Ken Davy dedicates Huddersfield’s Challenge Cup final to late wife Jennifer – who helped stop them going under
KEN Davy can be forgiven for being teary-eyed even if Huddersfield do not win their first Challenge Cup in 69 years – this is for Jennifer.
The man whose investment of ‘big sums’ of money has kept the Giants alive after initially pumping cash in anonymously will lead them out for their first final for 13 years on Saturday.
But as he strides out alongside great-grandson Xavier, all thoughts will be for the wife he lost five years ago, who decided with him to get involved and stay involved.
Davy said: “I’m very emotional. I’m dedicating the final on Saturday to the memory of my beloved wife, Jennifer.
“She was, in essence, very instrumental in me becoming involved in rugby league at the outset.
“We had more than 50 wonderful years together and I know she’d love to be there – and I believe rugby league played a part in our romance.”
Davy, who is not a Huddersfield native, first got involved with the Giants as a sponsor before being asked to help them out as mounting bills left them facing meltdown.
One thing led to another and after becoming chairman, they are on the brink of securing a major trophy.
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But none of this would have been possible without Jennifer – had she not backed him, the club would have probably gone under.
Davy added: “We were invited to sponsor Huddersfield in 1996 and we started getting tickets.
“I’d never seen a rugby league match before – apart from the 1962 cup final, which Huddersfield lost – which Jennifer came around to mine to watch on TV, we weren’t married then. We sat around a black and white TV and she was trying to explain what was going on.
“But when we realised the club was in difficulty, we ended up helping them – anonymously at first. One of the main creditors, though, said it wouldn’t accept more money unless they knew where it was coming from.
“It was either stop and see the club go under or stick your head above the parapet. We both knew if we stopped, it would probably go bust but it’s not a decision I would’ve taken had Jennifer not been supportive.
“However, it’s cost far more over the years than I would’ve ever envisaged. I’ve had to keep working to keep it going!
“And there was a moment when we went close to walking away, when we were relegated from Super League in 2001.
“I questioned whether I was the right person to carry on but Jennifer and I concluded we wouldn’t walk away.”
Davy and Huddersfield try everything – street food, fireworks, cheap season tickets, big signings and in Ian Watson, one of the best coaches – to fill the stands.
But nothing seems to have attracted consistent big crowds to the John Smith’s Stadium, much to the chagrin of Super League’s current interim chairman.
Davy told SunSport: “It’s a significant disappointment. We want to see more support, we’d kill for the support Huddersfield Town get.
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“We’re three or four times what we got in 1996, when the club was at a low ebb, but we need to double it again. We need to be at 10,000 plus.
“And you’d certainly hope that winning the cup would help.”