Huddersfield Town owner Kevin Nagle says there is “no question” that the club’s aim for next season is to secure an immediate return to the Championship.
The Terriers are tasked with righting the wrongs of last term, where the club’s five-year stay in the second tier was brought to a disappointing end.
Following their relegation, Town have been installed as one of the bookies’ favourites to be promoted from League One next season, with only Birmingham City being given shorter odds than the Terriers to go up.
As one of the three teams dropping into the third tier, Nagle has made it clear to all involved that he wants the club to be promoted back out of the division at the first attempt.
Asked what he would consider to be success for next year in his diary on X, the owner replied: “Get back in the Championship league, there’s just no question about it. That’s our goal. Michael (Duff) knows it, Jake (Edwards) knows it, Mark (Cartwright) knows it. Really the entire staff, they know it.
“It won’t be easy, but we’re going to drive for it. There’s a pretty grand plan.
“This is the year we’re going to come back. I feel very good about Michael Duff, I feel very good about Jake, I feel very good about Mark. Judge us this year.
“We have to be patient, it’s all about humble pie. My kids get it, they read social media, they had a chance to see the criticism we took this year. I tell them ‘just sit tight, we’re going to be fine’.
“I feel we’re going to start coming back this next year. It’s really one game and match at a time. The proof’s going to be in the pudding.”
Nagle added that he has a longer-term ambition of leading the Terriers back to the top flight during his time at the helm, but the owner is keen not to look too far ahead, with the club immediately tasked with steering the ship in the right direction.
Asked what would be considered a success for his tenure, Nagle said: “That’s a big question, I haven’t even thought about that candidly. If I were just to say off the top of my head, we’d be in the Premier League and be a competitor in the Premier League.
“It’s one thing to get there, it’s another thing to stay there. Right now, I’m really focused on ‘we’re in League One, we need to get back to the Championship’.”
With the exception of the 2021/22 campaign that resulted in the Terriers reaching the play-off final, it has been a tough few years for the club, who finished 18th twice, as well as 20th, prior to last season’s second from bottom standing.
The Terriers were unable to stave off the drop despite Nagle’s takeover of the club last summer, with Town going on to win just nine games all season, and the owner is intent on meeting expectations this time around.
“I don’t have any regrets. Have I had some disappointing moments? Of course. We had a lot of Saturdays where we were really bummed out,” Nagle said.
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