Cardoza: East stand will be complete by ‘the middle of September’

Cobblers chairman David Cardoza says the Sixfields redevelopment is ‘back on track’ and that the new east stand will be completed by the ‘middle of September’.
Cobblers chairman David CardozaCobblers chairman David Cardoza
Cobblers chairman David Cardoza

That will mean the project will be almost a full year behind schedule, but Cardoza is in upbeat mood after a problematic six months.

Work on the east stand was stopped back in September last year due to a contractal dispute, but the workmen have been back on site for the past fortnight, and Cardoza says things are now ‘really moving ahead’.

The chairman believes seats will be in place in the stand by the start of the new season, and that fans will be able to use them at that time even though work won’t be complete.

Asked how work on the stand is going, Cardoza said: “We are back on track.

Buckingham have started work on the stand again in the past couple of weeks, and over the next couple of weeks we will see things really moving ahead.

“I am delighted about that because it has taken far too long, and we have wasted far too much time and money.

“By next season it won’t be fully completed, but it will be almost there, and the fans will definitely be able to sit in there.

“We have a contract, and that runs until the end of September, but we think the stand will be fully completed by mid-September.

“So it might be a month into the season, before it is fully finished.”

As well as the east stand, Cardoza revealed that plans are ongoing to build a hotel and conference centre, and that talks about the development of the area surrounding Sixfields are also ongoing.

“We still have a hotel and conference centre to be built, and we are active on that case at the minute,” said Cardoza.

“It has been put on the backburner with everything else that has gone on, but that is now the number one priority.

“Hopefully we will soon announce something positive on that.

“The redevelopment of Sixfields area which in the end will pay back the loan that we have taken from the Borough Council, is very much ongoing.

“Again, news will be coming out on that in the next couple of weeks.”