‘We’re confident we can navigate this situation’ - Halifax Panthers latest on financial situation and search for new head coach
Halifax Panthers’ CEO Damian Clayton has insisted the club remains “fully committed” in generating the £150,000 needed “by the end of the year.”
Fax staved off a winding-up petition last month by settling the remainder of a HMRC tax bill with the help of the club’s supporters, sponsors and the RFL.
Giving an update on the club’s financial situation, Damian told the Courier:
“We’ve successfully resolved the HMRC winding-up petition, putting that challenge behind us. Our interim chairman was upfront about the club’s need to generate £150k by the end of the year, and we are fully committed to achieving this goal.
“With the tireless efforts of our team and the incredible support of our fans, we’re confident we can navigate this situation.
“We will continue to work tirelessly to secure a strong future for the club.
“But we are still not out of the woods yet. We still need help and assistance, whether that is through the season ticket offers or memberships or the new initiatives that we are rolling out to get our core fans engaged with the club and to give them something back.
“But, at the same time, they are greatly assisting us to achieve our aims as well. It is a collaboration.”
On the financial help the fans - and the wider rugby league community - have already given to the club over the past few weeks, Damian added:
“It has been very humbling. To have had the response we have had, not just from our own fans but from across the rugby league fraternity, it has been exceptionally humbling.
“To rally around, it has been phenomenal. Our fans and everybody associated with the club, it has been fantastic. But we are not out of the woods yet.
“Beating Bradford at home was an example of where this club can be. 3,000 in there and it was a great performance on the pitch which is what we are all about.”
The Panthers are also searching for a new head coach following Liam Finn’s departure to Huddersfield Giants.
“We are not close just yet,” Damian replied when asked if an announcement was soon. “There are lots of irons in fires. We have had some considerable interest in the role. We are a 150-year-old club with a lot of heritage and tradition.
“I am confident that we will get the right man. But we are not going to rush into it.”