“It’s not a guarantee” – Huddersfield Giants’ owner issues statement over current situation regarding The Shay

It is a well-known fact in rugby league that Huddersfield Giants are planning to build a new stadium.

The John Smith’s stadium has been home of the Giants since 1994, but Chairman Ken Davy wants to invest in a purpose-built facility, that will be more suited to the current stature of the Giants’ and their needs. 

However, that will take time, and Huddersfield will still need a home venue whilst the work is being done. 

Huddersfield Town have stated that the Giants are still welcome to use the John Smith’s stadium until their new ground is up and running, but Davy is looking at moving the West Yorkshire side at the end of this season, regardless of whether the new facility is built or not. 

The 84-year-old Giants’ owner has already announced that he intends to buy the Shay, home of Halifax Panthers and FC Halifax Town, to allow Huddersfield to potentially play there as a temporary home until such work is completed. 

But, the Shay itself has had complications over recent years. Poor weather, combined with two teams using the pitch and wearing out the field each week, meant that the football club had to postpone matches with the surface being too damaged for games to be played. 

Neither Panthers nor Town are wealthy clubs, so Davy has once again used money from his own pocket to provide an interest-free loan to ensure the pitch is ready and at a suitable standard for the 2026 season. 

What Huddersfield Giants’ owner said about possible stadium switch for 2026

He visited the Shay last week, and released a statement regarding the current state of the pitch: 

“The reality is [the pitch renovation] wouldn’t have happened without my willingness to provide interest free loans, which are both long-term to the two clubs.” 

He added: “both clubs have said that despite the pitch being in a dreadful state, the funds were simply not available to do the work. 

Davy said that despite his best efforts to purchase the stadium, the investment into the Shay is a big risk. 

“We’re working very hard to try and ensure we are able to get the Shay, but it’s not a guarantee. I’m not an expert on these matters but I think the latest date we could find out is in October.” He explained: “It does create a potential problem in terms of getting the other work done for the 2026 season to meet the full Super League requirements. It’s something we’re working on now to see if we can find a way of getting the work done. But again, it’s not a guarantee” 

Huddersfield had to move their most recent home game against Wigan Warriors to the FLAIR Stadium, in Dewsbury due to a Stereophonics gig at the John Smith’s. Throughout the game, the crowd noise was levels above what they normally get, due to the smaller stadium size, allowing for fans to create a better atmosphere. The game proved why the Giants need a smaller stadium, as the supporters were able to come together and create a more intense environment for the reigning champions.