Former Premier League midfielder Kevin Nolan has been appointed as Northampton's new manager, the club has confirmed.
Nolan, who is 42 years old, is from Bolton, He has scored 69 goals in over 400 Premier League games for the likes of Newcastle and West Ham.
Nolan recently joined the coaching staff at the Hammers after stepping down as manager at Leyton Orient and Notts County, but left after the sacking of David Moyes in May.
Nolan is currently on a two-and-a-half-year deal at League One side Northampton, 20th. He replaces Jon Brady, who resigned three weeks ago.
✍️ We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Kevin Nolan as manager of Northampton Town.
Cobblers, Welcome Kevin! 👋 #ShoeArmy 👞 https://t.co/iOi0NYIg7t
— Northampton Town (@ntfc) December 23 2024
In a statement, Northampton chairman Kelvin Thomas said: “Kevin has been very impressive and has shown a real passion for the job.
“He has done well in difficult situations in both his previous managerial jobs and his knowledge, His energy, He impressed us with his experience and his enthusiasm. He has shown real desire and enthusiasm for the role and can't wait to get started and has already taken over training for the first time.
“Our immediate target is to get up the table and while we understand there are challenges to try and overcome, we believe Kevin is positioned to lead this forward.”
Nolan himself said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as Northampton's new manager and can't wait to get going. We have a busy schedule over Christmas and New Year so the challenge is to run as much as we can.
” The club has a reputation for being one of the best in the game and that has clearly carried over on and off the pitch over the last few seasons. I am honored and proud to continue to work hard and develop this business.
“Believing that the team can improve according to the schedule, I decided to repay the trust shown to me by the board of directors.”
“We have no time to lose; It might be Christmas, but there's a lot to do in a short time and there's a lot to look forward to when the fans are on their way. We will need their support and we promise that we will do everything we can to change the results.
Nolan began his Northampton tenure with a trip to Reading on Boxing Day.