What a team – Cobblers and University sports department formalise their relationship

Northampton’s football club and University have strengthened their successful partnership by committing to a new agreement.

The University of Northampton’s Sport & Exercise department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Northampton Town Football Club at the PTS Academy Stadium, on Tuesday 4 May.

The University and the Cobblers have had a successful commercial partnership for several years, working together on a number of projects to support the different football squads and enhance student experience of sport and journalism students.

However, the signing of this MOU formalises the agreement to collaborate in areas such as of research, knowledge exchange, education as well as sport science, media, coaching and performance.

Chief Executive of Northampton Town, James Whiting, said: “We have always worked in partnership with the University in a number of different areas of our football business, including more recently esports.

“We have provided a number of work placement opportunities and experiences and several of these have led us to permanently employ students from the University.

“But, by formalising the relationship we can build on our previous work and ensure we develop a long and sustainable partnership that not only has mutual benefits, but importantly benefits the town and the region.”

Dr Peter Jones, Associate Dean in the Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology, said: “Northampton Town are a really important part of this town’s DNA and aligning the objectives of the two institutions means that not only can we support our local football team, but we can provide placement opportunities and real-world experience to our students studying one of the eight different sport-related degrees we offer.”

During lockdown Northampton Town teams have been able to use the University’s training facilities and Multimedia Sports Journalism students have continued to cover the Cobblers’ matches.

The partnership was in the headlines, most recently, when Sport & Exercise Science graduate, Ashlee Adebayo, was promoted to the Cobblers’ first team set up.

Pictured signing the MOU are John Sinclair (left), Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Science & Technology, and Northampton Town Chief Executive, James Whiting.