Former Blues academy coach, assistant caretaker-manager and defender Chris Hogg has been appointed the new boss of Northampton, who were recently relegated to League Two, with one-time Town assistant manager Chris Doig joining him at Sixfields.

It’s the 41-year-old’s first job in the hotseat having been assistant to another Playford Road alumnus, Liam Manning, at MK Dons, Oxford, Bristol City and Norwich.

Hogg initially joined Town as a young player when George Burley signed him from York City’s youth system in 2001 for compensation of £150,000, having won England caps at U15 and U16 levels.

Hogg, who is married to his former boss Burley’s daughter, Lisa, went on to play for the Young Lions’ U18s and U19s during his time at Town, although he never made a senior appearance for the Blues.

Ex-Town skipper and coach Tony Mowbray took him to Hibernian in 2005 and Hogg spent six years with the Edinburgh club, including a spell as captain.

The central defender returned to the Town academy when he hung up his boots after leaving Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2013, working his way up the age groups before assisting Alan Lee with the U18s and then Gerard Nash with the U23s.

Middlesbrough-born Hogg assisted Bryan Klug during his spells as Town caretaker-boss in 2018 and briefly worked with the first team during Paul Hurst's time in charge. He left the Blues to move to Newcastle as their U23s coach in February 2020.

Hogg has signed a two-year deal at Northampton, who sacked former boss Kevin Nolan in March, and will be assisted by Doig, who was previously in the same role under Hurst at Town and elsewhere.

“I am delighted to be named as the new manager of Northampton Town Football Club,” Hogg said
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“From the first conversations with Colin [Calderwood, technical director] and [chief executive] James [Whiting], and then with [chairman] Kelvin [Thomas], I gained a great feel for the potential of the role, and what I believe we can achieve together.



“The work has already started to try and deliver a successful season. The teams I have coached in the past have placed great value on possession of the ball, to dominate opponents, and I still value those traits, 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. We want fans to show up in their numbers and see a team that fights, that plays with purpose, to attack and entertain, but also has the much needed adaptability to be hard to beat and successful in the coming season and beyond.
 

“I am looking forward to meeting everyone. I can’t wait to get started with the players. We know we have a lot of work to do, but I will work tirelessly for the club and for the community.

“I know how important this football club is to so many people, and if we all pull together – fans, players, staff, everyone – I know we can put smiles back on faces and do something special. Shoe Army!”

Chairman Thomas added: “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 about Chris.

“People who have worked with him and who have come across him have spoken very highly of Chris and how they expect him to go on and become a successful manager.

“We undertook a very detailed and thorough recruitment process and spoke to different types of managers, including some candidates who are in employment elsewhere, but we believe Chris is an excellent choice for us.

“Chris is a leader, someone who commands respect and a very good communicator. He has a lot of attributes a good manager needs.

“In terms of Chris Doig, he is a very popular and well-respected figure following his time as a player with the club and he has gone on to become an experienced coach. We welcome Chris and Chris to the club."

Calderwood added: “Chris Hogg comes with an outstanding reputation within the game and some top class references. He is a bright, young inventive, driven and focused individual who is ready to become a manager and who has a much broader experience of the game than many his age.

“He has an excellent body of work behind him, he has not often been at the forefront of that work publicly because of the roles he has had but he is recognised and highly respected within the game.

“I know, from being in opposition, his teams are always well organised, disciplined, hard working, structured and most importantly, that have been dangerous going forward and posed an attacking threat.

“He may have taken a different journey to become a manager than others but that groundwork can only help him moving forward. 

“Chris has done his homework. He has done a thorough analysis on the club and on this group of players, what we have and what we need and he is very clear on that. He has some outstanding ideas and a lot of energy to help take us forward.

“His assistant is someone I know from his playing days. They have formed an excellent relationship from coaching courses and their time together at Ipswich and Chris Hogg was very keen to bring Chris Doig with him and we are pleased to have agreed a compensation package with Boston United to allow that to happen.”

Photo: Action Images via Reuters