HALIFAX PANTHERS chief executive Damian Clayton has responded to Huddersfield Giants owner Ken Davy’s claim that the Super League club could potentially move to The Shay for a short spell amidst plans for a new stadium.
The Giants owner, who has been at the helm for over two decades, has reiterated his stance that Huddersfield needs its own smaller venue, with crowds dwindling below a 5,000 average during the 2024 Super League season.
Davy had told Huddersfield Hub: “We can stay at the John Smith’s Stadium but with crowds between 4,000 and 7,000 we feel we are rattling around in a stadium designed for 24,000. A smaller one would be so much better to generate a real atmosphere.
“So, as fabulous as the John Smith’s Stadium is, we are looking to build a new venue and have been searching for a potential site for three years now.
“We’re exploring various options and are in close contact with Kirklees Council but one potential interim solution would be to go the The Shay Stadium in Halifax. I must stress this is purely speculative at this early stage.”
Though plans are still very much in their infancy, Clayton has responded to Davy’s comments, telling League Express: “There are lots of ‘moving parts’ at the minute, but if proved to be in the best interests and beneficial for Halifax Panthers then I’m sure there is a discussion to be had.”
It seems, therefore, that the Giants could well be given a lifeline by the Panthers if they did find a suitable location to build a new venue.
