NIGEL CLIBBENS says Huddersfield Town are ready for the challenge of the Championship but need everyone to help them succeed, including the stadium company.

The club chief executive says that while income from the Football League pot will increase to about £4.5m, Town need facilities at the Galpharm to be improved in line with the division they are in.

A bigger superstore and offices are top priority and he called on Kirklees Stadium Development Ltd to make the necessary investment as Town have no shares in the stadium themselves.

“Solidarity payments due via the Football League will go up from £300,000 to £2.1m now we are in the Championship, and our share of the basic award from commercial income goes up from £600,000 to £2.4m, so they are big numbers,” said Clibbens.

“It’s great news, but we know we have some very, very tough challenges ahead of us going forward – some really tough ones – but we are ready for them as a club.

“Our shop is not big enough, though, and our offices are not big enough and the hospitality side of things at the stadium is no longer big enough, so we need support from people.

“It’s especially so with the stadium. I’ve been looking at the budgets with Dean (Hoyle, chairman) and the average crowds will go up and the away fans coming to the stadium will be many more, which adds pressure to the operation.

“In terms of hospitality, we have almost sold out of boxes and hospitality packages in League I, so we’ve got a big problem now in meeting that demand in the Championship because we certainly don’t want to turn people away.”

Clibbens added: “We have been talking a long time about extending the shop but nothing has really happened and we now need these things to take place around the stadium, so the stadium can keep up with the development of the club.

“It needs some investment, and we will be looking for KSDL to make that investment in the stadium, so we can have a bigger shop and better offices and make sure hospitality and other facilities are in line with a Championship club.”

Clibbens will be at the forefront this summer of helping sort the transfer business which manager Simon Grayson and the chairman agree Town need.

“Every summer is busy and we’ve had lots of transfers in the past, so it will be no different this time around,” he said.

“There will be lots to do because we have to ensure we are ready to face some big clubs, but we will be ready and are confident of that.

“It will be an interesting summer because of the situation we are now in, but it’s also really, really exciting for everyone.

“When you see so many people celebrating with us and coming out to support us it makes it all worthwhile.”

Clibbens believes the teams both on and off the field deserve credit for the promotion success after two successive defeats in the League I play-offs.

“We have some great players in the team and lots of people working very, very hard behind the scenes who don’t always get the credit,” he said.

“In my years here, those people have worked hard, above and beyond what is required, and this is pay-back time for them.

“We have a fantastic staff and we punch above our weight as a club, so this is for everyone.”

Reflecting on Wembley, Clibbens admitted it was an emotional outcome after believing the penalty shoot-out was all going wrong.

“It was a roller-coaster because I thought we dominated the game for long periods and had all the best chances,” he said.

“I said to Dean before the shoot-out that if we lost it would be a travesty after the way the game had gone and, after we missed the first three, it seemed it was all over.

“It was a long way back, but I always thought Alex Smithies had some saves in him because anyone who watches him week in and week out knows he saves penalties all the time.

“We got back into it and level and then for everyone to score was incredible, especially when it was sudden death.

“Instead of expecting people to miss, it sort of became routine for them to score easily, right down to the goalkeepers, and I didn’t expect Steve Simonsen to miss, but all of a sudden we were up.

“It all happened so quickly and it was an incredible feeling, very emotional.

“We have had some ups and downs and it’s been hard for us to twice fall at the final hurdle, but to have now achieved what we have achieved makes it all the more special.”

Simonsen has confirmed he has been released by Sheffield United after two years at Bramall Lane.

“Since Saturday I’ve had nothing but kind words from our supporters,” he said.

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