They Were Written Off – Now They Can’t Stop Winning: Inside the Past and Present of the National League’s Surprise Package

They Were Written Off – Now They Can’t Stop Winning: Inside the Past and Present of the National League’s Surprise Package

Situated within the western county of Yorkshire, Halifax is home to a population of just over 88,000 residents. They are also, however, home to a club that has re-emerged from the seabed, seeking a return to the football league.

The Shaymen have been written off in recent years, after four failed play-off campaigns in the last decade, but they have seemingly reinvented themselves over the past fortnight, winning five from five and being right up in the midst of another chance at promotion.

It has been an extremely tough past two decades for the club, after the original Halifax Town AFC had dissolved in 2008 just six years after last playing in what is now known as League Two.

Now known as FC Halifax Town, we delve into their story, and their attempts to reinstate themselves in the football league – and if a promotion to League Two is a realistic ambition.

Anyone still stubborn enough to stay at home, we’re on some run now

We need your support the club need the revenue get down to SHAY & back your team your club 💙⚽️

Scoring goals & attractive football now is the time to jump on the bandwagon 💙👍🏼

The most inform team in the… pic.twitter.com/l3wfYNwRfP

— SHAYMEN of Halifax Town (@shaymenfans) October 4, 2025

The Calm Before the Storm

Prior to the dissolution of the Halifax Town AFC, they were a ‘football league’ regular – or a regular member of a club residing within the top four tiers of the English pyramid.

The Shaymen were founded in 1911, and quickly became a member of the Yorkshire Combination, where they were to go into the first season as unsurprisingly a massive underdog – although they ended up surprising everyone with their results. After an impressive 7-1 win over York City, Halifax went on to finish the calendar year on top of the division; this would not go on, however, as they fell off a cliff and finished in seventh.

It was the cup, however, where they really ruffled some feathers. Entering the West Riding Junior Cup as the ‘ultimate underdog,’ they went on to make the final of the competition where they would take on reigning champions Mirfield United – a game they would go on to lose, however, it was an excellent start to an even better story.

Following the high ambitions of chairman Dr Howie Muir, Halifax were then elected numerous promotions, gaining the chance to become a member of the Football League – the then top-level league in the country – a league system which would expand to what we know today and this would be the beginning of a journey they would embark on for the next 70 years.

After Muir invested heavily in a 10,000-seater stadium, they would go on to defeat Darlington in their first ever match in the Football League 5-0 with an incredible full capacity crowd.

As I am writing this, I am starting to find their story very fascinating, and their highs did not stop here as they would go on to host a near unprecedented 36,885 people when they faced giants Tottenham Hotspur in the fifth round of the FA Cup. From here, however, the light began to fade for the Shay.

Over the next 30 years, the Shaymen would have to downscale their stadium continuously until it reached the lowly figure of 1,777 in 1985. The year after, however, the inevitable downfall began.

Going Dark

In November 1986, it almost felt globally known that Halifax were in a lot of debt for the time, and it almost seemed inevitable that they would not hold their heads above water for much longer.

The Shaymen were in £76,000 worth of debt in taxes to Inland Revenue before then boss Mick Jones would resign following the news. They managed to survive past the millennium, however, and just missed out on the Fourth Division in 1999, after leading after the opening portion of the campaign. They did, however, get to lift the Conference Cup, proving their only piece of silverware in their entire history.

The Shay Stadium was owned and leased officially by the Calderdale Council, meaning they had to approve of any plans for the venue. Despite fans coming together to look for an alternative way to save the stadium, it was inevitably denied, which also saw off any prospective owners.

The stadium was eventually saved as the town’s rugby club moved in order to keep the ground in place until today. The club’s final days came in late 2007/early 2008 as it was found that Halifax Town AFC were in an incredible amount of debt. They owed over £800,000 to the then Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and were over £2m in debt overall, marking the final moments of the club.

The Rebirth

Soon after the dissolution of Halifax Town AFC, FC Halifax Town was born. The newly formed club were quickly forged just months after their predecessor, and the phoenix club were even able to retain its board of directors.

Starting its journey down in the Northern Premier League Division One North, it was not as bad as it could have been for the Shaymen, although it was enough of punishment for them as they sought to rebuild back to where they belonged.

Starting in the eighth tier of English football, Halifax took no time to make it up to step two of non-league – winning two titles in three seasons with one amounting to a remarkable centurion campaign, marking two trophies which was more than they previously had held as AFC.

Two seasons on and the club found themselves back in the Conference Premier (now known as the National League), where they would continue to be for three seasons before a surprise relegation. This relegation campaign was not for nothing, however, as the Shaymen went on to lift their first FA Trophy before they would go on to repeat this success in 2023. Their then immediate bounce back has led to this season, where they are currently spending their ninth consecutive season in the division.

The Present is Promising

In recent seasons, the Shaymen have been gradually edging closer to a return to the Football League and professional status, reaching the play-offs in three of the last four seasons.

Aside from their inaugural season in the league, Halifax’s four spells into the play-offs have been brief to say the least, losing in the quarter-final in each. This begs the question; do they have the bottle?

Oldham Athletic were electric ⚡️

A thumping 4-0 win over FC Halifax Town seals their semi-final spot

Next up ↪️ York City! pic.twitter.com/C0CtJXVgF7

— Enterprise National League (@NL_Enterprise) May 14, 2025

Well, this season looks like it may have the answer. There is a speck of light at the end of this tunnel, and Halifax’s recent form and ambitions coming into the campaign suggest that despite the fact they may have overachieved in recent years, they have proved they have what it takes to make the play-off stage, they just need to go the extra mile and get to the of that tunnel.

According to the National League’s website, current boss Adam Lakeland suggests he knows not many people will be talking much about their prospects for this season. At this point, Halifax just seem to have the title of an underdog in their DNA, and they will not back down.

A large part of their survival as Halifax Town AFC came down to the togetherness and team spirit from the fans and players, and this has transferred to FC Halifax Town, as displayed by their recent overachievements over the last few seasons.

Through the first nine fixtures of the 2025/26 National League campaign, it seemed as though Halifax may be proving any doubters right, earning just nine points out of a possible 27. Since then, however, the Shaymen have had successful trips to Gateshead, Morecambe and league leaders Rochdale, winning 2-1 in each match, accompanied by home wins over Aldershot Town and Brackley Town, shooting Lakeland’s side up to sixth and into the play-off places.

There has been no shortage of goals in these matches either, with 43 goals scored in the opening 14 games. Only three sides have had more goals scored in their matches, proving that the Yorkshire side will always offer an exciting fixture.

With two fellow play-off aspirants in York City – who ended last season as runners-up on 96 points – and newly relegated Carlisle United, we will be able to gain a clear picture as to if Lakeland can guide his team to a remarkable promotion, or if they will die out like they have done in the past after an ever-successful start; the Shaymen are sure cause excitement wherever they go, and although it remains a mystery if their form will continue into promotion in May, there is no doubt that the Town’s return to the Football League is near.