Club plays to win for firms as it takes on the world

However, when Huddersfield Town began looking to the Far East, its directors were clear that they did not simply want to sell a few shirts to Chinese children or steal fans from local clubs.

Instead, what they were looking for was a mutually beneficial arrangement which would also bring a boost to businesses in the Huddersfield area.

The club’s commercial director, Sean Jarvis, said: “It really started some two years ago. We considered how we could take the Huddersfield Town brand to new markets.

“We did a lot of research for a year or so on what other clubs were doing at the time, including Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and other clubs that have entered into foreign markets, such as Sheffield United. Leeds had a foray into international markets at some point too.

“We looked at how they had achieved what they did and we brought all that to the table and looked at our core ethos: community, business and football. We decided to come up with an international programme where we could take those three elements to whichever territory we chose around the world.”

During the planning process, Huddersfield firm Fired Up came forward to talk about the possibility of working with the football club.

“Fired Up had a base in China so we went there,” said Mr Jarvis.

“They caught our grass roots football ethos. They also caught the idea of taking some of the businesses involved with us over to China with Fired Up to see how business operates over there.

“I think sometimes the problem is, when organisations go to the government bodies, they tend to go in big groups and see the banks.

“We’ve taken businesses and demonstrated how one of their own has developed and what they have gone through.”

A business delegation from Huddersfield went out to southern China in April and visited factories, businesses and government officials.

One of those involved was Andy Needham, who owns three businesses in the Huddersfield area – Morris & Sons, Stockleys Sweets and Approved Food. He is a Huddersfield Town fan and his businesses have supported the club for many years, but he admits to being sceptical to begin with.

“I looked at it and didn’t do much more about it,” he said.

“As it got closer, I thought it could be a good opportunity to see what China is about. Two of my businesses import from China but we’ve done it through partners. With Stockleys Sweets, we’re exporting quite extensively but not to China.”

As well as being impressed with the development and entrepreneurship he saw in China, Mr Needham found there were opportunities for his own businesses. Just a few months later, he has a member of staff in China actively looking to bring supplies back to the UK, while back at home the sales and marketing manager of Stockleys Sweets is working to finalise details with potential clients he met on the trip.

Both he and Mr Jarvis believe there is a lot of potential in exporting British brands to China.

“There’s a real appetite for good quality British brands,” said Mr Jarvis. “China does have that reputation of imitating, but it feels there’s a trend that the Chinese don’t want the imitations; they want the real McCoy.”

Although the first business trip has finished, the club currently has three coaches in China as part of an eight-week project. Dave Nicholls, Luis Alcantarilla and Rob Day have been teaching youngsters to play football “the Huddersfield Town way” and will be organising a mini world cup and gala for children in the Guangdong Province.

Getting involved in grass roots football in China was a key aim of Huddersfield Town’s new international development programme from the outset.

“Football clubs in developing football nations are very interested in how we develop our academy talent and what the structures are,” said Mr Jarvis.