Appeh?! Relive Chris Wilder's famous Notts County speech, three years on
But perhaps the most iconic moment of his 28 months in charge came on November 21, 2015, when he took his side, placed third at the time, up to Nottingham where they faced mid-table Notts County in a league game.
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Hide AdThe match finished 2-1 in favour of the Cobblers thanks to goals from Rod McDonald and Brendan Moloney – their third of seven successive wins in all competitions – and following the full-time whistle, journalists gathered pitchside waiting for what was expected to be a routine post-match interview.
But there was nothing routine about it. After very briefly talking about football, Wilder turned his attention to the club’s off-field financial turmoil, embarking on an impassioned 10-minute rant during which he pleaded with then-chairman David Cardoza to sell up and let Kelvin Thomas take over.
Neither Wilder nor his staff were being paid, including those working behind the scenes, and the Cobblers were facing imminent extinction ahead of a winding-up order for an unpaid tax bill of £166,000.
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Hide AdBut Wilder’s passionate speech at Meadow Lane did the trick, or at least played a singifcant part, as Thomas finally completed his takeover the following week, saving the club from oblivion.
What happened in the subsequent six months was quite extraordinary as Northampton romped to the League Two title, blowing away all before them to complete one of the great comeback stories.
It will go down in club folklore and forever be remembered by eternally grateful Cobblers supporters.