Halifax Town

FC Halifax Town plays in the National League, the top tier of English non-league football and the fifth league in the English football pyramid after the Premier League, the Championship, and League One and Two.

The club was founded in 2008 after Halifax Town AFC was placed into administration. Following their formation, FC Halifax Town began life in the Northern Premier League Division One North, the eighth tier of English football. The Shaymen were promoted to the Northern Premier League at the end of the 2009-10 season and, thanks to back-to-back promotions, would be competing in the National League North by 2011. Visit The Real EFL for more such details.

FC Halifax Town Updates

FC Halifax Town is a professional team currently competing in the National League, the top division of England's non-league structure. The club has been in the league since 2013 and has in recent years, challenged for promotion to the Football League.

The club are chasing down the playoff spots in the National League, sitting just two points behind the top seven with games in hand. Away from this season has been excellent so far, achieving 23 of 39 points on the road and their record is only matched by league leaders Forest Green Rovers.

Town's squad is a very young one, with captain and goalkeeper Sam Johnson the oldest player at 32 years old. The club's top scorers are former Peterborough United attacker Andrew Oluwabori and Billy Waters who was on loan from Wrexham but has since transferred to Oldham Athletic.

FC Halifax Town Transfer News & Rumours

Joint top scorer Billy Waters left The Shay to return to parent club Wrexham in December to then move permanently to Halifax's divisional rivals Oldham Athletic. Huddersfield Town's Scott High has extended his loan spell with Halifax until the end of the season.

Leeds United youngster Luca Thomas has also signed on loan until the end of the season after scoring two goals in ten games for promotion-chasing York City in the first part of the campaign. Another former Leeds United academy player Lui Bradbury signed for Halifax in December having left American outfit Brave SC.

FC Halifax Town Signings

FC Halifax Town were busy over the summer, letting a whole team's worth of players leave and replacing them with no fewer than 11 new arrivals. The Shaymen utilised the loan and free transfer market to put together a side that can push for a National League playoff spot.

The club delved into the Football League to sign goalkeeper Nathaniel Ford from Rotherham United and defender Will Smith from Harrogate Town, both on free transfers. Adam Alimi-Adetoro joined on a temporary deal from Championship side Sheffield Wednesday and Harvey Sutcliffe joined on a similar deal from Leeds United.

Player	Age	Nationality	Left	Fee	Contact Duration
Nathaniel Ford	19	English	Rotherham United League One	Free	Unknown
Will Smith	25	English	Harrogate Town League Two	Free	1 Year
Owen Bray	21	English	Barrow League Two	Free	1 Year
Zak Emmerson	19	English	Blackpool U21	Free	1 Year
Tom Pugh	23	Welsh	Scunthorpe United National League North	Free	2 Years
Adam Alimi-Adetoro	22	Republic of Ireland	Sheffield Wednesday U21	Free	2 Years
Harvey Sutcliffe	20	English	Leeds United U21 Premier League 2	Free	Unknown
Scott High	23	Scotland	Huddersfield Town League One	Loan	Until End of Season
Billy Waters	29	English	Wrexham League One	Loan	6 Months
Luca Thomas	20	English	Leeds United U21 Premier League 2		Until End of Season
Lui Bradbury	20	English	Without Club	Free	Unknown

FC Halifax Town Key Matches Of The Season

As they head into the second half of the season with a playoff place still in their sights, FC Halifax Town will face some key matches against fellow challengers Yeovil Town, Sutton United and Oldham Athletic among others.

Visit Betiton

FC Halifax Town Key Achievements

Having been formed from the ashes of Halifax Town AFC, FC Halifax Town has worked their way from the eighth tier of English football to the fifth tier, and the top of the non-league structure. Since 2008, the Shaymen have won two league titles, two playoff finals and the FA Trophy on two occasions.

The Northern Premier League Division One North title in 2010 was followed by the Northern Premier League title a year later. In 2013, a spot in the National League was secured thanks to victory in the National League North playoffs. Following a relegation back to the sixth tier, those playoffs were won again in 2017 after the first FA Trophy had been achieved in 2016. Another Trophy win came in 2022-23 when the Shaymen defeated Gateshead at Wembley.

• Northern Premier League Division One North Champions 2009-10
• Northern Premier League Champions 2010-11
• National League North Playoff Winners 2012-13, 2016-17
• FA Trophy Winners 2015-16, 2022-23

FC Halifax Town Current Squad

FC Halifax Town’s current squad is packed with youth, with goalkeeper Sam Johnson the only player on the wrong side of 30.

The squad has been put together using free transfers and the loan market and is sprinkled with players belonging to Football League clubs who are seeking experience in the first-team arena.

The top scorer in the current squad is Andrew Oluwabori who has five goals so far and he is being ably supported by Florent Hoti who has weighed in with three goals and three assists so far this campaign.

FC Halifax Town Attackers

In attack, former Peterborough United man Andrew Oluwabori leads the line and the goal-scoring charts. Jamie Cooke has provided support for Oluwabori with his four goals so far but the remaining forward line has found goals hard to come by.

