An update from Huddersfield Town Chief Executive Mark Devlin for November 2021
- An update from the Huddersfield Town Board
- Chief Executive Mark Devlin issues this month’s article
- CEO issues full Club update, including on Half Season Cards
Thank you for taking the time to read the latest update from the Board of Directors.
Over the last fortnight, I have met our ‘All Together Town’ fan panel, which includes representatives from the Huddersfield Town Supporters Association alongside other supporters, and the Disabled Supporters Club. These meetings came on the back of the news that some of our Chairman Phil Hodgkinson’s businesses sadly fell into administration.
I fully understand how this news could unnerve supporters, so it’s important for me to clarify that it really is business as usual at the Club. As you may now have read, our 25% shareholder Dean Hoyle covered our funding liabilities in October and has committed to continue doing so as we move forward. The Club is in a good position, both on and off the pitch, and we’re determined to keep moving forward after our positive start to the season.
There’s genuinely nothing more I can add to that right now, but what I will do is update you on any further developments as we go. All I can do now is reiterate that the football club is in a good place, on and off the field, and that our full focus is on supporting Carlos and the team ahead of Saturday’s important Sky Bet Championship game against West Bromwich Albion.
With things going well on the pitch in the first few months of the season, we’ve launched two ticketing initiatives and I sincerely hope that we see more fans returning and joining us on our journey.
Today we will launch our Half Season Cards, which kick in from the home game with Blackpool on Boxing Day. If you’ve been coming to a few games and plan to come to more as the season progresses, they represent great savings for you. Equally, it’s a great way of securing your favourite seat for the rest of the campaign. If you’re interested, please visit htafc.com/tickets for more info, or drop into the Ticket Office at the end of the game and our staff will help you.
It’s also vital that we attract fans of the future to the game, and I cannot wait for ‘Der Kindertag’ when we host Middlesbrough here on Saturday 27 November. Tickets for all Under-18s are just £1, and I’m delighted to say are selling really well, so we’re hoping to see a massive crowd in for the game. As well as discounted entry, there will also be loads for the younger members of your family to do on the day, from face painting to balloon modelling and games – including FIFA on our Playstations – in our new activity zone outside the CORE Stand. Please help us spread the word about this and help us attract new fans to the Club!
I’ve been really encouraged by the take-up of our new hospitality offerings, which have been revamped for the new season. They’re proving very popular with fans and businesses – so much so that our live Sky Sports game against Coventry City in December is already sold out in some areas. There is also very limited availability for the Middlesbrough game on Saturday 27 November, so please book as early as possible. There’s something to suit every fan, with some fantastic food and great guests to listen to. I’m also delighted to report that you can now book your package online via htafc.com/tickets, just as you can with a ticket in the stand. Our team is also happy to take your call if you want to learn more.
Finally, we’re using Saturday’s game at home to West Bromwich Albion to support National Safeguarding Weekend, a new initiative from the Football Association. Football will come together to promote the importance of safeguarding in the game we all love. It’s the start of an ongoing campaign called ‘Play Safe’, which will also surface at other relevant moments across this and the next two seasons, such as Safer Internet Day, Parents in Sport Week and Anti-Bullying Week 2022/23. Play Safe is being run in partnership with the NSPCC and has support right across the men’s and women’s professional game and County FAs. It’s clearly a massively important campaign, and we’re proud to play our part.
Thanks again for reading, and I hope to see a lot of you at the John Smith’s Stadium this weekend.
Mark Devlin
Chief Executive
Huddersfield Town
