Elrawkum

\o/ Now that's perserverance.

KUTGW :thup:

andyrik

I was biting my nails just reading it !!

Did you watch from behind the chair? I would have done.

andyrik

Oh, and KUTGW.

Meneltin

Congrats on reaching the league, you've certainly deserved it. :thup:
The real struggle starts now though.

dwv1968

Literally! I'm just about to play my first game in League Two ...

And I was peering between my fingers during the shootout Andy!!

thefootman

Absolutely tremendous! Who needs the CL?.Getting promotion with a small club is the best experience in the game (and all the hassle that goes with it).Well done,mate!.You deserve it :thup:

dwv1968

Season 16 (2020/21) Halifax Town (League Two)

It's Halifax's first season in the League for seven years (last time they went straight back down), but the club's still in a mess financially; even with four players leaving (and one retiring), the wage bill's £6,800 over budget, and the bank balance is firmly in the red. So it's going to be very much a case of "as you were" on the playing side, with those who got us here expected to keep us here.

A poor start doesn't help, as we take five games to register our first point, and take our leave of the League Cup in the first round. When it comes, our first win's a good one - our veteran Irish forward bagging four as we beat Notts County 5-1 to go above them at the bottom - but it doesn't look like it's going to be repeated very often, and we're soon occupying last place again.

In fact, we're still there at the halfway point of the season, seven points from safety, and whilst the New Year starts with a bang with a 3-0 win over leaders Shrewsbury, we get thumped in each of our next three games and things are looking bleak. We eventually manage to find some sort of form though, and with ten games to go we've still got a chance of staying up, albeit a slim one.

When third from bottom Wrexham come calling with five games left, the chance has almost gone - anything less than a win, and we're down. It's a nailbiter of a game, a seventh minute goal enough for a 1-0 win, but five days later the game's up when we lose at Yeovil and Wrexham draw with Macclesfield.

Relegation having been confirmed, it's time for a bit of a clean out, with eight players released, and three more sold ... and surprise, surprise, we start playing our best football of the season - winning our last three games including a 6-1 thumping of Mansfield in which Halifax's all-time leading scorer gets his 200th goal for the club.

Let's just hope that's a sign of things to come ...

Final Record (24) P46 W12 D11 L23 F69 A85 PTS47

League Cup - 1R 2-3 v Preston (CH) (H)

LDV Vans Trophy - N2R 1-2 v Crewe (L2) (H)

FA Cup - 2R 1-5 v Reading (L1) (A)

thefootman

And just when I thought you'd cracked it....
Good luck for next season!

Elrawkum

Unlucky Dave.

Good luck getting back up :thup:

dwv1968

Season 17 (2021/22) Halifax Town (Conference National)

This could be interesting - despite the fact that we haven't got any money, and that they've slashed the wage budget by £7,000 a week, the Board expect us to win the league!

We make a solid start, and after six games, we're sixth, but a 6-2 tonking at Woking has the chairman making strange noises ... and the press are starting to ask questions as well.

Then the wheels start to come off - a growing injury list, first round exits in both the LDV and the Cup, and a 4-1 whipping by 10 man Wrexham, and I'm seriously thinking about walking out of the door. When Wycombe sack their manager, I make it known that I'm interested in the job, and when the board announce that they're not happy, I apply for the vacant Barrow job.

Having been offered it, I ask for a week to think things over, but when they come back, I've made my mind up - there's a distinct sense that the writing's on the wall, plus I think that the board have got unrealistic ambitions, so I'm off back to Cumbria and Conference North.

Halifax Final Record (8) P18 W9 D5 L4 F27 A21 PTS32

When I arrive, Barrow are in sixth with a record of P11 W4 D5 L2 F18 A14 ...

(to be continued)