FC Halifax Town Midfielders

Kosovo Under 21 international Florent Hoti leads the Halifax midfield in terms of goals and assists and he is joined in the midfield of the park by former Hereford man Jack Evans.

Belize international Angelo Cappello can operate in a number of positions across the midfield and the seven-cap star has chipped in with a couple of goals so far.

FC Halifax Town Defenders

Former Harrogate Town defender William Smith is an almost ever-present for FC Halifax Town this season and is often partnered by Jack Evans, formerly of Hereford. Nigerian Adam Alimi-Adetoro is able to play in a number of positions and has added a couple of goals to help his side this season.

Ryan Galvin, an ex-Sheffield Wednesday defender, and Adam Senior fill the full-back roles and they are supported by Jo Cummings, Harvey Sutcliffe and the Ghanaian Festus Arthur.

FC Halifax Town Goalkeepers

The experienced Sam Johnson captains a side he has been a part of since December 2016, making close to 400 appearances for the Shaymen during that time. He began his career at Port Vale and enjoyed a loan spell with Halifax before signing on a permanent basis.

Johnson is supported by young stopper Nathaniel Ford who joined the club in the summer after departing Rotherham United. So far, Ford has been restricted to just three National League Cup appearances as he deputises for Johnson in league action.

FC Halifax Town Manager & Coaching Staff

Chris Millington - Manager

Chris Millington has been in charge of FC Halifax Town since May 2022, stepping up from his role as assistant manager after Pete Wild left to take over at Barrow. Millington guided the Shaymen to the 2023 FA Trophy with a win over Gateshead.

Andrew Cooper - Assistant Manager

Andrew Cooper has been Chris Millington's assistant since July 2022 having previously been in charge of the academy at Punjab FC of the Indian Super League. Before his move to India, the 43-year-old had held an academy coaching role at Leeds United.

Aaron Scholes - Head of Sports Science and Medicine

Aaron Scholes has been at the Shay for a few seasons having gained experience in a professional sporting environment in Rugby League with Bradford Bulls and in football with Bradford City.

Paul Oakes - Goalkeeping Coach

Paul Oakes was brought into FC Halifax Town by former manager Pete Wild at the start of the 2020-21 season. He combines his role at the club with running his own goalkeeping academy.

FC Halifax Town Former Managers & Key Coaches

The very first manager of FC Halifax Town was Jim Vince, who was in charge for most of the first season in the Northern Premier League Division One North before being replaced four games from the end of the season.

Neil Aspin's appointment was one that changed the club's fortunes for the better. He was in charge for close to six years and led the club from the Northern Premier League Division One North to the cusp of the Football League, losing in the National League playoff semi-final in their first season in non-league football's top flight.

Billy Heath was the man to lead the club back to the National League, after relegation, via the playoffs after Jim Harvey had led the club to the FA Trophy during the relegation season. Pete Wild produced an impressive win record during his tenure, leading the club through their transition to full-time and the playoffs in two seasons out of three.

Billy Heath

He was in charge of FC Halifax Town from May 2016 to January 2018, guiding the club back to the National League in only full season at the helm.

Jamie Fullarton

He replaced Heath in 2018 and took charge of 65 matches before resigning in July 2019 having led the club to National League safety.

Pete Wild

Wild was appointed to replace Fullarton and enjoyed an impressive spell at the Shay, winning over 46% of his matches in charge and attracting Football League interest.

Chris Millington

He led the club to the 2023 FA Trophy and has the club competing for a coveted spot in the Football League.

FC Halifax Town Legends

Sam Johnson

He initially signed for FC Halifax Town on loan in 2015 and, including this temporary move, has made over 400 appearances for the club. The goalkeeper is the club's record appearance holder and in 2021-22 kept a club record 21 clean sheets.

Scott McManus

He joined the Shaymen in 2011 and would go on to make 290 appearances for the club. The left-back joined after leaving FC United of Manchester and was part of the sides that gained promotion to the National League and won the 2016 FA Trophy.

Matt Glennon

Matt joined Town in the twilight years of his career having enjoyed spells at clubs like Carlisle United and Huddersfield Town. The stopper was part of a team that gained promotion to the National League via the playoffs in 2013.

Lee Gregory

Lee currently turns out for League One outfit Mansfield Town but enjoyed a goal-laden spell at the Shay for three seasons from 2011. Gregory holds the club record for most league goals in a season with 29 and scored 76 goals and helped the team from the Northern Premier Division to the National League playoffs before beading to Millwall.

Billy Waters

He first joined FC Halifax Town in July 2021 after leaving Torquay United and scored 21 goals in 52 games in his one season at the club. He would later return to the Shay for a loan spell in 2024, adding six more goals to his tally.

Tom Denton

He followed Billy Heath from North Ferriby United to FC Halifax Town and would score 28 goals in 81 games before joining Alfreton Town and later Chesterfield.

