The Chairman comments
Huddersfield Town Chairman Dean Hoyle has commented on the release of 2015/16 Season Card information this morning.
For full 2015/16 Season Card information, click HERE
As I write, this season has been our best in the Championship so far with me as Chairman; the Club is progressing encouragingly and with Chris Powell in charge, hopefully the team will finish on a high. We are targeting our highest finish in the Championship for a long time. There were a lot of outgoings in the last transfer window but we still have excellent competition for places, whilst the outgoings will also give the opportunity for summer additions and for our developing Academy players to make a mark on the First Team.
Last season I explained that the Club’s aim is to reach the Premier League by improving year on year in a stable and sustainable way. We are on course to move forward again this season. We have a strong ambition but will not risk the Club’s future in a gamble to get there.
To help us compete in the Championship on the pitch, we need to be financially competitive off it. I will continue to support and subsidise losses, but a price increase to Season Cards is unavoidable. We have kept the general increase to broadly 5% across the board, which still gives big savings on match day prices. Some concession prices increased to reflect the Stadium rental arrangements. The Club is once again offering the opportunity to pay over 10 months interest-free for a limited period subsidised by the Club at £20 per application. We have also simplified the match categories.
For the first time, we have detailed where your Season Card cash goes:
The 2015/16 season is going to see a change that supporters have been asking for since the Stadium opened. A minimum of 1,200 Town supporters will be able to be housed behind the goal in the Chadwick Lawrence South Stand, creating a proper covered ‘Home End’. This means for the first time home supporters will be able to purchase Season Cards in that stand! However, on the occasions that the away following is over 2,500, home fans will be required to move out. In my view, this is a small concession for the chance to have fans routinely behind the goal. We hope that the great work carried out by the North Stand Loyal group will continue in the South Stand and that you will raise the roof supporting the team. Over to you!
As you can appreciate, from a financial perspective we can leave no stone unturned. This means tough decisions and new things must be tried. In order to increase club income, we have secured the option to house away fans in the south end of the Britannia Rescue Stand on rare occasions where away ticket demand is in excess of 4,000. As a result I am asking Season Card holders in the Britannia Rescue South (blocks 6-9) to support this and be prepared to relocate if required by the Club. This will help generate much needed additional cash in order for the Club to progress. I expect it would be rare, but it is an option we must have available. I understand this may disappoint some, but it is a course of action that would help the Club.
The Season Card campaign is based on you ‘Signing Up’ to the Club – to be our twelfth man and make a difference. I hope that you will sign up in numbers for what promises to be another exciting season. I believe a stable management team, a further year’s Championship experience and an improving squad will continue to take us forward.
We need your support and we value every fan who gets behind us. I hope you will #SignForTown in 2015/16.
Thank you for your support.
Dean Hoyle
Chairman
