Huddersfield Giants

[Blind side johnny]

3 hours ago, Bulls2487 said:

Kevin Nagle owns 80% of the stadium now.

Kirklees Council gave up/sold the 40% they had

Huddersfield Giants always owned 20%. If they move Nagle may want to purchase this and can be used for renovation of the Shay.

 

KN has always said that his ambition is to own the whole of the stadium as he believes this will give him the best opportunity for commercial developments in building the soccer club.

Playing at the John Smith stadium is very expensive for the Giants.

[The Blues Ox]

41 minutes ago, fieldofclothofgold said:

I'm of the opinion that Halfax has more RL potential than Huddersfield.  That's not a slight at Huddersfield it's just an observation . 

Im biased but I agree with this, the Halifax area produces a ton more talent than Huddersfield and ironically most of it ends up at Huddersfield.

7 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

There are many places.

Which ones? A lot have already been ruled out havnt they?

[Gooleboy]

1 hour ago, The Future is League said:

West Yorkshire Blue Giants 

Halifield Pants has a ring to it!

[Blind side johnny]

22 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

Which ones? A lot have already been ruled out havnt they?

You said there weren't any. There are plenty of places where a ground could be built but I don't intend to do the research. All along the Leeds Rd as far as Cooper Bridge, for example. Large areas within the Colne and Holme Valleys. Large vacant spaces alongside the M62.

There are plenty. How attractive or viable, I don't know, but I do know that they are actively being pursued and that the interest by KD in merging the clubs is nil. When the new ground is eventually ready the plan is to sell or gift the Shay to the current incumbents.

Nobody has yet mentioned that Halifax Town, or whatever they currently call themselves, have yet too indicate anything but opposition to the scheme. They seem to think that Calderdale should continue paying their bills. (I presume, correctly or otherwise, that Halifax RLFC have now paid all of their back rent etc on the ground.)

Edited January 10 by Blind side johnny

[Worzel]

25 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

Well, you are miles out on most of your speculation so somebody should take your bet. (I don't bet)

Do you know how much it is costing Huddersfield to use the John Smiths Stadium?

Do you know which sites are/have been investigated and evaluated for development?

Do you live inside Ken Davy's mind?

You really have no idea.

Whatever the cost of John Smiths is, it won't be as bad as the cost of "buying" a liability in Halifax, spending £2m+ of refurb costs on that stadium, subsidising travel from Hudds for 3+ years and the risk of loss of some home support who won't travel the 30 mins to another town.

I don't need to see inside Ken Davy's mind, I can add up the numbers myself. The only rationale for this move is if he intends to stay there. 

[-Trinity-]

They could go full circle...

 

 

[The Blues Ox]

27 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

You said there weren't any. There are plenty of places where a ground could be built but I don't intend tom do the research. All along the Leeds Rd as far as Cooper Bridge, for example. Large areas within the Colne and Holme Valleys. Large vacant spaces alongside the M62.

There are plenty. How attractive or viable, I don't know, but I do know that they are actively being pursued and that the interest by KD in merging the clubs is nil. When the new ground is eventually ready the plan is to sell or gift the Shay to the current incumbents.

Nobody has yet mentioned that Halifax Town, or whatever they currently call themselves, have yet too indicate anything but opposition to the scheme. They seem to think that Calderdale should continue paying their bills. (I presume, correctly or otherwise, that Halifax RLFC have now paid all of their back rent etc on the ground.)

I know of some places that Ken Davy has said have been ruled out and I trust he knows what he is talking about. Like you say though, the places you mention you have no idea of how attractive or viable they are and the way you were talking I thought you must know something.

Halifax Town backed the scheme, its been in all the press releases, maybe you just missed that part. Halifax have a longterm payment plan for their rent arrears, unless they have come in to money its hard to imagine they paid it off isnt it?

[LeytherRob]

12 minutes ago, Worzel said:

Whatever the cost of John Smiths is, it won't be as bad as the cost of "buying" a liability in Halifax, spending £2m+ of refurb costs on that stadium, subsidising travel from Hudds for 3+ years and the risk of loss of some home support who won't travel the 30 mins to another town.

I don't need to see inside Ken Davy's mind, I can add up the numbers myself. The only rationale for this move is if he intends to stay there. 

