Huddersfield Town officials have explained why moving away fans out of the South Stand at the John Smith’s Stadium could prove mission impossible.

Terriers’ fans have been keen to crank up the atmosphere and believe moving the home support into the Chadwick Lawrence Stand would raise the volume and lift the team.

Calls from the All Together Town fans’ liaison panel led to the club releasing a detailed explanation on why the switch isn’t straightforward.

Town chief executive Nigel Clibbens said the move would present “very significant problems.”

Since the stadium was opened in 1994 the South Stand has been for away fans and has a purpose-built coach park directly behind to ease visiting fans in and out.

The South Stand could be segregated and shared by rival supporters but only when away clubs bring less than 1,049 fans.

Football League rules say that away clubs must provide a minimum of 2,000 tickets or 10% of the capacity, whichever is lower.

Last season only eight clubs out of 23 brought less than 1,000 fans.

Moving away fans to the Direct Golf Stand would need expensive building work for segregation while the Fantastic Media Stand behind the other goal has no coach parking.

Any changes would mean planning permission and agreement from other organisations on the site – and money to fund it.

The most feasible option would be putting away fans in the South end of the Britannia Rescue Stand but that would mean re-locating some 3,000 Town fans, many of whom have had season tickets there since the stadium was built.

The club said: “Of all the options this is, in theory, the one with fewest issues although it would be the most emotive and still very challenging to even try.”

Any changes around the stadium could also have an impact on future development plans such as the £100 million HD One leisure and recreation scheme which could see a ski slope, bars, restaurants and a hotel built on land surrounding the stadium complex.

Mr Clibbens said it was important for the club to be “honest and transparent” even if the message was “not necessarily the one that supporters want to hear.”

He added: “Huddersfield Town must prioritise its efforts into areas where it can make the best impact.”

As a compromise the club is looking at turning the ‘family area’ in the lower Fantastic Media Stand into a new ‘singing section’ for next season.

Mr Clibbens said even that had “proven to be a challenge but it is something the club is putting its full weight behind.”

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