HUDDERSFIELD owner Ken Davy has reaffirmed the club’s intention to build their own stadium in the town “as soon as possible” – but hasn’t ruled out playing matches at The Shay in Halifax.
While Huddersfield Town Football Club are in the process of taking control of the jointly-used John Smith’s Stadium through the acquisition of Kirklees Council’s 40 percent share of the facility, the Giants, who have 20 percent, will remain able to use the 24,000-capacity venue where they have played since it was constructed 30 years ago.
But the Rugby League club is still firmly of the view that the JSS is too large for their purposes, hence the previously stated three-year plan for their own ground which would hold up to 8,000 with the potential for expansion.
Three sites in Huddersfield are reportedly under consideration, and Davy, who has resumed his role as Giants chairman after being executive chairman of Super League, said: “We remain committed to achieving our ambition of building our own stadium of the right size for the club as soon as possible.
“We are looking at our options, and we have held discussions with supporters and sponsors about the facilities they would like to see in a new stadium.
“But with a complex project like this, nothing is straightforward, and clearly we can’t be responsible for the timescales other parties work to.
“It is therefore impossible to give any assurances on the timescale for building our own stadium, however our objective remains the same.”
Asked if The Shay – which holds 14,000, is eight miles from the JSS and which Calderdale Council are looking to sell, was an option – Davy responded: “We have played there before very successfully (three Giants Super League matches took place there in 2011 while the JSS pitch was being relaid).
“Our preference is building our own stadium in Huddersfield, but it would be unwise to rule anything out, and it could perhaps be an interim option.”
Davy, 83, who first became Giants chairman in 1996, and held the same role at Huddersfield Town between 2003 and 2009, said relations between the clubs are good.
“I am a life-president of the football club and watch matches whenever I can, and we (the Giants) have the ability to play at the John Smith’s Stadium in any event,” he explained.
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