Northampton Town's takeover by the Sports Alpha Consortium is in its final stages, with manager Chris Hogg concentrating on the team's performance against Rotherham United. The consortium, which includes former Brazil striker Alexandre Pato, has received approval from the EFL and is now finalising legal documentation ahead of an official announcement.

Hogg met with Pato and other consortium members before the club's last home game, a 1-0 win over Newport County on September 5th. The new investors watched that victory from the East Stand at Sixfields and are expected to attend this weekend's match. The manager, however, has kept his distance from the business side since that initial meeting.

Chris Hogg stated his focus remains entirely on preparing the team. "That’s not for me to worry about," said Hogg when asked about further talks with the consortium. "That’s on the outside of our football bubble."

He added that the group has responded well in training following a disappointing 2-0 away defeat to Shrewsbury Town last weekend. Hogg noted that reviewing the match footage provided a different perspective, but the team's collective feeling about the performance has not changed. He stressed the need for consistency, warning that dropping intensity by even a small margin can be costly at this level. The manager pointed to the team's current position of 17th in the standings as evidence of the fine margins in League Two, where they have six points from six games.

Looking ahead to the challenge of facing Rotherham, Hogg emphasised the need for a strong reaction. He will be looking to key players within his squad to step up and provide the necessary quality and fight. The Cobblers' recent form shows one win, two draws, and two defeats from the last five games, a run Hogg is keen to improve upon starting this Saturday.

With the takeover poised for completion, the immediate footballing task is clear for Hogg and his squad. They face Rotherham United this Saturday looking to build on their solitary home win of the season so far. After that, attention turns to the next match in the fixtures list, an away trip to Exeter City on January 9th.

Read the full report at Northampton Chronicle and Echo