| Unreliable History |
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Halifax Town are probably the only Football League club to be formed in the saddle; The Saddle Hotel that is. While they have been in existence since that May day in 1911, they have had little to get up on their high horse about since then. The club won the Bradford Hospitals Cup in 1913/14 in an early achievement of glory, but had to wait until 1921 for the Third Division to be formed to become a founder member of that league. They liked it so much that they have not risen above it in all their time in the League. To be completed.
Famous Players : – Famous Fans : – Paul Opacic (Actor – Emmerdale Farm (ITV)). |
| Club Records |
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| Formed | Halifax Town AFC = 1911 FC Halifax Town = 2008 |
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| Turned Professional | 1911 |
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| Became a Limited Company | 1911 |
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| Previous names | Halifax Town AFC |
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| Previous grounds | Sandhall = 1911-1919 Exley = 1919-1921 |
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| Nickname | “THE SHAYMEN” |
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| Motto | – |
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| Club Colours [Images courtesy of the wonderful Colours of Football website] |
HOME : 
AWAY : THIRD : |
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| Record Football League Win | Halifax Town AFC – 6-0 v Bradford Park Avenue (Home) Division 3 North 03.12.1955 6-0 v Doncaster Rovers (Home) Division 4 02.11.1976 FC Halifax Town – 8-1 v Ossett Town 18.01.2011 |
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| Record Football League Defeat | Halifax Town AFC – 0-13 v Stockport County Division 3 North 06.01.1934 FC Halifax Town – 0-7 v Grimsby Town (National League) 13.10.2015 |
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| Record Cup Win | Halifax Town AFC – 12-0 v West Vale (FA Cup First Qualifying Round) 1913 |
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| Record Fee Paid | £150,000 to Scarborough for Chris TATE (July 1999) |
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| Record Fee Received | £350,000 from Fulham for Geoff HORSFIELD (October 1998) |
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| Record Appearances | 402 – John PICKERING (1965-1974) |
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| Record League Appearances | 367 – John PICKERING (1965-1974) |
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| Record League goal-scorer | 128 – Ernie DIXON (1922-1930) |
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| Record all-time goal-scorer | 133 – Ernie DIXON (1922-1930) |
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| Record goal-scorer in a League season | 34 – Albert VALENTINE Division 3 North (1934-1935) |
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| Record goal-scorer in a season | 40 – James DEAN National League (2009-2010) |
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| Most goals scored in a League match | Halifax Town AFC 6 – Bill CHAMBERS v Hartelpools United (Division 3 North) 07.04.1934 FC Halifax Town 4 – Lee GREGORY v Gloucester City (National League) 15.09.2012 4 – Lee GREGORY v Worcester City (National League) 02.03.2013 |
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| Record Home Attendance | 36,885 v Tottenham Hotspur (FA Cup Fifth Round) 14.02.1953 |
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| Record total of goals in a League season | 83 – Division 3 North (1957-1958) |
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| Record League points total | Halifax Town AFC 2 points for a win : 57 – Division 4 (1968-1969) 3 points for a win : 87 – Conference (1997-1998) FC Halifax Town 3 points for a win : 77 – Conference Premier (2013-2014) |
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| Most Capped Player while at club | ?? |
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| Youngest Player | Andrew VILLERMAN – 17 years and 179 days v Newcastle Blue Star (Northern Premier League) 21.03.2009 |
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| Oldest Player | Nigel JEMSON – 39 years and 258 days v Chorley (Northern Premier League) 25.04.2009 |
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| Stadium details |
Address : The Shay, Shay Syke, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX1 2YS
Telephone : 01422 341222
Ticket Office : 01422 341222
Capacity : 10,401
Away Allocation : 1,450
Pitch size : 100.5m x 69.5m (110 yards x 76 yards)
Official website : fchalifaxtown.com
| Directions |
There are good directions to the Shay on the FC Halifax Town website and more information on the Football Ground Guide website.
