How did a team which spent two seasons in the Premier League, from 2017 to 2019, find themselves in English football’s third tier after a miserable campaign that saw them finish second from bottom?
In July 2023, American businessman Kevin Nagle completed his
takeover of Huddersfield, buying all of British retailer Dean Hoyle’s shares
and ending the Card Factory tycoon’s 14-year spell as owner.
That period had seen the Yorkshire club go through plenty of
change. The team had risen back into the top flight for the first time in 45
years and, in 2017-18, retained their status under David Wagner with notable
wins against Manchester United, Newcastle United and Crystal
Palace along the way. Life proved far harder the following year and they
finished bottom to return from whence they had come.
On May 13, Michael Duff became Huddersfield’s sixth
permanent manager since July 2022. The former Swansea City boss is charged with
leading their journey back into the Championship.
It may not be easy. “It is going to be tough for them,” says
the source close to the first-team setup. “When you’re in League One, it is
tough to bring in the right players to get back into the Championship. They
will find out who wants to stay; there are players looking to get out of
there.”
The owner plans to
continue putting money into the club: swallowing the cost of not increasing the
season ticket prices, signing new players, and making improvements to their
24,500-capacity stadium. He is also
hoping to become the ground’s outright owner — the club currently shares
ownership with Huddersfield Giants Rugby League club and the local council —
and is planning infrastructure improvements to both the ground and their
training facility.
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