When Colchester United make the relatively short trip to Northampton Town on Saturday lunchtime, there will be more than League Two points connecting the two clubs.

Only a matter of months ago, Sports Alpha Capital were discussing the possibility of buying the U’s.

Former AC Milan, Chelsea and Brazil striker Alexandre Pato visited the JobServe Community Stadium in January, watching Colchester beat Fleetwood Town 2-1 as a guest of owner Robbie Cowling alongside other members of the investment group.

SAC manager João Xavier subsequently joined U’s supporters in the away end at Crewe Alexandra as the possibility of a deal continued to generate plenty of excitement around the club.

Those discussions ultimately came to nothing, with Colchester and SAC announcing in February that their talks had ended without an agreement.

But SAC did not abandon their ambition of buying an English football club.

Flashback - Sports Alpha Capital's Alexandre Pato (centre) and Joao Xavier (right) at the JobServe Community Stadium in January, watching Colchester beat Fleetwood Town 2-1 (Image: Richard Blaxall)

Instead, they eventually turned their attention towards Northampton and, on September 30, completed the purchase of a 70 per cent shareholding in Northampton Town Ventures Limited, the company holding the majority of shares in the Cobblers.

Existing owners David Bower, Nigel Le Quesne and Kelvin Thomas retained a combined 30 per cent stake.

Pato has gone from being the glamorous face of a possible Colchester takeover to joining Northampton's board as a director, while SAC figures João Xavier and Tim Chamberlain became the Cobblers' co-chairmen.

It provides an intriguing backdrop to Saturday's meeting at Sixfields.

For Colchester supporters travelling to Northampton, it will offer a first close-up glimpse of the alternative future which briefly appeared possible earlier this year.

The prospect of Pato becoming involved with the U’s initially seemed almost surreal.

The 27-cap Brazil international had played for some of the biggest names in world football and his appearance at Colchester's game against Fleetwood immediately thrust the club into an unusual spotlight.

For a brief period, the possibility of the former Milan striker and SAC becoming part of Colchester's future was very real.

At the helm - Colchester United owner and chairman Robbie Cowling (Image: Richard Blaxall)

But Mr Cowling later appeared to play down just how far the discussions had actually progressed.

Speaking at a supporters' forum in April, the U's owner revealed that SAC had submitted a serious offer and said it had exceeded his initial expectations.

Yet no agreement was reached and the two parties went their separate ways.

Perhaps most intriguingly, Mr Cowling predicted what might happen next.

Discussing the Brazilian consortium after negotiations had finished, he indicated that he believed they would buy another EFL club.

That club turned out to be Northampton.

SAC's takeover leaves the Cobblers debt-free, while the group's new leadership has outlined what it described as ambitious but sustainable plans for the club and a long-term commitment to Northampton Town.

For Colchester, meanwhile, the search for Mr Cowling’s successor has continued.

And that makes Saturday more than simply another away fixture.

 It would be stretching things to portray it as an afternoon of regret.

Nobody can know what SAC ownership would ultimately have meant for Colchester, just as it is far too early to judge what their arrival will mean for Northampton.

Football takeovers are not won and lost by the profile of the people involved, nor by the excitement accompanying their arrival.

But the circumstances nevertheless create a fascinating sliding-doors encounter.

Star turn - Alexandre Pato in his Chelsea days (Image: PA)

In January, Pato was standing pitchside in Colchester colours’ territory, alongside Mr Cowling, contemplating the possibility of becoming part of the U’s future.

Nine months later, Colchester head to Sixfields where the former Brazil international is part of the ownership group on the other side.

SAC wanted an opportunity in English football and eventually found one.

Just not at Colchester United.

On Saturday lunchtime, the U’s will get a rather unusual glimpse of how it could have been.