Even with the best intentions it takes the best part of a decade to get a new stadium built, by that point is it even worth going back to Huddersfield to essentially start from scratch again?

[Worzel]

10 minutes ago, LeytherRob said:

Even with the best intentions it takes the best part of a decade to get a new stadium built, by that point is it even worth going back to Huddersfield to essentially start from scratch again?

Precisely. It just isn't going to happen. Ken Davy is in his eighties, I believe he's genuinely tried to get a new stadium in Hudds to enable him to leave a sustainable platform behind, has now realised he's finally exhausted all efforts and is doing the right thing by the club of implementing the only viable Plan B. It's to be respected. 

[Toby Chopra]

5 minutes ago, Worzel said:

Precisely. It just isn't going to happen. Ken Davy is in his eighties, I believe he's genuinely tried to get a new stadium in Hudds to enable him to leave a sustainable platform behind, has now realised he's finally exhausted all efforts and is doing the right thing by the club of implementing the only viable Plan B. It's to be respected. 

But ultimately, whatever the club is badged or named in future, doesn't it bring an end professional rugby league in Huddersfield? Surely Ken doesn't want that?      

[Worzel]

11 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

But ultimately, whatever the club is badged or named in future, doesn't it bring an end professional rugby league in Huddersfield? Surely Ken doesn't want that?      

Life is full of choices between the less-than-perfect and the slightly-worse though eh? What Ken wants in an ideal world isn't relevant if it can't be achieved. Keeping the club alive in some form and based only 8 miles away is far, far better than the club either dying or finding it's otherwise natural level without him (which let's be honest could be Championship at best). 

[Just Browny]

1 hour ago, Blind side johnny said:

Nobody has yet mentioned that Halifax Town, or whatever they currently call themselves, have yet too indicate anything but opposition to the scheme. They seem to think that Calderdale should continue paying their bills. (I presume, correctly or otherwise, that Halifax RLFC have now paid all of their back rent etc on the ground.)

David Bosomworth, Chairman of FC Halifax Town, said:

“News of potential significant investment in the Shay Stadium is very encouraging. Over the course of the next two months until the appropriate Cabinet meeting in March, it is expected more detailed discussions will take place when clarity on any proposals allows decisions to be made.

“Investment during these difficult financial times is hopefully a good news story for the Council, the two Halifax Clubs and the community as a whole.”

[Agbrigg]

1 hour ago, Worzel said:

Life is full of choices between the less-than-perfect and the slightly-worse though eh? What Ken wants in an ideal world isn't relevant if it can't be achieved. Keeping the club alive in some form and based only 8 miles away is far, far better than the club either dying or finding it's otherwise natural level without him (which let's be honest could be Championship at best). 

Correct Ken had no problem with last merger his club was involved in . The last club that 'merged' with his club was much further away than Halifax

[daz39]

23 hours ago, PREPOSTEROUS said:

Truly bizarre, can't see how this improves Hudderfield in any way, yes it's a smaller stadium where 4-5k crowds won't look as bad as they do at the Goatfarm, but are they likely to get even that playing in another town?

It secures our SL future while allowing us to build a new stadium, Ken will have something in place to buy it cheap, sell it for more and hopefully using any profit to strengthen his club.

 

[LeytherRob]

8 minutes ago, Agbrigg said:

Correct Ken had no problem with last merger his club was involved in . The last club that 'merged' with his club was much further away than Halifax

True although I suspect it will be a little harder to just crack on with the Huddersfield name if they are based in Fax full time

[daz39]

23 hours ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

Can someone explain to me as too why Hudds won't get permission to build a new ground in Huddersfield? That seems weird and bizarre.

There are no available appropriate sites, the ones that were looked at were deemed unsuitable in the end.

[daz39]

22 hours ago, Just Browny said:

Wow. I saw this being tweeted by Gledhill earlier and assumed it was made up. It really seems confusing on a number of levels for Huddersfield to spend a load of money on upgrading a stadium in another town for a short term stay. But if they're serious and are willing to pay, Calderdale will surely bite their hand off.

Huddersfield aren't, Ken Davy is.

If Ken thinks there's a chance of this being a good deal then i've no doubt it will be, he's a shrewd, wise businessman, he wouldn't have thought about this if it didn't have benefits in the long run.