| Honours |
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| Conference Champions (Fourth Tier) | 1997-1998 |
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| FA Trophy Winners | 2015-2016 |
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| Managers |
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| Joe McCLELLAND (Secretary-Manager) | May 1911 – June 1930 |
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| Alex RAISBECK | 1930 – 1936 |
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| Jimmy THOMPSON | 1936 – 1947 |
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| Jack BREEDON | August 1947 – 1951 |
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| Billy WOOTON | 1951 – 1952 |
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| Gerald HENRY | 1952 – 1954 |
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| Bobby BROWNE (Caretaker) | October 1954 – November 1954 |
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| Willie WATSON | 1954 – 1956 |
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| Billy BURNIKELL | April 1956 – December 1956 |
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| Harold TAYLOR/E. Vivien BOOTH | 1956 – 1957 |
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| Harry HOOPER | 1957 – 1962 |
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| Don McEVOY | 1962 – 1964 |
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| Willie WATSON | 1964 – 1966 |
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| Vic METCALFE | 1966 – 1967 |
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| Alan BALL Senior | 1967 – 1970 |
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| George KIRBY | 1970 – August 1971 |
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| Ray HENDERSON | 1971 – 1972 |
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| George MULHALL | 1972 – September 1974 |
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| Johnny QUINN | 1974 – 1976 |
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| Alan BALL Senior | 1976 – 1977 |
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| Jimmy LAWSON | 1977 – 1978 |
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| George KIRBY | 1978 – June 1981 |
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| Mickey BULLOCK | 13 July 1981 – 22 October 1984 |
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| Billy AYRE (Caretaker) | October 1984 – November 1984 |
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| Mick JONES | 10 November 1984 – 1986 |
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| Billy AYRE | December 1986 – April 1990 |
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| Jim McCALLIOG | April 1990 – October 1991 |
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| John McGRATH | 3 October 1991 – 7 December 1992 |
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| Mick RATHBONE (Caretaker) | 8 December 1992 – May 1993 |
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| Peter WRAGG | 1993 – 1994 |
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| John BIRD | 1994 – 1996 |
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| George MULHALL/Kieran O’REGAN | 1996 |
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| John CARROLL | 1996 – 1997 |
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| George MULHALL/Kieran O’REGAN | February 1997 – August 1998 |
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| Kieran O’REGAN | August 1998 – April 1999 |
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| David WORTHINGTON (Caretaker) | 1999 |
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| Mark LILLIS | 1 June 1999 – 12 September 2000 |
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| Peter BUTLER/Tony PARKS | 2000 – October 2000 |
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| Paul BRACEWELL | October 2000 – 30 August 2001 |
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| Peter BUTLER/Tony PARKS | 2001 |
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| Alan LITTLE | 12 October 2001 – 8 April 2002 |
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| Neil REDFEARN (Caretaker) | 4 March 2002 – 25 April 2002 |
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| Chris WILDER | 2 July 2002 – 30 June 2008 |
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| Club re-formed as FC Halifax Town. | |
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| Jim VINCE | 2 July 2008 – 9 April 2009 |
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| Nigel JEMSON (Caretaker) | 9 April 2009 – 25 April 2009 |
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| Neil ASPIN | 28 April 2009 – 17 September 2015 |
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| Gareth McCLELLAND (Caretaker) | 17 September 2015 – 1 October 2015 |
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| Darren KELLY | 1 October 2015 – 17 November 2015 |
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| Jim HARVEY (Caretaker) | 17 November 2015 – 22 December 2015 |
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| Jim HARVEY | 22 December 2015 – 24 May 2016 |
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| Billy HEATH | 24 May 2016 – 31 January 2018 |
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| Neil YOUNG (Caretaker) | 31 January 2018 – 20 February 2018 |
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| Jamie FULLARTON | 20 February 2018 – 15 July 2019 |
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| Steve NICHOL/Nathan CLARKE (Joint Caretakers) | 15 July 2019 – 24 July 2019 |
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| Pete WILD | 24 July 2019 – 26 May 2022 |
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| Chris MILLINGTON | 28 May 2022 – |
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| League Record |
The Football League structure has historically been as follows …
| 1888-1892 | 1892-1920 | 1920-1921 | 1921-1958 | 1958-1992 | 1992-2004 | 2004 to date | |
| First tier | Football League | Division One | Division One | Division One | Division One | Premiership | Premier League |
| Second tier | Division Two | Division Two | Division Two | Division Two | Division One | Championship | |
| Third tier | Division Three | Division Three (North) and (South) |
Division Three | Division Two | League One | ||
| Fourth tier | Division Four | Division Three | League Two | ||||
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| Elected to Division Three North (Third Tier) | 1921 |
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| Division Three North (Third Tier) | 1921-1958 |
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| Division Three (Third Tier) | 1958-1963 |
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| Division Four (Fourth Tier) | 1963-1969 |
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| Division Three (Third Tier) | 1969-1976 |
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| Division Four (Fourth Tier) | 1976-1992 |
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| Division Three (Fourth Tier) | 1992-1993 |
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| Conference (Fifth Tier) | 1993-1998 |
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| Division Three (Fourth Tier) | 1998-2002 |
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| Conference (Fifth Tier) | 2002-2008 |
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| Reformed as FC Halifax Town | |
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| Northern Premier League (Seventh Tier) | 2008-2011 |
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| Conference North (Sixth Tier) | 2011-2013 |
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| Conference (Fifth Tier) | 2013- |
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