Huddersfield join Leeds under US owners but may look different to Wrexham model
Neil Warnock worked his magic once more to keep Huddersfield Town in the Championship last term but a new era now now beckons off the pitch at John Smith's Stadium.
The Terriers finished in 18th place in the English second tier last season, a stark downturn in fortunes after they finished in third place in the division the year previous while making the playoff final. The Yorkshire club went through three different head coaches before landing on veteran Warnock who saved them from relegation.
Huddersfield's sporting woes were also compounded by the club's economic struggles, with a debt of £40 million having accumulated by March. The threat of administration had loomed all too large before a then unnamed North American consortium swooped in to clear the debt and perform a takeover.
Since then, the group has been revealed to have been headed up by experienced Sacramento Republic owner Kevin Nagel, with the 68-year-old now owning the three time English champions alongside his existing USL Championship club. The Minnesota born businessman has designs on eventually joining Major League Soccer and his task will now be to take his newly acquired second club back to the Premier League for a first time since 2018-19.
Speaking of his pride at taking the reigns at the historic EFL Championship outfit, Nagel said in a club statement: “I am extremely humbled and excited to be the new steward of Huddersfield Town. I would like to thank Dean Hoyle, Dave Baldwin, the EFL, and FCA for all their help and attention to detail over the past few months.
Ryan Reynolds mispronounces name of new Wrexham signing in hilarious video
“A special thanks to the wonderful Town supporters who have also been so supportive and patient. I know how deeply they care for this club, and I do not intend to let them down. Now, let’s get to work.”
Huddersfield Town is the second Championship club to be bought by American investors since the conclusion of the season, with 49ers Enterprises also having agreed a deal to purchase Leeds United. The group — which also counts the NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers as part of its portfolio — had owned 44 per cent of the club's shares but have now purchased the remaining shares from chairman Andrea Radrizzani's Aser Ventures.
Kevin Nagle watches from the stand during the Sky Bet Championship match between Huddersfield Town and Reading at John Smith's Stadium (Photo by John Early/Getty Images) (John Early/Getty Images)Can Huddersfield Town's new owner return them to the Premier League? Let us know your thoughts in the comments...
Of course, the Premier League is now awash with US investors and owners, with an estimated half of the division's clubs now bankrolled by stateside funding. In total, ten current top flight clubs — Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Fulham, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Burnley, Bournemouth and Manchester City — all have received investment from American backers.
Out of those clubs, Bournemouth were the latest to be bought out by US investors, with Black Knight Football Club having bought the South Coast outfit from Maxim Demin. The partnership, which is led by the American businessman Bill Foley alongside Cannae Holdings, also has minority investors including the Hollywood actor Michael B. Jordan.
Down in League Two, the Hollywood backed juggernaut that is Wrexham will also likely to continue to inspire intrigue as it gears up for the new season following promotion from the National League. Having been subject to a TV series in the form of "Welcome to Wrexham", the Welsh club's owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will now be aiming to build on the landmark success of last term in the coming years.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds (Getty Images)However, their situation is resoundingly different to that of Huddersfield Town, with their unique status as a club owned by two globally renowned megastars setting them apart somewhat. Having been purchased in 2020 as a club that had operated outside of the EFL over a decade, a mixture of exposure through the aforementioned TV deal and the owners' star power has won the club support around the world.
In some ways, this kind of story is one that would be especially difficult to replicate, with Reynolds and McElhenney's hands on approach and commitment to the culture of the club and the traditions of the local area having been quite remarkable. Whether Nagel engages in a similar way remains to be seen but it is undeniable that the purchase of Huddersfield is one that represents an intelligent business opportunity.
Of course, the potential for a fairytale rise through the leagues is not on offer for the Sacramento Republic boss currently but a major return on his investment could be in the offing in the years to come if he can return the club to the Premier League, especially. With eleven of the world's 30 most valuable clubs residing in England's top flight, according to Forbes, there is certainly a chance for Nagel to turn the club into a significant asset.
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