FC Halifax - The Only Way Is Up!

2013-05-22 11:51#103722 dan4rmnaija : I cant believe you actually beat Man City........congratulations man!!! Great Story.....Great Update.....You got a follower

Thanks, not a bad effort considering we were in the Blue Square Bet North only five seasons ago

2013-05-22 12:53#103723 ziechael :

2013-05-22 11:51#103722 dan4rmnaija : I cant believe you actually beat Man City........congratulations man!!! Great Story.....Great Update.....You got a follower

Thanks, not a bad effort considering we were in the Blue Square Bet North only five seasons ago

Not a bad effort at all

Halifax faced Borussia Dortmund away in the first leg of the first knock-out round in this seasons Europa League. As one of the power houses in Europe, Dortmund have proved to be no pushovers in the past and there was a real nervous energy around the Halifax town centre on match day. Fans who couldn't get out to the match filed into pubs and gathered at the Shay to watch the match on big screens in near silence.

As the match kicked off and Dortmund showed an attacking style the nerves only increased. However, only five minutes into the match Bittencourt was sent off for the home side for a violent conduct as he lashed out during a fair challenge from Matty Done. As Dortmund settled back into a more defensive tactic, eager to protect themselves from an away goal, the Shaymen began to push forward more and more. Wary of a counter attack from their experienced opponents the Shaymen made many measured forays into the home sides area. It would be fifteen minutes into the second half before the break came, a simply superb run from wing-back Florian Hart put him just inside the Dortmund box, as he was closed down on all sides the only option was to shoot.

Even people who weren't watching the game all over Halifax knew that something had gone in favour of their side as the cheers rang out across the town.

Halifax would go into the second leg of the tie with an away goal advantage that could well prove pivotal.

It would be the Dortmund fans who anxiously awaited the kick-off to the second leg. Jubilant Halifax fans gathered at Valley Parade hours before the match to make the most of the occasion. Fans of the visitors started to tentatively arrive but they were greeted with good natured chants and ribbing that only added to the celebratory nature of the occasion.

However, it was still technically only half time. With 90 minutes of football still to play it was far from a foregone conclusion. Both sides started the game with cautious measured attacks, testing their opponents for weaknesses. Dortmund found the first chink in the Shaymen's armour, as usual poor set-piece defending was to be Halifax's undoing. Herrmann rose above the watching defence to put the visitors ahead. With an away goal apiece the match would only be resolved in normal time with a clear winner now.

Both sides would start to throw more and more reckless attacks as the match wore on, the result of which would be more and more reckless challenges. The worse of which came ten minutes into the second half when Schmelzer received an automatic red card for a brutally high challenge on Anthony Forde. After the shouts and protests had died down it would be Forde himself who stepped up to take the free-kick. He struck the ball with conviction and it seemed as if karma itself guided the ball into the net. Halifax were ahead again, and once more had superior numbers to protect their lead with.

Unable to afford the luxury of going defensive Dortmund began to throw everything they had at the Halifax defence, they would come close on numerous occasions but simply couldn't find the back of the net. A well crafted move resulted in a professionally finished volley from Apostolos Vellios with only five minutes to go. Valley Parade erupted in celebration and the watching police and stewards had their work cut out to avoid a pitch invasion.


In one of the strangest decisions of the season Arsenal Chairman Vichai Raksriaksorn sacked manager Rafa Benitez just days before the Capital One Cup Final. In a statement to the press he claimed it was "a considered decision in the wake of a recent run of bad results for the Gunners and the club felt that a change was necessary for the good of the team." With Ajax manager Frank de Boer the bookies favourite to take the hot seat the main worry for the fans would be who would lead their side in the imminent final, Arsenal's only chance at silver this year.

Traditionally a defensive side, the manager-less premiership side defied the norm and started the match on the attack. Having fully anticipated such a tactic Alex T had set his side up with a strong defensive stance but seemed to have a counter-attack always just lurking under the surface. This served to keep Arsenal on the back foot and meant the the first half passed without incident for both sides, despite Arsenal coming close on more than one occasion.

In the second half thing would be much the same as before. Arsenal continued to push forwards but before they knew it the trap had been sprung. As the premiership side let their confidence mount the championship hopefuls came forwards in a sudden attacking movement. With just three passes they had carved the Arsenal defence open and forced their Keeper to make a superb save. The pats on his back had barely stopped when Lee Addy nodded home the resulting corner. Halifax had the upper-hand at last. They went on to press their advantage as a rudder-less Arsenal side tried to come to grips with the sudden reversal in roles. Only minutes later Adria made himself a hero, a long twisting run from the half way line saw him take on three defenders before firing the ball past the keeper to seal the victory.
The Capital One Cup came to a thrilling end with FC Halifax Town lifting the trophy for the third time in three seasons. Proving that the quality of possession is far more important than the quantity it came down to the clinical finishing of the minnow side to decide the overall outcome. No doubt the party up North will carry on long into the night again.


