TOWN'S future will be very much on the agenda when the club's Development Association meet on Monday.

Originally formed more than 30 years ago, the Association has been revitalised to oversee funds raised for Town's Academy.

A new 14-strong committee has been formed to ensure that cash is not only properly used to promote the youth system, but that it is protected from the rest of the club operation.

Six representatives from supporters groups are on the Association committee, along with six staff from the club's commercial and office staff.

There are then the chairman and vice-chairman - George Binns and Brian Buckley respectively - who are independent.

As the Academy costs over £½m a year to run, the Association committee have a huge responsibility and Mr Binns - whose knowledge of Town and McAlpine affairs is second to none - believes fans can trust them to do the right thing.

"I have always felt the future of football was with its youth development schemes, it is something very close to my heart," said Mr Binns, who was long- serving company secretary for Town before shifting his expertise to the McAlpine.

"But something which takes years to establish can be dismantled in days if someone agrees to a manager's whim and releases money for current needs rather than the future.

"I can bring to mind two such occasions over the years when this has happened to us and yet, when you look after youth development, you reap the rewards.

"The proof of that pudding is currently in the eating at the McAlpine, with a host of young lads coming into the first team and, by and large, doing very well.

"Such schemes, we believe, should be outside the control of the main coaching and management side of the club, with independent control and funding and not subject to what might happen in the heat of the moment with the running of the main club.

"The Development Association is seen as the best way to do this, co-ordinating monies raised from all the supporters' groups, making sure they go directly into the Association accounts and that they can't possibly disappear down a big black hole at any stage."

At its height in the 1970s, the Development Association was the fourth top sports fund-raising pool in the country behind Manchester United, Glasgow Rangers and Warwickshire Cricket Club.

Mr Binns was on the original five-strong committee with the then club manager Ian Greaves.

With him were former Town chairman Stanley Kinder, businessman and long-serving director Bernard Newman and Dick Parker, another stalwart director who was instrumental in appointing Herbert Chapman back in the club's glory days.

Now, supporters' groups represented will be the Supporters Club, Patrons, Survival Trust, Gentlemen's Sporting Club, Disabled Supporters Club and Young Terriers.

From the club will be Academy director Gerry Murphy, who has just agreed a new three-and-a-half year contract, chief executive Andrew Watson, club secretary Ann Hough, Pauline Howard from the On The Move lottery, Tracy Nelson of the Blue and White Foundation and financial manager Judith Bush.

Mr Binns and Mr Buckley took charge when the Association met for the first time back in November.

"We hope supporters will have sufficient faith in us to realise we will do the right thing for fans, for Town and for the future of football in this area," said Mr Binns.

"I was born and bred here, I have `suffered' at the hands of Huddersfield Town for 62 years as a fan, employee and then fan again, and Brian has been associated for many years as well both with the club and the stadium.

"We strongly believe that we have to keep the Academy going to bring through a steady stream of talented young players to wear the blue and white stripes.

"The funds raised by all the various groups will be administered by us directly through the Development Association and supporters can be confident it will go towards producing our players of the future."

At the upcoming meeting, club officials and directors have agreed to answer questions.