Dean Hoyle says Huddersfield Town have to push on under David Wagner this season.
The chairman has overseen the arrival of 12 new senior players.
Hoyle says that alongside improvements to the club’s PPG Canalside training complex, around £5m has been invested.
And having seen Town end up 19th in the Championship last season, he pointed out: “Survival is not an option.”
Town haven’t finished above 16th since returning to the second tier four years ago.
Hoyle, who says it would take a “mind-blowing” offer to persuade him to part with any prized assets on the playing staff, won’t reveal his own target for where Wagner’s side should be come May.
But the man who installed the German head coach in succession to Chris Powell last November said: “I have always thought a good season for us would be to always be within touching distance of the play-offs.
“I don’t want to put anyone under pressure, but you don’t spend money to tread water.
“I am looking forward to seeing how good we are, and hopefully we can be a bit of a surprise package.”
While Town are competing against clubs with far bigger budgets, Hoyle insists there are other ways to succeed.
And he points to opening-day visitors Brentford as an example:
“They had a smaller wage bill and a smaller turnover than us, but they finished ninth last season and made the play-offs the year before.
“I don’t want us to be looking at the opposition teamsheet and worrying.
“We have to think to ourselves ‘let’s have a go’.
“We have some quality players, now we need to develop a winning mentality.
“I think we can create a team spirit, a solid unit which can take us forward.”
Hoyle said experienced midfielder Dean Whitehead’s rejection of an offer to join Championship rivals Rotherham United shows things are happening at Town:
“He could have got a longer deal but chose to stay here.
“Deano wants to be a part of what we are doing and it’s great to have his experience and influence around the dressing room.”
Hoyle accepts less is known about some of the club’s new recruits, including £1.8m club-record signing Christopher Schindler, the centre-back signed from 1860 Munich.
But he explained: “Stuart Webber (Town’s head of football operations) has spent a lot of time out in Germany.
“We have done due diligence on all David’s targets, and backed our manager 100 per cent.
“As well as signing players we have appointed a sports science specialist in John Iga.
“These are exciting times, and we need to deliver.”