It was another simply faultless display from Championship side FC Halifax Town today as they secured yet another trophy for their club. Young manager Alex T has further secured his place in the halls of fame for club, country and league and the only question left to answer is: "Just how far can he take this side that only five seasons ago was in the BSN?"

Join our 'Back the boys' campaign as we follow Halfiax for the remainder of the season, FA Cup and Europa League in our, exclusive to the Sun, five page pull out every saturday.

We are pleased to announce that this month saw a profit for the first time this season. Our continued success in cup competitions, coupled with the increased gate receipts from playing some matches at Valley Parade has really boosted our income. While we expect the overall situation to take a downward turn again in the long run this has bought us time to assess the future earning potential of the club and ways in which we can create a more stable financial position.
A fantastic month has seen us add another trophy to the cabinet as well as further secured our position at the top of the league having dropped only two points out of a possible nine. Beating some of the top teams in Europe and domestic football has been a real joy to the fans and board alike and we look forward to final months of the season with real anticipation of further glory to come.

Wow!!!! you beat Dortmund AND Arsenal in the same month????? Congrats on the trophy man..!

Just wait until next month

What a group of awesome results mate well done! I see promotion in your future haha

Early this month FC Halifax were faced with possibly one of their greatest challenges yet. They would take on the Old Lady, Juventus in the second knockout round of the Europa League.
It was clear from looking at the lineups that the Shaymen were simply outclassed in this fixture. The key here would be to minimise the impact of the pace the Juventus side has in players like Giovinco, Vidal and co in the midfield.
The atmosphere at Juventus Stadium was intense, the Italian crowds well-known for their passion. The tiny FC Halifax Town contingent of fans found themselves drowned out frequently but never once stopped supporting their team throughout the entire match.

It was clear from the first whistle, that the Halifax plan was to close down the Juve players and keep them tightly under control and the impact was instant. Within 20 seconds of the kick-off Apostolos Vellios found himself through on goal, his powered shot saved by the fingertips of Hugo Lloris and pushed round the post for a corner. With an initial advantage the Shaymen didn't let up, frequently pushing forwards and frustrating Juventus when they had possession. It would only be a matter of minutes before another attack ended with a sweetly struck shot from Vadis Odjidja was too hot to handle for Lloris who could only push it away, the ball found the feet of Anthony Forde who drove the ball past Lloris who had no time to react and the underdogs suddenly found themselves 1-0 with an away goal.
For the first time since the fan entered the stadium the Halifax fans could be heard as the Juve fans were stunned into silence.
Halifax kept up the pressure for as long as possible but were unable to secure a second goal. After the initial shock of the first ten minutes had worn off the Juventus team began to use their quality to dominate the match especially in the final fifteen minutes where Juventus came close a number of times including having two attempts cleared off the line and Forster proving why he is one of the top earners at the club. A purely statistical view of the match would have suggested a win for the home side but as is so often seen in football, stats don't mean a thing. It is the ball in the back of the net that counts.
Another famous victory for the Championship leaders, could they repeat it at home in front of their own fans?
Just days later it would be the turn of the FC Halifax fans to drown out the travelling Juventus contingent. With a one goal advantage Halifax would be no doubt expected to try and secure a two goal lead before sitting back and defending for all their worth.

That, however, has never been the philosophy of manager Alex T who in and earlier interview had stated that he was looking to "Play a free-flowing attacking game from the start".

It was never going to be an instant impact like the previous match as the Juve staff had obviously done their homework this time around and the defence seemed to be playing a lot deeper than before. The opening goal would go the home sides way again as Vidal brought down Haris Vuckic in the box, while many expected the striker to take the penalty himself, he stepped aside for penalty expert Josh Readings to take this essential shot. With confidence he put the ball low and to the right, sending Lloris the wrong way entirely.

Once again the Halifax tactics defied the odds as the goal seemed to fill them with a desire to push for more and put the game to rest one and for all. Only two minutes later Vuckic got himself onto the score sheet after all with a composed finish from close range following a rebound from James Wallace's free-kick.
It took an error from the first legs hero Anthony Forde for Juvetus to finally get themselves on the score sheet mid-way through the second half, Manolo Gabbiadini firing a fierce shot from close range. At 3-1 down it was a desperate Juventus side that tried to push forwards but as the match drew to a close they simply couldn't put the final ball together. The increased frustration meant more opportunities for the simply tireless Shaymen who were quick to pounce on any errors, Gerry Mullen with a beautifully timed strike in the 83rd minute put the result beyond doubt.

