Giants managing director looks back at historic season

Sep 19 2009 by Roy Wright, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

“This has been a difficult year for all clubs with the recession biting hard,” explained Thewlis.

“Our figures are actually better than they first appear as our home support is significantly up on last year given the success of our marketing initiatives, and this was a key area for us.

“Despite us maintaining our status as the lowest priced club in the game for travelling families we, like all clubs, have seen a drop in away attendees to the tune of around 25% in our specific case.

“To be successful we have to grow our own home support base and basically treat any away followers as a bonus.

“Overall though we are still some way below where we want to be, so will continue to aggressively promote our season-tickets.

“I am confident we will continue to drive our average attendance upwards.

“No other club is taking the same bold pricing stance that we are and the feedback that I have had to date has been very positive from both existing and new ticket holders.”

Success on the field will continue to be a must but Thewlis is adamant the Giants have put the team in place to prolong this season’s success.

He said: “It’s fair to say that the current side is the best in living memory and our aim is to continue to make that statement as we cement our place in the top echelons of the game on a consistent basis.

“The supporters have a huge role to play in this by signing up to the ticket offers and by persuading others to join up too.

“Ken Davy (club chairman) often says we can’t do this alone – we are all in it together and in my time at the helm here the fans have never let us down.”

Season-tickets for the 2010 campaign are already on sale from the club and further details are available at www.giantsrl.com or by calling into the ticket office at the stadium.

The Giants go into tonight’s game having lost David Faiumu with a hamstring injury and, with Scott Moore unable to face his parent club because of an internal suspension, much will be expected of third-choice hooker Shaun Lunt.

The Giants are also without ex-Saints prop Keith Mason but have second rower Simon Finnigan back after his wrist injury was discovered to be less serious than first thought.

Saints are boosted by the return of England front rower James Graham after he missed last Friday’s defeat by Catalans with a shoulder injury and there are hopes that full-back Paul Wellens could be back from a quad problem.