more discreet [residents] of your town" join him as a council to assist him. The importance of Northampton at this time is underlined by the fact that only London, York and King's Lynn had mayors by this date. The mayor later ruled with 24 councillors and 48 freemen in
14430-683: The turn of the Millennium, the town has continued to expand. Northampton applied for city status in 2000 to celebrate the new millennium, in 2002 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II and most recently in 2022 to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II , but failed on all three occasions and remains a town. In 2006, Northampton became a government expansion zone with new growth promoted by West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC), an unelected quango , which has provoked
14560-404: The winning run to nine. The 2015–16 season was successful and resulted in promotion to League One on 9 April. A draw at Exeter combined with Oxford United's defeat at home to Luton Town meant that they clinched the League Two championship a week later on 16 April. The Cobblers went on to play their first season in the third tier of English football since 2009. In the 2016–17 season, after
14690-506: Was "in great desolation and ruin". The Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538 led to further destruction of what remained of the medieval town. Northampton was severely affected by Plague between March and September 1638 when 665 people died. The royal connection to Northampton Castle became less significant, and by the time of the English Civil War , Northampton was decidedly pro-Parliament. Though Spencer Compton , Earl of Northampton,
14820-560: Was a royalist ( Cavalier ) and backed King Charles I , the people of Northampton supported Parliament and Oliver Cromwell 's republican Roundhead army. The town had a long history of religious dissent from the Lollards and Puritanism gained a strong hold on the town. The corporation of the town, having already refused to provide troops to the King in 1632 or to pay the notorious ship money tax in 1636, petitioned Parliament in 1642 against papists and bishops . When war broke out in 1642,
14950-564: Was a threat to Oxford's scholastic hegemony, Henry III dissolved the university in 1265. Markets and fairs were a key element in the town's economy in medieval times. The Market Square came to prominence in 1235 when Henry III ordered that the selling of goods in the churchyard of All Saints should be relocated to the Market Square. Street names in the town give an indication of trades and market centres; Corn Hill, Malt Hill, Mercer Row, Gold Street, Sheep Street and Horse Market. Cloth and wool were very important but these industries declined. In
15080-447: Was also built largely to the east, north and south of the town, including Abington , Far Cotton , Kingsley, Kingsthorpe and Dallington – areas which had been incorporated within the borough's boundaries in 1901. However, the population growth slowed down as people moved beyond its boundaries. In 1901, the population had expanded to 90,923; in 1931, the population was 92,341. After World War II , Northampton vastly changed. In 1959,
15210-524: Was called Roland Holloway's Northamptonshire, Fifty Years of Photographs 1924–1974 , published by Northamptonshire Libraries. In the 1994–95 English football season the company sponsored local team Northampton Town F.C. Northampton Northampton ( / n ɔːr ˈ θ æ m p t ə n / nor- THAMP -tən ) is a town and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire unitary authority area of Northamptonshire , England. It
15340-429: Was established, whilst the areas of Kingsthorpe, and Far Cotton and Delapré also gained parish councils. In addition, there are nine registered parish councils which predate the abolition of the borough of Northampton. These are Billing, Collingtree, Duston, Great Houghton, Hardingstone, Hunsbury Meadow, Upton, West Hunsbury and Wootton & East Hunsbury. Northampton Town F.C. Northampton Town Football Club
15470-513: Was held in 1380. Significant events in the castle's history include the trial of Thomas Becket in 1164, the publication of the Assize of Northampton in 1176, the declaration of peace with Scotland in the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton , the passage of the Statute of Northampton in 1328 and the imposition of poll tax in 1380. Royal tournaments and feasts were also held at the castle. Simon de Senlis
15600-493: Was inaugurated as a constituency in 1295; for many centuries it returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons . Spencer Perceval was elected as one of these in 1796 and became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1809, the only Solicitor General and only Attorney General to have done so, but also the only Prime Minister to be assassinated. The murder was by a highly disgruntled business owner John Bellingham in
15730-515: Was once part of the United Newspapers group headed by Lord Barnetson . One of the Chronicle's sister papers in those days was the Yorkshire Post . The Chron's main competitor is the weekly Northampton Herald & Post (circulation 45,582) which is free and delivered throughout the town and surrounding areas but in comparison is lighter on news and heavy on advertising. Until 2015,
15860-498: Was only avoided due to the Conference champions, Kidderminster Harriers , not meeting the necessary ground criteria. The club eventually began its move to Sixfields. The club moved to new ground, Sixfields Stadium , in October 1994. The change of ground did not change the club's fortunes and they finished 17th, with Ian Atkins taking over as manager from John Barnwell halfway through the 1994–95 season. After two more seasons, in
15990-459: Was reduced to one MP. In 1974, the original Northampton seat was replaced by the new constituencies of Northampton North and Northampton South , which both elected one MP each, beginning in the February 1974 general election . For the 2010 general election , the new South Northamptonshire constituency took a southern sector of the borough. The southern sectors transferred to Northampton South for
16120-460: Was required after the collapse of ITV Digital and much-publicised takeover attempts by John Fashanu and Giovanni Di Stefano had failed and left the club with huge debts. They were taken over by a consortium run by Andrew Ellis , who sacked Broadhurst in January 2003, when Northampton were struggling at the foot of the division. He was briefly replaced by former England player Terry Fenwick who
16250-513: Was sacked after a winless spell of seven games. This was, at the time, the eighth-shortest managerial reign in English football history. Martin Wilkinson , the new manager lasted little longer, being dismissed in October 2003 in favour of former Scotland and Tottenham Hotspur defender Colin Calderwood . Calderwood led Northampton to the play-offs in his first season, where they were knocked out in
16380-458: Was sacked in November 2001 to make way for his assistant Kevan Broadhurst, who steered the Cobblers from relegation to a remarkable survival with a game to spare after losing only one home game from mid-January. The next season was the worst since the early 1990s, both financially and on the pitch. Early on they were forced into a 'Save our Season' campaign to keep afloat until the end of the year. It
16510-485: Was situated east of Bridge Street. A network of medieval tunnels remains under the centre of Northampton around All Saints' Church and the Market Square but their purpose, extent and significance have been disputed. The town was originally controlled by officials acting for the King who collected taxes and upheld the law. This changed on 18 November 1189 when King Richard I granted the town its first charter in exchange for money to fund his crusades. The charter allowed
16640-406: Was slower than planned, the population grew from 105,421 in 1961 to 157,217 by 1981, with 15,655 new homes added to the town between 1970 and 1985. The borough boundaries also changed following a split of the Northampton parliamentary constituency into Northampton North and Northampton South in 1974. Northampton was reconstituted as a non-metropolitan district which also covered areas outside
16770-635: Was soon rebuilt and grew rapidly with the industrial development of the 18th century. The town continued to expand with the arrival of the Grand Union Canal and the railways in the 19th century, becoming a centre for footwear and leather manufacture. Growth was limited following the World Wars until it was designated a New Town in 1968, accelerating development which has continued into the 21st century. Northampton unsuccessfully applied for city status four times; in 1992, 2000, 2002 and 2022. The earliest reference to Northampton in writing occurred in 914 under
16900-457: Was the photographer Roland Holloway, who worked on the Chronicle , Mercury and Independent for half a century. He was born in 1905, the same year his father William Henry Holloway launched the Independent . During a career running from the 1920s to the 1970s, Roland took more than 80,000 photographs and attended 28,000 assignments. A collection of his work was published in book form in 1985. It
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