Former Premier League midfielder Kevin Nolan has been appointed as the new manager of Northampton Town, the club have confirmed.
Nolan, now 42, made more than 400 Premier League appearances, scoring 69 goals, for Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle and West Ham.
After managerial spells at Leyton Orient and Notts County, Nolan was most recently part of the Hammers’ coaching staff but left following the sacking of David Moyes in May.
Nolan has now signed a two-and-a-half year contract at Northampton, currently 20th in League One. He replaces Jon Brady, who resigned from his position three weeks ago.
✍️ We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Kevin Nolan as Manager of Northampton Town.
Welcome to the Cobblers, Kevin! 👋 #ShoeArmy 👞 https://t.co/iOi0NYIg7t
– City of Northampton (@ntfc) December 23, 2024
In a statement, Northampton chairman Kelvin Thomas said: “Kevin has been very impressive throughout the process and has shown a real desire for the role.
“He has performed well under difficult circumstances in his two previous leadership positions and has impressed us with his knowledge, energy, experience and passion. He showed real desire and enthusiasm for the role, he couldn’t wait to get started and he has already taken on the training for the first time.
“Our immediate goal is to try and move up the rankings and while we understand we have challenges to overcome, we believe Kevin is well placed to take us forward in this area.”
Nolan himself added: “I’m delighted to be appointed as the new manager of Northampton Town and can’t wait to get started. We have a busy schedule over the Christmas and New Year period, so the challenge is to hit the ground running as best we can.
“The club has a reputation for being a well-run club and it is clear that it has progressed on and off the pitch over recent seasons. I am proud and honored to have the chance to try and continue and to develop this work.
“I believe the team can move up the standings and I am determined to repay the trust the board has placed in me.
“We have no time to waste, it may be Christmas but we have a lot of work to do in a short time and I hope the fans will come with us on our journey. We will need their support and I can promise them that we will do everything possible to improve the results.
Nolan begins his tenure at Northampton with a trip to Reading on Boxing Day.
