Northampton Town have confirmed the departures of Mitch Pinnock and Aaron McGowan after the pair opted not to renew their contracts.

Both Pinnock and McGowan had been out of contract with the Cobblers at the end of the 2024/25 season and both had been offered new deals to stay at Sixfields.

But Northampton revealed that the duo will depart the club, with the pair leaving after 4 years at the club.

Pinnock and McGowan joined Northampton at the same time, with both leaving Kilmarnock in 2021 to move to Northampton.

30-year-old midfielder Pinnock had played every game for the Cobblers last season, having been voted Men’s Player of the Season. He leaves with a record of 25 goals in 200 appearances in all competitions.

Speaking to the official Northampton Town website, manager Kevin Nolan said a deal couldn’t be reached and he offered his best wishes to Pinnock.

He said, “Mitch had a fantastic season, he played every week but we haven’t been able to reach an agreement. He agreed we made him a fantastic offer but for family reasons he will be heading closer to home. Family is a big part of any decision and if you get something that suits you better closer to home it is a big pull and he leaves with our best wishes. He has been a fantastic servant to the club and we wish him well. We part on good terms.”

Meanwhile, defender McGowan leaves after his own 4 year spell with Northampton. He made 131 appearances in all competitions, including 35 league appearances in the just concluded season.

Nolan said that McGowan’s primary desire had been to relocate to a club closer to his wife and child, who are based in Liverpool, and Nolan said he accepted his reason why.

He said, “I spoke with Aaron and he was brilliant for us. His wife and newborn live in Liverpool and having spoken with his family it will be a lot to take on a new contract with us and it would make it 6 years away from his family if he was to stay here. He said the offer we made was really good but at this stage of his life he wants to be somewhere where he can go home every night to see his family grow up and I fully understand that.”

Reflecting on the loss of both players, Nolan said, “With both players it is nothing to do with the club or the offers, it is location and we part on excellent terms and wish both players all the very best and I can’t thank either player enough and those lads know they can pick up the phone to me any time if they need anything.”

Northampton have previously announced that club captain Jon Guthrie has opted to extend his contract at Sixfields, while they have also made their first three new signings ahead of next season after signing Jack Perkins, Jack Burroughs and Kamarai Swyer.

More signings are expected, with Nolan saying behind-the-scenes discussions on recruiting new players ahead of next season are ongoing.

He said, “I am really happy with where we are at the moment. We have recruitment meetings most days and we have more meetings lined up with players and agents. We are ready to keep moving forward and the most important thing is bringing players in who want to be with us and be part of who we are and what we are.”

Milton Keynes City Council have revealed plans for events marking what they are designating as Tech Week later this year.

Organised by Milton Keynes City Council, the event in September is intended to build on last year’s Artificial Intelligence Festival, which attracted more than 2,000 attendees.

MK City Council said, “This year, the programme is even bigger, offering a week of hands-on tech experiences, inspiring speakers and opportunities for people to engage with current and future technologies.”

The week starts at Bletchley Park, the historic site which also hosted the first-ever Global AI Summit, setting the scene for a city-wide series of events. From AI in everyday life to the future of adult learning, motorsport, robotics and a Dragons’ Den-style pitch event with local investors, Milton Keynes Tech Week 2025 is intended to show potential futuristic innovations.

Some of the UK’s leading names in tech and innovation will be taking part, such as Red Bull Racing and Technologies, Santander UK, His Majesty’s Government Communications Centre (HMGCC) and The Open University. They’ll join exciting new tech businesses and industry experts.

A major part of the week will be the Smart City Robotics Competition, held in centre:MK, where university teams from across Europe will put their robotics and programming skills to the test in real-world challenges such as delivering coffee, assisting in homes, packing goods, and flying drones.

The City Council added, “Milton Keynes is one of the fastest-growing cities in the UK, recognised for its unique urban design and thriving tech scene. With an economy worth £13.3 billion+ annually and more than 2,400 tech businesses generating £3.4 billion in GVA (2022), it’s no surprise that one in three local jobs is in the tech sector.

“The city council’s five-year strategy for tech, smart city innovation, digital, and creative industries launched in 2024 continues to drive growth and reinforce MK’s role as a national leader in the field.”