FC Halifax Town weren't done there, having secured their place in the next round they aimed to secure their place in history with a truly devastating 5-1 victory on aggregate. Gerry Mullen floated a looping ball to the back post from out on the right which found young star Adria in plenty of space to seal the deal with a headed effort from a tight angle.
Despite the scoreline this match had proven to be a much more equal challenge than the first leg but once more the quality of the Halifax finishing was the deciding factor.

Towards the end of the month the quarter finals of the Europa league kicked off with the first leg. FC Halifax would face off against group rivals Sevilla at Valley Parade.

The match was almost a foregone conclusion as the Halifax players, still high in morale from the previous round, romped over their opposition. Florent Cuvelier put the home side ahead close to half time and it could well have been three or four more, had it not been for the heroics of Diego Lopez in the Sevilla goal, before Andros Townsend scored a second in the closing minutes to give the Shaymen a comfortable cushion for the second leg next month. The only concern for the home fans was the injury to Adria that put him out of the game in the second half. Luckily it would turn out to be nothing more than a dead leg.

In the first league game of the season FC Halifax travelled to Upton Park to face West Ham. The ex-premiership side were not making a good account for themselves so far in the league, currently sitting mid-table.

Straight from the off the home side seemed to have a point to prove to the watching fans. A quick brace of goals from Cole and O'Hara put West Ham 2-0 ahead in only 20 minutes, not the start that the travelling FC Halifax fans had hoped for.

At half time it seemed as though the Shaymen had received the customary hair-dryer treatment from their manager, they came out determined to pull the result back in their favour and looked set to do so when Vellios curled the ball around the out-stretched Goal Keeper in the 46th minute. The cheers of the Halifax fans had only just died away when Collins converted a corner to put his side back in complete control.

With 15 minutes to go some Halifax fans were starting to look at the exits as a potential option but as some started to file out for the long trek back North Apostolos Vellios burst through the West Ham defence and fired the ball past the Keeper, suddenly the Shaymen were back in the game.

A poor pass from O'Hara a couple of minutes later was intercepted by Jame Wallace, whose long range effort was deflected behind by Collins. The resulting corner was worked to perfection and Adam Webster rose above his markers to head home the equaliser. A superb match for the neutrals.

Just two days after their stunning comeback, FC Halifax would host West Ham at the Shay. Early in the game, a rash challenge from Collins led to a penalty for the Shaymen which Michael West didn't hesitate to convert it for the lead.

Determined to take three points from the encounter FC Halifax continued to heap pressure upon the visiting side, the result being a sweet shot from distance by recently transfer listed Josh vela just before half time.

The second half would be mainly West Ham on the attack as they sought to stage a comeback. A penalty awarded mid-way through the second half was sorely missed by Collins who put the ball into row Z. The Hammers continued to press the Halifax defence but it would be to no avail and the Shaymen took the points they desired.

Bristol would prove to be a tough match for Halifax, on the receiving end of several threatening attempts as well as many more that wouldn't find the target. Sorely outnumbered in attacks, corners and possession it was sheer determination and solid defensive work that prevented Bristol from taking the lead. A rare effort, the only one on target, from FC Halifax saw them take the lead in the second half. Fabio Nunes, recently returned from his spell on loan scored a superb goal from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Next the Shaymen would travel to Blackpool for the first of two matches against the Seasiders this month. The match was a good one, if somewhat uneventful. An early goal from Victor Anichebe put the visitors ahead but by half time the home side had restored the balance once more.

For second match in a row Halifax would only come away with a point. Aston Villa always looked dangerous on the attack and after they had gifted Halifax with a goal in the first half, they stepped up the scale of the attack in the second. Unable to cope with the speed of the forwards players FC Halifax could only look on as the equaliser was put past their Keeper in a one-on-one situation.

Despite going ahead in 6 mins against blackpool with another goal from Victor Anichebe, FC Halifax failed to make multiple clearcut chances count which lead to a draw being on the cards after the Seasiders equaliser early in the second half. Recently back from injury, Haris Vuckic came on in the 72nd minute and seemed to be back on top form having several chances before scoring the winner in time added on.

The final league match of the season saw FC Halifax travel to Derby, the Rams have become a well established side in the Championship over recent seasons and would always be expected to do well at home.

This match would be no exception, Derby dominating for most of the first half but being unable to break the solid visiting defence. Caught on a counter attack Derby suffered at the hands of Victor Anichebe as he powered his shot from the edge of the 18-yard box into the top left corner of the goal. The second half would prove no different, the Rams continued their assault on the Halifax half but the final whistle blew with the score 1-0 to the visitors.




