Halifax Town A.F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Halifax Town Association Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Shaymen | ||
| Founded | 24 May 1911 | ||
| Dissolved | 2008 | ||
| Ground | The Shay | ||
| Capacity | 14,000 | ||
| 2007–08 | Conference National, 20th | ||
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Halifax Town Association Football Club was an English football team. They were based in Halifax, West Yorkshire. The club played in the Football League for many years. This was from 1921 to 1993, and again from 1998 to 2002.
Sadly, the club closed down in 2008. But a new team, F.C. Halifax Town, started up in July of that year. They continued the football tradition in Halifax. The team's home stadium was called The Shay.
Contents
History of Halifax Town AFC
How the Club Started
Halifax Town AFC was formed on May 24, 1911. This happened at a place called the Saddle Hotel. At first, they played in smaller leagues. These were the Yorkshire Combination and the Midland League.
In 1921, the club became one of the first teams in the Football League Third Division North. They stayed in this division until 1958. After that, they joined the Football League Third Division. Their best finish before World War II was second place in the 1934–35 season.
The 1960s to 1990s
In the 1970-71 season, the team finished third. This was just one spot away from getting promoted to a higher league.
The next season, they finished 17th. They scored only 17 goals, which was very low. They barely avoided being moved down to a lower division. This happened because Rotherham United lost their last game. In 1976, Halifax Town was moved down to Division 4.
In 1993, the team was moved down again. This time, they went to the Football Conference.
Time in the Conference League
Playing in the Conference League was not easy for the club. They had many tough seasons. The team also faced big money problems. It felt like there was no way out.
However, a former manager named George Mulhall came back in 1996–97. He helped the team avoid being moved down from the Conference. The next season, Mulhall and Kieran O'Regan brought in new players. These included Jamie Paterson, Mark Bradshaw, and Lee Martin. They built a team that won the league title!
The Shaymen became champions of the Conference. This meant they could play in the Football League again. Geoff Horsfield, a player who scored many goals, was the top scorer that season. He scored 30 goals.
Back in the Football League
At the start of the 1998–99 season, manager George Mulhall retired. Kieran O'Regan became the new manager. Their star striker, Geoff Horsfield, played only ten games. He was then sold to Fulham for £300,000 in October 1998.
Halifax started their league season very well. They were among the top teams until December. After that, their results got worse. They ended up in the middle of the table. Even though they were only three points from a playoff spot, O'Regan was fired in April 1999. This happened after a 0-0 game with Rochdale.
Return to the Conference League
Chris Wilder became the manager of Halifax in July 2002. In their first season back in the Conference, the Shaymen finished in eighth place.
In 2005–06, they finished 4th. They reached the Conference play-off final. But they lost to Hereford United.
Financial Problems and Club Closure
In 2007, the club faced serious money troubles. They were put into a special financial process. Even though they lost 10 points because of this, the team avoided being moved down on the last day of the season.
However, the club could not solve its money problems. They tried to appeal the decision to remove them from the Football Conference. But the appeal was not successful. So, the club had to close down.
In May 2008, it was found that the club owed a lot of money. They owed over £800,000 to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. This meant the club was more than £2 million in debt.
The club's supporters had a plan to start a new club if needed. And that's what happened! The club was reformed by the same people. It was named F.C. Halifax Town. This new team was accepted to play in the Northern Premier League Division One North for the 2008/09 season.
Stadiums
The club moved to The Shay stadium in 1921. This is why the team's nickname is "The Shaymen." They played there until the club closed.
From the mid-1990s, The Shay stadium was greatly improved. Another team, Halifax RLFC, also started using the stadium. The Football Trust helped provide money for these improvements.
Players and Managers
Notable Players
For a list of famous Halifax Town players, you can see List of Halifax Town A.F.C. players. For all players with a Wikipedia page, check Category:Halifax Town A.F.C. players.
Managers of the Club
Many different managers led Halifax Town over the years. They guided the team through its ups and downs. Some of the well-known managers included Joe McClelland, Alex Raisbeck, George Mulhall, and Chris Wilder.
Honours and Club Records
Here are some of the achievements and records of Halifax Town AFC:
- FA Trophy
- Winners – 2015-16
- FA Cup
- Fifth Round – 1932–33, 1952–53
- League Cup
- Fourth Round – 1963–64
- Football League Third Division
- Third Place – 1970–71
- Conference National
- Champions – 1997–98 (87 points)
- Record attendance
- 36,885 people watched a game against Tottenham Hotspur. This was an FA Cup match on February 14, 1953.
- Most appearances
- John Pickering played 402 games for the club from 1965 to 1974.
- Most goals scored
- Ernie Dixon scored 132 goals between 1922 and 1930.
- Most league goals in a season (individual)
- Albert Valentine scored 34 goals in the 1934–35 season.
- Most league goals in a season (club)
- The club scored 83 goals in Division Three North during the 1957–58 season.
- Record transfer fee paid
- The club paid £150,000 for Chris Tate in July 1999.
- Record transfer fee received
- The club received £350,000 for Geoff Horsfield in October 1998.
- A blue plaque honoring the club was put up by the Halifax Civic Trust.
Halifax Town AFC
See also
In Spanish: Halifax Town AFC para niños
