Northampton Town have appointed Ian Sampson as the club’s new Academy Manager.

Sampson will need no introduction to Cobblers supporters. The club’s second ever highest appearance maker, playing 449 times for Northampton Town, he has also previously held a number of roles at the club.

He returns to the club after a spell coaching young players at the FCV Football International Academy, and Chief Executive James Whiting said he was the ideal man to take on the role.

“Ian is very well respected by everyone connected with the club, not just for his time as a player, but for his work as a coach since his playing days came to an end,” he said.

“A lot of that time as a coach has been working with and developing young players and he knows the club very well, he has that connection with the club, he knows the local football scene and he is the perfect person to build on the fantastic progress that our Academy has made in recent seasons.

“As highlighted by the under 16s winning their league to retain their title last weekend and with the under 18s being top of their table as well as the fantastic progress being made by our younger age groups, our Academy is in excellent shape. More and more local players are coming through to be part of the first team squad, players are also emerging through the pathway from our Football & Education programme and we are even seeing some coaching staff progress internally up that pathway too.

“We think he is the perfect man to head things up. Ian knows football in Northamptonshire inside out, he has a lot of contacts and he has the respect of the footballing community. 

“He will inherit some excellent coaches and staff as well as a very talented group of young players and we are delighted to welcome Ian back to the club in this very important role.”

Sampson himself added, “I am very excited to be rejoining the club. It really does feel fantastic to be back. I still live in Northamptonshire and I have followed the club closely over the last few years, either as a fan or working as a summariser for Radio Northampton and can’t wait to get started.

“I feel the club’s Academy has really developed over the last three or four years and a good number of players are now coming through the system. A lot of credit for that has to go to the Chairman for his support of the Academy, to the dedicated Academy staff for their fantastic work and to Trevor Gould for the foundations he put in place, and it is that excellent work I hope I can help build on and take forward.”

Sampson will officially start his new role in mid-November.