The start of a new season is one of the most exciting times of the year for any football fan and also for everyone at the club!

We believe there are lots of reasons to be optimistic as a Huddersfield Town supporter going into the 2015-16 campaign.

As ever, the arrival of new players is eagerly anticipated and I’m sure Town fans will have noticed that our five new recruits have arrived earlier than other seasons.

That’s deliberate, to give as much time as possible for Chris Powell and the staff to work with the squad and build the team, which is really important.

Chris didn’t have the benefit of a pre-season to shape the team and set the tactics and approach in stone last year, so that’s a huge boost in itself.

Last season we had to wait to near the end of the window for the arrival of the likes of Mark Hudson and Jacob Butterfield.

Chris himself arrived after six games and, again, him being here from the off with the experience of knowing the players and the club can only help.

Dean Whitehead, Jason Davidson, Kyle Dempsey and Martin Cranie all arrived in good time to go on the pre-season training camp, which was important for the manager and coaches to give them time to work together and set the foundations needed.

With Jordy Hiwula, they have shown glimpses in the pre-season games of what they will bring to our starting line-up and squad.

Importantly, they have filled starting positions and bolstered the squad positions that Chris identified and we supported as in need of improvement during the course of last season.

In terms of outgoings, the tone was set in the January 2015 window and has carried on with several players departing the club.

In most cases, sadly they hadn’t contributed on the pitch as we would have hoped or reasonably expected in the 2014-15 season.

In fact, Anthony Gerrard, Jon Stead and Martin Paterson, alongside loanees Radoslaw Majewski and David Edgar, plus development players Jake Carroll, Daniel Carr, played a total of just less than 3% of the game time on the pitch last term.

This club can compete strongly and make a real impact if we direct our budget towards a smaller group of players who all contribute effectively through the season.

We have reshaped and rebalanced the squad to do that; it makes for a ‘tighter’ unit, which is better for team spirit, and is more efficient to manage.

Again, this will be a benefit right from the start of the season.

Conor Coady is the most notable leaver; he was virtually an ever-present last season and voted Players’ Young Player of the Year.

We didn’t seek to sell him, but he wanted to move to Wolves when that opportunity became available so, once the financial deal was also right for the club, we did that deal.

Added to that, loanees Jack Robinson, Reece James and Grant Holt also contributed notably to our season, together playing just over 9% of the minutes, and left, with their roles taken over by permanent signings Jason Davidson and Ishmael Miller.

That means about 20% of the game time on the pitch has changed, which is less than many rivals. We think that stability will help to build upon the teamwork and understanding from last season.

It can be unsettling when regular starting players leave but, without being complacent, our track record of replacing players who depart has been good throughout Dean Hoyle’s tenure as chairman; it is a challenge, but it gives us confidence and belief that we can continue this approach while maintaining progress on the pitch.

That’s a key part of how the club has to work and is unchanged over many years now.

Kyle Dempsey has arrived along with Jordy Hiwula and Jason Davidson; young players who can get better and better. We believe we have improved the overall squad once again and we are confident that will bear fruit in the season.

There is always work to do and scope to improve with other additions and, just as importantly, hard work on the training ground and a good team spirit.

We have shown we can compete and improve in the Championship in recent seasons.

Now with a reshaped and rebalanced squad, whilst retaining a strong core, Chris Powell and the coaching team have the benefit of a full pre-season and being settled in from the start, along with another year’s experience plus more players who know the division; all that is beneficial.

Those things give us belief that we can improve and move up the division.

In 2015-16 we aim to continue to progress in a way that makes supporters want to come and watch the team and fans to be proud of their club.