HUDDERSFIELD Town chairman Dean Hoyle has revealed that new boss Mark Robins was the club’s top managerial target.

Hoyle told the Examiner there were as many as 90 applicants and a shortlist of six.

It is understood that former Southampton boss Nigel Adkins was NOT one of them and that he was not interviewed for the post.

Hoyle, speaking ahead of an appearance at a meeting of Huddersfield Town Supporters’ Association Heavy Woollen branch last night, said: "It is never easy taking another club’s manager but Mark was the man we wanted. Mark gave us a presentation and we gave a presentation to him and they were almost identical. We were definitely on the same page.

"We had 80 or 90 people apply and a shortlist of probably six and we decided Mark was our man. He had the experience of the lower leagues and the Championship and he knows how to get the best out of his players.

"He can build a structure and has the skill, the ability to play attractive football and, importantly, has a winning mentality."

Hoyle added: "We need to make the club as sustainable as possible and that means buying and selling as best we can. If that means buying more Jordan Rhodeses then that is what we have to do.

"We have to balance the books. At this level we cannot compete with the likes of Cardiff and Leicester and nor would we want to. We want to be financially secure."