No Town spending spree pledge

HUDDERSFIELD Town chairman Dean Hoyle, who has sold his retail business to a private equity firm for £350m, yesterday warned football fans not to expect any spending sprees at the League One club.

Mr Hoyle also revealed he is becoming non-executive chairman of the Card Factory, which he founded with his wife Janet in 1997. He described the deal with Charterhouse as "an important milestone" for the company and said it would provide a platform for future growth and success.

Mr Hoyle, 42, said: "No doubt expectation levels will go through the roof as people speculate as to the financial implications for Huddersfield Town.

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"Any thoughts of a new stadium, big transfers or wages spending sprees should be quickly dispelled. Everyone needs to keep their feet very firmly on the ground.

"This deal does not significantly change the way our business will be operated at all. Whether the sale had happened or not the level of my backing for the club is unaffected.

"We are building to make Huddersfield Town a sustainable, viable business – not one even more reliant on me than it already is – it would be a step backwards and too high a risk for everyone concerned.

"The strategy, business principles and way we do business at Huddersfield Town in the 'new era' started in November 2008. This was then firmly established when the Huddersfield Town board changed and I became chairman in May 2009.

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"This again has continued since I became outright owner in early 2010.

"Under my chairmanship and ownership will continue to follow our already well established plans.

"We are well placed for the crucial games ahead and I am certainly looking forward to the run-in with anticipation and real belief that we can have a very successful end to the season."

Richard Hayes, managing director of Wakefield-based Card Factory, told the Yorkshire Post: "From our perspective we are delighted to have Charterhouse on board.

"We are also delighted that Dean has taken the post of chairman of the group going forward."