Headline partners include: The Open University, Santander and Cranfield University. Supporting partners include: British Business Bank, HAYS, Smart City Consultancy, Bletchley Park, HMGCC, and Aiimi.

Cabinet Member for Planning and Placemaking, Cllr Shanika Mahendran, said, “Milton Keynes Tech Week 2025 is a celebration of how far we have come as a city and where we’re headed. The week will highlight our reputation as a national centre of excellence for technology and AI while also inspiring the next generation of innovators to shape our future. Whether you’re a student, an entrepreneur, or just curious about what the future holds, there’s something for everyone.”

Professor of Knowledge Technologies at The Open University, Enrico Motta, added, “For over a decade, The Open University and MK City Council have been working together to progress innovation in Milton Keynes and I am very pleased that MK Tech Week will provide us with another exciting collaboration opportunity. This promises to be a brilliant event and another great showcase for a city that continues to be at the forefront of innovation.”

Northampton Town have announced the signings of Jack Burroughs and Kamarai Swyer.

The League One club have signed Burroughs on a 2-year deal after his release by Coventry City and Swyer on a 2-year deal after his exit from West Ham United.

The moves mean the Cobblers have made a trio of new signings ahead of the 2025/26 season, having previously signed midfielder Jack Perkins from Nottingham Forest.

Defender Burroughs, who can play as a full-back or in midfield, signs after previously representing the Cobblers’ one-time tenants Coventry City.

The 24-year-old has previous League One experience after a loan spell with Lincoln City, while he also has top flight experience in Scotland after loan spells with Ross County and Kilmarnock. He also has received caps from the Scotland national team at levels up to the under-21 team.

Northampton Manager Kevin Nolan told the club’s official website of his delight to bring Burroughs to the club.

He said, “Jack is a player we’ve admired for a while and this is a signing we are very pleased to make. He has qualities that fit with what we are looking for. He brings pace and athleticism, versatility, he is good on the ball and has a very good attitude. We believe he’ll be a valuable addition to our squad and we believe he can have an impact here.

“While he is mainly a right back or right wing back, he can also play on the left side or in midfield too and from our meetings with him, his determination and ambition to do well here was clear. We think he is a good age and has a good range of experience of playing in the Championship, in a side that were battling at the top of League One and in Scotland and in European competition too.”

Meanwhile, 20-year-old attacking midfielder and striker Swyer will join the club after being released by West Ham United.

Swyer has previously worked with Nolan, who spent time as a first team coach with the Premier League side during David Moyes’ second spell in charge at the London Stadium.

The winger spent time last season on loan in League One with Crawley Town.

On Swyer, Nolan said, “Kamarai is a talented young player with huge potential, who I have worked with before so I know all about him. He’s hungry, technically gifted, he takes people on and is a good athlete who is a good size and has an excellent attitude.

“We’re excited to welcome him to the squad and look forward to working with him and to see him develop with us over the next two years.

“We think we are getting him at a good time. He is on an upward curve, he had a standout season in Premier League 2 last season, with eight goals and ten assists, the most number of goal involvements for any West Ham player.

Police are appealing for witnesses to an incident of grievous bodily harm at a music festival in Milton Keynes.

The incident happened between 9pm and 9.30pm on Saturday (24/5) at the Sidewinder festival, which was being held at the Marshall Arena adjacent to the MK Dons stadium in the Denbigh area of the city.

The victim, a man in his teens, was at the event when he was seriously assaulted by an unknown man. He sustained serious injuries to his cheek bone and eye socket, which required hospital treatment.

A second person sustained minor injuries to their face which also required hospital treatment. Both have since been discharged.

Thames Valley Police revealed that two mobile phones were stolen in the incident.

Investigating officer DC Jessica Cooper said, “I am appealing to anybody who may have witnessed this incident to please contact Thames Valley Police.

“This was a serious assault which took place near to the smoking area at the Sidewinder music festival and the area will have been busy at the time. I believe a number of people will have seen what happened and may have information to assist our investigation.

“You can contact us online or by calling 101, quoting reference 43250256941.

“Alternatively, for anonymity, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”