FC Halifax Team Metrics & Performance

FC Halifax Town are knocking on the door of the National League playoffs, having won 11 of their 26 league matches so far. The Shaymen do not score many goals, averaging around 1.2 per game, but are very strong defensively. They have kept nine clean sheets so far and have conceded an average of 0.9 goals per game.

Since returning to the National League in 2017, FC Halifax Town have achieved six top-half finishes, including three playoff appearances. Last season, the Shaymen finished seventh in the fifth tier before losing out to Solihull Moors in the playoffs.

After two playoff appearances in three seasons and a promising start to the current campaign, fans of FC Halifax Town will be hoping for another top-seven finish and to go one better by finally achieving promotion to the Football League.

Watch FC Halifax Town's Latest Highlights

FC Halifax Town Pitch & Amenities

FC Halifax Town play their home matches at The Shay, having done so as their previous incarnation Halifax Town AFC since 1921. At one point, The Shay could hold up to 40,000 fans with the record attendance being recorded as 36,885 against Tottenham Hotspur for an FA Cup fifth-round tie. The current capacity is 14,061 and the pitch is grass.

Over the years, The Shay has played host to Speedway in the form of Halifax Dukes and is the current home of rugby league side Halifax Panthers. FC Halifax Town have played at The Shay since their inception in 2008.

FC Halifax Town Fan Base & Support

FC Halifax Town average just under 2,000 supporters this season for home games at The Shay which is a little lower than what they achieved last season.

One of the key supporter groups is the FC Halifax Town Supporters' Group who aim to support and promote FC Halifax Town and act as the supporters' voice within the club.

FC Halifax Town Rivalries & Notable Matches

FC Halifax Town has a number of rivalries, with some dating back to the previous club to carry the name. One of those historical rivalries comes in the form of Burnley, with whom the rivalry dates back to the 1980s when Burnley was in the fourth division. The last meeting between the sides came in the 1991-92 season with Halifax Town losing 1-0.

Other rivalries that have historical links include those with Bradford (Park Avenue), Huddersfield Town and Rochdale. A more recent rivalry comes in the shape of FC United of Manchester, with one of the last meetings between the teams coming at The Shay in 2016. FC Halifax Town ran out 3-1 winners thanks to a brace from Tom Denton and a strike from the late Jordan Sinnott.

FC Halifax Town Facts

FC Halifax Town History

FC Halifax Town was formed in 2008 after the dissolution of Halifax Town AFC and began their existence in the Northern Premier League Division One North, the eighth tier of English football. After finishing eighth in their first-ever season, the appointment of Neil Aspin was a real catalyst for the club to progress. Aspin led the Shaymen to back-to-back promotions into the National League North. Following two seasons in the regionalised division, Aspin added another promotion to his CV, this time gaining a place in non-league's top flight, the National League.

The impressive Aspin then led his side to the National League playoffs in their first season at the level and that was followed up by a ninth-place finish. The 2015-16 season was a disappointing one for the club as they were to sack Neil Aspin and the club would eventually be relegated back to the National League North. Despite being unable to save the club from the drop, caretaker boss Jim Harvey led the club to the FA Trophy with a victory over Grimsby Town at Wembley.

Billy Heath led the club back to the National League at the first attempt but was replaced mid-way through the next season by Jamie Fullarton. The club became a full-time professional outfit in 2018 and Pete Wild would lead the club to their highest-ever finish of 4th in the National League, losing out in the playoffs to Chesterfield.

Wild left at the end of the 2021-22 season for Barrow and was replaced by his assistant Chris Millington. Millington has guided the club to an 11th and 7th place finish and added a second FA Trophy to the cabinet in 2023.

FC Halifax Town Social Media Links

The official FC Halifax Town website is the place for all things Shaymen. Tickets, hospitality and fixtures are all available via the site and you can explore the archives of the club with 'Where Are They Now?' and details of the first team and Under 19s are all there at FC Halifax Town - Home of the Shaymen.

For match pictures, match reactions and latest from the Shay, FC Halifax Town's official X account is the place to go. FC Halifax Town (@FCHTOnline) / X

FC Halifax Town Outlook & Forecast

FC Halifax Town have built season upon season since having to restart their existence in the eighth tier of English football. Now, they have their sights firmly set on a place in the Football League and are regular playoff contenders in the National League.

Frequently Asked Questions About FC Halifax Town

How much do Halifax Town players get paid?

FC Halifax Town players will not be paid at the level of some of the bigger teams in the National League. The average wage of players in the division is reported to be between £1,000 to £1,500.

Who owns FC Halifax Town?

FC Halifax Town are owned by FC Halifax Town Ltd and the principal shareholder is David Bosomworth.

Is FC Halifax Town a big club?

FC Halifax Town may not be a big club in English football but they are a well-respected name who have fought their way back from extinction.

Where to watch FC Halifax Town?

FC Halifax Town matches can be seen at The Shay Stadium, Halifax, HX1 2YS.