Thank you to FC Halifax Town supporter Lee for answering this weeks Questions!
Thank you to Lee for answering this weeks Questions!
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How Long Have You Supported FC Halifax Town?
Since 1998, our first season back in the Football League. I was 14.
Last Season’s League Finish?
A disappointing 9th. Disappointing because in February we were 7th with games in hand on the play-off teams, but we won just one more game before the end of the season. On paper 9th looked a decent finish for a part-time team in their second season at this level, but the reality was that we threw away a great chance of a second season in the play-offs.
What Do You Think Of Your Manager?
It’s early days, but since Jim Harvey took over six weeks ago we’ve played 6, won 4, drew 2 (plus a 5-0 FA Trophy win v Tamworth). Considering we were 10 points adrift at the bottom of the league when he took over, he’s done a remarkable job of turning our fortunes around. He’s an experienced manager at this level, talks a lot of sense, is a good tactician and most importantly appears to have instilled some badly needed self-belief and confidence in the team.
Hopes/Expectations This Season?
Just to avoid relegation now and perhaps an FA Trophy run. We were so poor until Harvey took over that relegation seemed inevitable, so if we finish 20th I’ll be happy!
One(s) To Watch?
Shaun Tuton. On his day he can be a thorn in the side of any defence with his pace, skill and work rate. Whilst he can be inconsistent and guilty of trying to do too much at times, he has scored 8 goals in the last 7 league games and is attracting interest from Football League clubs. He was recently described by a scout as ‘the new Jamie Vardy’. Vardy used to play for us and whilst I can see the comparison in their style of play, Tuton has some distance to go before he can be considered anywhere near the player Vardy was at this level. He needs to make sure that the hype doesn’t go to his head and continue to develop.
You have had 3 ex-Imps play for you this season – Burrow, Bencherif and Brown. How are/did they fair?
If it wasn’t for Burrow, I dread to think how far adrift we would be. One of the league’s top scorers in a team which has been in the bottom 4 all season tells you all you need to know. He has gone off the boil a bit in recent weeks, but he has developed a decent partnership with Tuton and I’m sure he’ll find his form again.
Brown and Bencherif had an awful start to the season and were widely thought of as the worst CB partnership we had seen in a very, very long time. In fairness I think the poor defending was symptomatic of the whole team’s lack of confidence, as a wave of CB loanees failed to make a difference. Since Harvey took over, he’s stuck with them and with the confidence visibly flowing through the team these days they now look consistently solid. In fact, in recent weeks they have been amongst our best players. Long may it continue!
Do you think a season like this has been coming for the last couple of years i.e. losing quite a few key players and not being able to replace them adequately?
No. We did lose/let go a lot of good players in the summer (plus Lee Gregory a couple of seasons ago), so most fans were realistic enough to expect a slow season whilst the team was in transition. But not a relegation battle. Not bottom of the league. On paper we signed a decent mix of experienced Conference players and young, hungry players from the lower leagues, but Neil Aspin just couldn’t get anything out of his new team at all. It’s still strange not seeing Aspin in the dug-out, and his sacking still divides opinion, but in my view his time was up. The less said about his successor Darren Kelly the better, but Harvey has shown in recent weeks exactly what this team is capable of with the right management.
You have the worst defence in the National League, but you seem to have stemmed the flow since your latest sacking with 5 conceded and 2 clean sheets in your last 6. Is that quite simply down to some decent organisation or have their been formation/personnel changes by the new manager?
It’s all down to Harvey. The players haven’t changed. By instilling belief and confidence in the squad, as well as making some decent tactical decisions when called for, he’s managed to organize the team and get them playing for each other. They look like they want to play for the club now; they want to play for Harvey.
I would also point out that although we have only recently kept our first clean sheets since March, our defensive record looks as bad as it is thanks to the disastrous seven week reign of Darren Kelly, when we conceded 28 goals in 7 league games!!
Top Five Predictions?
Cheltenham
Forest Green
Grimsby (sorry!)
Eastleigh
Woking or Tranmere
Bottom Four Predictions?
Guiseley
Welling
Torquay
Kidderminster
Thoughts on Lincoln City?
I think you’ll finish mid-table – I don’t think you’re consistent enough to make the play-offs. It will be interesting to see whether Hearn’s return does anything for you, because he’s an excellent striker on his day.
I have no problem with Lincoln. I kind of see them as similar club to our own in many ways – similar sized stadium, fairly similar lower league histories etc.
Incidentally one of my favourite ever away day experiences came at Sincil Bank, when we scored an injury time equaliser in 2001 to avoid relegation to the Conference (although we got relegated the season after anyway!).
Score Prediction?
I’ve got to be loyal to my team here! I’m going 3-1 Halifax.
Random Fact About Your Club?
There have been at least three songs written and produced about Halifax Town. “The Shaymen of Halifax” and it’s B-side “The Shaymen Song”, both by Tommy Degnan, were released in 1978. “We’re Coming Back” by the Grumbleweeds was released in 1998 following our promotion to the Football League. All 3 can be found on YouTube.
They’re the best random facts I could think of. Sorry!
