Huddersfield Town shareholder Dean Hoyle needed to insert additional funds into the Championship side to prevent them from entering administration last year, as per a report from the Daily Mail.

Current majority shareholder Phil Hodgkinson first took stewardship of the club back in 2019 following Hoyle's sale, though he did retain a 25% stake in the club as he took a back seat from the Terriers.

After a disappointing campaign last term, Carlos Corberan has managed to turn the tide this season, even though the Spanish coach was only able to recruit loan players and free agents in the summer transfer market with many of those additions certainly providing value for money.

 

 

There were major concerns about the future of the second-tier side when it was revealed back in November that nine of owner Hodgkinson's businesses had gone into administration - but the club acted quickly to reassure fans that it would be business as usual at the John Smith's Stadium.

Not only did the statement reveal the club be legally unaffected by action taken against his other companies - but they were also fully committed to honouring their financial obligations at the second-tier side for the long term.

The Daily Mail have painted a very different picture of what has happened since though, with the outlet reporting that ex-owner Hoyle was forced to inject more funds into the side to prevent the Terriers from entering administration, something that would have seen them handed a 12-point deduction and potentially needing to cash in on some of their prized assets to survive.

This report comes after the news that Hoyle is planning to regain his old stake from Hodgkinson before selling up to another party, a move that could potentially be crucial for the second-tier outfit's long-term future.

The Verdict:

Financial problems seem to be getting more common in the Championship and with some of their current owner's businesses failing, now would probably be the right time for him to sell up and move on.

Not only have they seemingly encountered issues, but so have Cardiff City with chairman Mehmet Dalman admitting last year that they were struggling financially and with Derby County in administration, it is a real cause for concern.

The fact Hoyle seems to be willing to ensure the club stays afloat is a promising sign though - and it almost seems as though he's their insurance policy at this stage with the 54-year-old having the funds to make up for shortcomings.

His move to buy the club back before selling it on again should be welcomed - because he probably won't demand a huge amount of money and this should increase the number of interested parties that are looking at purchasing Corberan's side.

That should provide Hoyle with plenty of options to choose from, going a long way in ensuring the future of the club is secure under a good set of new shareholders. They are performing admirably on the pitch at this stage, so to have off-field worries ruin that would be a major shame.