Leeds United are slight underdogs in what should prove a tightly contested affair against Europa League Quarter-Finalists FC Halifax.

A potential Semi-Final clash against Wolves awaits the winner of what is sure to be a keenly contested match. FC Halifax have been performing well beyond expectations once again in the FA Cup this season.

Leeds beat Hull City, Norwich City and Sunderland whilst FC Halifax beat Fleetwood Town, Millwall and Manchester City to get this far.

The referee for the match will be Richard Hirst from Bolton, who has shown one yellow card and no red cards in his five FA Cup games so far this season.


It wouldn't be a long trip for the travelling Halifax fans for the quarter-final of the FA Cup. Elland Road the venue and Leeds United their hosts.
The match began in fine fashion, Apostolos Vellios breaking through in the fifth minute to latch onto a lofted through ball from deep in his own half. Seeing the Leeds Keeper well of his line, Vellios tried a cheeky lob from distance and the crowd fell silent as the ball sailed through the air before dipping neatly into the goal. FC Halifax had once again shown how their recent rise has come to rival the top side in West Yorkshire.
There would be no come back from the hosts, and despite a thrilling match with both sides having an equal share of possession and a similar amount of shots there wasn't much for the Goal Keepers of either side to do as the majority of the play was centred around a midfield battle.
The final whistle blew and the party started once again for the jubilant FC Halifax players and fans alike.

It has been a simply fantastic month for the club, the win against Juventus in impressive fashion had to be the highlight but our continued dominance in the league and domestic competitions is also of note.
Of particular pride to the club is the recent setting of the ever increasing record of 210 games unbeaten in competitive matches dating from back in April 2014.
Despite a minor loss this month we are overall confident that our finances are stable, this is mainly thanks to the cup competitions that provide us with prize money and increased gate receipts. In the long run we may need to evaluate either our wage structure or the stadium capacity as we are currently relying on an unstable source of income.

Some amazing results there! Absolutely hammered Juve great work in the Europa League. How are you losing money though man? haha finances need a boost :p

2013-05-23 14:45#104189 k1rups : Some amazing results there! Absolutely hammered Juve great work in the Europa League. How are you losing money though man? haha finances need a boost :p

The biggest problem i have is wages are increasing but the stadium can only take 7k people so i'm not getting enough money coming in... should all change next season if i get promoted *crosses fingers*

There would be only one international game this month, England would travel to Malta for a world cup qualifier.
The selection of Fraser Forster, a current FC Halifax player, and Joe Nwankwo, a previous and cherished loan signing, sparked some controversy over Alex T's squad selection, but when pressed he dismissed comments with the unquestionable facts that both players have excelled in recent weeks and deserved a chance to show what they can do on the international stage. With Joe Hart out injured and Jack Butland going through an awful run of form it was looking increasingly likely that the Halifax Keeper could even be in the starting eleven.
The fans arrived at the stadium fully expecting to see the visiting Englishmen triumph but no-one expected the result to be so embarrassing for the hosts. Sturridge put England ahead early in the game and it never looked like being anything other than a rout. Ironically it would be the centre-forward who couldn't find the net as both wingers and centre midfielders all got themselves on the scorecard.

The final nail in the Maltese coffin came late in the match when a dangerous looking corner was attempted to be cleared, only to end up in the back of Pace's own net.
With only one shot on target, and a total of five shots all match, Malta will have some serious work to do on the training ground if they hope to get anything out of the remaining qualification matches.



With only one match this month, and against a small nation at that, we at the FA would have expected nothing less than a win. However, to come away with a clean sheet and six goals to add to our tally was a very pleasant surprise.

We must now switch out attention to the upcoming Confederations Cup.

210 games unbeaten? I just can't enjoy a story when it is obviously fixed.

2013-05-23 19:36#104323 BFC_Michael : 210 games unbeaten? I just can't enjoy a story when it is obviously fixed.

You are entitled to your opinion of course but fixed is a little harsh. This save, as has been said previously, is an experiment about the price of success for low league sides. While i have freely admitted to a few (not many) key reloads to maintain cup runs the majority of the success has come from patient analysis of opponents tactics and proper use of my squad.

The overall result is that the faster a team reaches the top the harder it is to sustain as wages soon outpace income. I intend to keep this running for another couple of seasons until the team hits the champions league, from that point on there will be no reloads at all and what will be will be, again as an experiment to see how quickly a team can fall again, if it ever does.

Thanks for the comment though, hopefully with this more detailed explanation of my goal the people who want to come on the journey with me can, and those purists, like yourself can give it a miss


Discontinued due to corrupt save