Northampton Town have appointed Chris Hogg as their new manager on a two-year contract, the League Two club confirmed on Sunday. The 41-year-old takes charge for the first time as a head coach, having spent the bulk of his coaching career as assistant to Liam Manning.

A familiar system, a new challenge

Hogg built his coaching reputation across four clubs alongside Manning — MK Dons, Oxford United, Bristol City and, most recently, Norwich City. He left Carrow Road in November after Manning's departure, and had also taken interim charge at Ashton Gate earlier in the 2024-25 season when Manning was absent on compassionate leave. That experience gives Northampton's board reason to believe he can handle the demands of senior management, even if the top job is new territory for him.

"The teams I have coached in the past have placed great value on possession of the ball, to dominate opponents," Hogg said in a statement on the club's website. "But let me be clear, this is a results business and I have always wanted to win. We will change the mentality and build up the connection between the players and the supporters."

The scale of the rebuild

The numbers underline exactly what Hogg is walking into. Northampton were sacked bottom of League One after finishing six points adrift of safety — 17 points from the final survival place. Kevin Nolan was dismissed on 9 March with the club 23rd in the table, having won just one of their previous 16 matches. Technical director Colin Calderwood took interim charge but oversaw 10 consecutive defeats, sealing relegation with several weeks of the season still to play.

That run of form represents one of the more damaging collapses in the third tier in recent memory, and Hogg's first task will be reshaping a squad that visibly ran out of belief and momentum before the campaign ended.

Familiar face in the dugout

Hogg will not be working alone. Former Northampton Town defender and club captain Chris Doig has been named assistant head coach, having most recently held the same role at Boston United. Doig's ties to the club — he represented the Cobblers as a player — may help re-establish the connection between dressing room and supporters that Hogg specifically referenced in his first public comments.

Before moving into management, Hogg was an England youth international who came through the Ipswich Town academy. He made close to 200 appearances for Hibernian and Inverness before retiring at 28, then returned to Portman Road in 2015 to begin coaching in the Ipswich academy. A stint with Newcastle United's under-23s followed before his long association with Manning began.

What the chairman said

Chairman Kelvin Thomas was candid about how the appointment came together. "Chris Hogg was outstanding throughout the recruitment process — not only in terms of how he presented to us, but in terms of the feedback we received from across the game," Thomas said. "People who have worked with him have spoken very highly about how they expect him to go on and become a successful manager."

Northampton will play in League Two next season. The market will set its own expectations, but the club's immediate need is straightforward: stability, structure, and a significant improvement on the 16-win-from-45 record that preceded Nolan's exit.

Frequently asked

Who is Chris Hogg and what has he managed before?
Chris Hogg is a 41-year-old former defender who has worked as assistant head coach at MK Dons, Oxford United, Bristol City and Norwich City, all alongside Liam Manning. The Northampton job is his first role as a head coach, though he did take temporary charge at Bristol City during the 2024-25 season.
Why were Northampton Town relegated from League One?
Northampton finished bottom of League One, six points adrift of safety and 17 points from the final survival place. Manager Kevin Nolan was sacked in March after one win in 16 games, and interim boss Colin Calderwood then oversaw 10 straight defeats before the season ended.
What league will Northampton Town play in next season?
Northampton Town will compete in EFL League Two — the fourth tier of English football — for the 2025-26 season following their relegation from League One.