[LeytherRob]

1 minute ago, daz39 said:

It secures our SL future while allowing us to build a new stadium, Ken will have something in place to buy it cheap, sell it for more and hopefully using any profit to strengthen his club.

 

Who would want to buy it for more though? Regardless of any upgrades, the 2 tenants would be a non league football club and a championship RL club, both of which have been in financial difficulties with very modest followings, doesn’t exactly scream ‘good investment’.

 

 

[daz39]

13 hours ago, The Future is League said:

What's the situation with the old fartown ground nowadays?

Part of it is privately owned, the rest of it was looked at as a potential site but the infrastructure and footprint size meant it wasn't viable for a 7,000 minimum capacity stadium.

[Just Browny]

5 minutes ago, daz39 said:

Huddersfield aren't, Ken Davy is.

If Ken thinks there's a chance of this being a good deal then i've no doubt it will be, he's a shrewd, wise businessman, he wouldn't have thought about this if it didn't have benefits in the long run.

Oh yes I'm sure the financial returns on his expenditure on the Giants are just around the corner!

Jokes aside I'd be delighted at any plan that secured the long term future of both Huddersfield and Halifax. I find a merger difficult to imagine and I don't see who benefits from one.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

3 hours ago, daz39 said:

Huddersfield aren't, Ken Davy is.

If Ken thinks there's a chance of this being a good deal then i've no doubt it will be, he's a shrewd, wise businessman, he wouldn't have thought about this if it didn't have benefits in the long run.

Out of curiosity, what would your preference be? Stay where you are or move to Halifax?

[Hopping Mad]

5 hours ago, Just Browny said:

David Bosomworth, Chairman of FC Halifax Town, said:

“News of potential significant investment in the Shay Stadium is very encouraging. Over the course of the next two months until the appropriate Cabinet meeting in March, it is expected more detailed discussions will take place when clarity on any proposals allows decisions to be made.

“Investment during these difficult financial times is hopefully a good news story for the Council, the two Halifax Clubs and the community as a whole.”

Got to laugh at David Bosomworth's reference to "difficult financial times". This is an owner who invests no more than is required simply to fulfil the fixtures, and appears to have little interest in growing the crowds of FC Halifax Town, whose average has dropped, season on season, since COVID. 1,817 is FCHT's 2024-25 average. 2023-24, 1,946; 2022-23, 2,192; 2021-22, 2,284. Bosomworth will love, love, love the idea of Ken Davy footing the bill to breathe life into the crumbling, inadequate Shay.

Edited January 9 by Hopping Mad

[The Blues Ox]

10 hours ago, Hopping Mad said:

Got to laugh at David Bosomworth's reference to "difficult financial times". This is an owner who invests no more than is required simply to fulfil the fixtures, and appears to have little interest in growing the crowds of FC Halifax Town, whose average has dropped, season on season, since COVID. 1,817 is FCHT's 2024-25 average. 2023-24, 1,946; 2022-23, 2,192; 2021-22, 2,284. Bosomworth will love, love, love the idea of Ken Davy footing the bill to breathe life into the crumbling, inadequate Shay.

Looking at the accounts theres a good chance that Bosomworth has been covering quite a large shortfall. I know that is what normally happens with most teams but things he has said suggest he might be getting bored of doing that and a lot of Town fans want him out. I do think they should be careful what they wish for as the grass is not always greener.

[Harry Stottle]

On 08/01/2025 at 18:19, Damien said:

On a number of levels this makes sense and it's the opportunity to get a tidy stadium for relatively little.

The trouble is I can well see this becoming a permanent move and no stadium in Huddersfield being built.

And a merger somewhere down the line?

PS late to the thread see that it has been mentioned quite a lot as I worked through down the thread.

Edited January 10 by Harry Stottle

[Harry Stottle]

On 08/01/2025 at 19:59, Agbrigg said:

Yes I would also expect if Ken backed it financially to the same level as Huddersfield, the fan base in Halifax would rapidly grow bigger than anything that could be achieved in Huddersfield.

How so Aggers, or you intimating Fax fans would go to watch the Giants?

Not so long ago when Wigan were having trouble with their occupancy of the DW it was suggested that they may play their home games at the Leigh Sports Village, I doubt many Leigh fans would have made the transition to supporting the Warriors.