Just two months ago, aged only 24, Rebecca Wood became Huddersfield Giants’ youngest ever director.
Now she’s on board as the club she’s supported since birth - owned by her benevolent grandad Ken Davy - bid to win their first Challenge Cup in 69 years. Ahead of Saturday’s final with Wigan, tax advisor Wood admitted: “It’s gone well. We’ve got to the Cup final. I’m not saying I’ve had any influence on that but I’ll take it! I feel like I’m getting more involved, though, making suggestions and sharing ideas. And now we’re all looking forward to a very special day.”
As a child, Wood was at Twickenham when Giants lost the 2006 final against St Helens. And again when they fell versus Warrington at Wembley three years later. She’s hoping it’s third time lucky, especially for her grandad given how much he's invested since taking Huddersfield over as a second division club in 1996. There was a touching moment when Wood kissed Davy, 82, on the cheek as ecstatic fans sang his name during the semi-final win over Hull KR.
She recalled: “With about two minutes left I started welling up knowing we’d actually done it. The last time we reached the final, my grandma was with us. She’s not anymore (Jennifer died five years ago) and it was her who got my grandad involved in the first place.
"But because he has hearing aids, initially I had to tell him what they were singing as he couldn’t tell! I started singing it to him - ‘There’s Only One Ken Davy’ and ‘Walking in A Davy Wonderland’ - and he was made up. They sing Elvis Presley’s 'Can’t Help Falling in Love' as well as a club song.
“It’s also my grandma and grandad’s wedding song. Whenever they sing that at games I hold my grandad’s hand when it gets to ‘take my hand…’ I love it. And you can see how much he still loves it. The joy on his face when he was on the pitch after the semi was brilliant.”
Although Huddersfield won the 2013 League Leaders’ Shield, they’ve still yet to lift a major trophy since Davy rescued them from the brink.
Wood knows how much it would mean to him to finally do that at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. And on the same weekend Huddersfield Town, who he helped drag out of administration in 2003, chaired and remains a life president, bid for the Premier League at Wembley. She said: “It does get me emotional. He got involved in 1996 and I was born in 1997.
“I was six days old when we won the Division One Premiership at Old Trafford. And we got promoted. So all I’ve known is my family being involved in this club. I really love the appreciation the fans have for him, as I know how much time, effort and dedication he’s put into Huddersfield Giants.
“There have been challenging times and he’s stood by the club, backed it and to be in a position where we can reach something and reap some of the rewards, it is really special.”
