By Peter Lodge
June 26 2002

Town director Paul Haigh offers fans a fresh outlook.

"We’re now setting our stall out to build a real future for Huddersfield Town.



"When the new board took control of the club in January we knew we had a mountain to climb. The problems we inherited were even worse than we had imagined.



"We thought at the time that we were losing in excess of £1.2 million a year. But after we analysed the books we actually found we were losing even more. Obviously we couldn’t carry on losing this amount of money. We needed to produce a business plan in which we both increase revenue and reduce costs. A lot of initiatives to boost income are already in place. Now we have to get salaries sorted out.



"The departure of some players and the end of contracts of others has set us on that course. In January we had an annual players wages bill in excess of £4 million , this has now come down to below £3 million. We have cut wages but in reality our wages are still too high for Division 2. We still need to bring in some new players and I believe we should now keep the players wages bill for next season to a realistic figure which will still be one of the highest for this division.



"With this in mind the new contracts we’re offering involving those to any new players our new manager brings in, will be realistically based. They will however have incentives built in; a 20 per-cent increase if promotion is achieved and a 20 per-cent reduction if, god forbid, we were ever to be relegated.



"The new manager will be expected to make use of our talented youngsters, make full use of the increased numbers of loan signings allowed, and also bring in some new faces.



"Our business plan is to reach the position at the end of this coming season where we are actually making a weekly profit rather than a weekly loss. Fans can be assured that although its hard work we are on course. It is a course we can’t afford to deviate from.



"From day one of the takeover our number one priority has been to ensure the club’s survival – something which, must be appreciated, was far from straightforward. In stating the vital need to keep a tight hold on finances it should also be stressed that we’re still determined to regain our place in Division One. Cutting costs and winning promotion at the same time is difficult but by no means impossible.



"The turnover in players since the end of last season and the anticipated arrival of new faces means we will be going through a transitional phase and the new manager will be expected to make things gel fairly quickly.



"It would be wonderful if the club’s 2000 or so floating supporters were prepared to commit themselves to buying season tickets. That would go a long way to helping balance the books.



"We recognise that they, like all Town fans, want to see attractive and winning football. No one can promise both, but it is certainly our aim.



"All of these facts are part of an open, honest dialogue which the board want to maintain with our supporters.



"There is no use pretending that we can make all our inherited problems disappear with a magic wand. It takes a great deal of hard work, a realistic business plan and the determination to succeed.



"It is really a team effort, on and off the field. The two work hand in hand. Success on the pitch generates income. Good business practice behind the scenes enables the management, coaching and playing staff to function better and more flexibly.



"I’m confident, from the number of applications we received for the managers job, the excellent short list we drew up, and the detailed interviews now taking place, that we will soon have the right man in charge.



"In recent times Town have been at their lowest ebb. I firmly believe the pendulum is now moving in the other direction.



"Rest assured the directors are committed to laying the right foundations to secure a long term successful future for our beloved Huddersfield Town."