"You can't doubt" - Claim made on Kevin Nagle ownership at Huddersfield Town | OneFootball

Football League World's Terriers Fan Pundit weighed in on Kevin Nagle's tenure as owner.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Huddersfield Town's promotion challenge never truly got going in 2024/25, and they are set for a second successive season in League One following relegation 12 months ago.

Many hoped that the Terriers would be able to return to the second tier at the first time of asking after they dropped to the third tier for the first time since 2012, but supporters have been left frustrated with performances.

The West Yorkshire outfit will remain managerless, with Jon Worthington in interim charge of the team following Michael Duff's sacking, but he has struggled during his time in the dugout and a permanent replacement needs to be sought.

Questions will have been asked of Kevin Nagle's ownership in recent months, but he spent heavily in the January transfer window, perhaps showing that he is willing to make the changes needed to help take Huddersfield back to the Championship.

Verdict made on Nagle's ownership at Huddersfield

The Terriers spent over £3m on Joe Taylor alone in the winter, and while it was a move that has not paid off just yet, it showed the ambition of the club right now.

Bringing in a fresh face on the touchline is a priority for the summer, but this will cost money and the American businessman has to continue to show that he is in it for the long-haul at the John Smith's Stadium.

Football League World has asked their Huddersfield Fan Pundit, Graeme Rayner, if he believes Nagle has the club's best interests at heart.

He told FLW: "Am I confident that the owner has the club’s best interests at heart? Yes I am. But I do think that there's a real risk that, because things have become so disappointing and unpleasant, some might even say toxic. I wonder how long he will want to stay involved if it carries on this way.

"I think there's a chance that next season, if things don't go the way that we need them to, the fan base will turn even further, and he might just turn round and go. He might just flag it to whoever wants it, because why would he take the grief?"

Graeme continued: "So, I do think he has the best interests of the club at heart. I think he's also keen on the community, etc.. However, I think that the people he's appointed have not been the best people in key positions, and he's taken flack for that.

"That ultimately comes with the job, doesn't it? So, I actually have a degree of sympathy for him and I hope that he turns it around.

"But, it's not been a great couple of years to start off your ownership at a club, I would say. I hope that he continues to invest, to put the best foot forward and try to turn things around. But what you can't doubt is he is committed to doing that at the moment."

Huddersfield supporters need excitement back at the John Smith's Stadium

The Terriers have been on a downward trend ever since losing the 2022 Championship play-off final to Nottingham Forest, and supporters have a right to be disappointed.

However, they should take solace in the fact that few clubs instantly bounce back from relegation to League One, with the likes of Derby County, Sheffield United and Sunderland all taking some time before rising out of the division.

If Nagle gets this summer transfer window right, and brings in the correct appointment, there is no reason why Huddersfield cannot rise back up to the second tier with the league perhaps a little bit more open following Birmingham City's promotion.

Nevertheless, the longer their struggles continue, the more difficult it will become for supporters to keep putting their money into the club and showing up week-in-week-out.