RECKLESS GUIDE TO HALIFAX TOWN

FC HALIFAX TOWN v BARNET

Vanarama Premier League

Saturday 31st January 2015

Kick Off 3.00pm

Stadium: The Shay, Shay Syke, Halifax West Yorkshire HX1 2YT

Telephone: 01422 341222

Club Colours: Blue and White

Nickname: The Shaymen

Official Website: www.halifaxafc.co.uk

Key Personnel: Gateshead born Neil Aspin is in charge at The Shay and had a long playing career as a defender with Leeds United, Port Vale and Darlington between 1982-2001. He managed at Harrogate Town before joining FC Halifax in 2009.

Impress the Locals: The club was originally formed in 1911. FC Halifax Town formed out of the ashes of Halifax Town who went into administration during 2007-08 season. Debts of £2million with over £800,000 owed to HM Revenue and Customs saw the club wound up. The Shaymen reformed in July 2008, be it three steps further down the pyramid, the FA placing them in the Unibond League Division One North.

Brief Directions by Road:

Take the M62 exiting at junction 24, follow signs for A629 Halifax (quite complicated after the slip road, just keep focused) and into Calderdale Way which becomes the Huddersfield Road After approx 4.5 miles on this A629 keep right into Shaw Hill where you will find the ground on your left and parking.

Car Parking:

There is parking at the ground at a small charge but street parking locally is freely available.

Directions by Train: A mid morning train from Kings Cross will take around 3 hours with a possible change at Leeds.

A 10 minute walk awaits - out of the station through the car park and turn left onto Church Street. Over the roundabout into South Parade and then straight onto in Shay Syke. You will see the ground to your right.

Supporters Coaches:

The supporters coach will leave the Hive at 8am with earlier pick up points at Potters Bar Station, Barnet (3 separate places), Whetstone and Edgware starting at 7am. The price is £30.00 return.

For further information on Bees Travel Club please call the ticket off ice on 020 8381 3800 and selection option 2.

Eating and Drinking Locally:

The Three Pigeons, which you pass on the left when walking from the station serves up very decent pints. The Town Centre pub The Barum Top Inn is a good bet for food and beer selection. Nearer to the town centre you will find The Pump Room in New Road. My Reckless recommendation – which is a tough pub to find but a real gem tucked away behind the old Mill building to the east of the ground, is the Shears Inn.

www.shearsinnparisgates.co.uk

You will find this very splendid establishment in Paris Gates off Boys Lane HX3 9EZ. It is the oldest pub in town and the range of real ales and food is scummy. Hot sandwiches with a side order of chips and a gravy dip!

The Shears Inn

Social Club:

The South Stand bar is open to all before and after the match.

Ground Description:

The ground was originally laid out in 1921 and remained a very basic stadium with some area simple grass banks until as late as the early 1980's. The club now have an arena that could grace the Football League with very few problems.

The recently refurbished east stand has room for around 4,000 and houses all the office facilities plus changing rooms and corporate hospitality. At each end of the ground are huge “old school” covered terraces each offering a fabulous view of proceedings. Opposite is the old Skircote Stand, the oldest of the structures which has been converted from terrace to seating. The current capacity is a healthy 14,000.

Away fans are often housed in the Skircoat Stand and although covered it does have a number of supporting pillars that may hinder your view. Around 2,000 away supporters can be accommodated here. For a small away following (we I suspect will include us) then the Northern section of the Main Stand is allocated.

Admission: Adults £17 Concessions £13 Under 17's £6 Under 7's £3

Rivals: Rochdale traditionally, but the club are surrounded by some pretty fierce opposition. Oldham to the south east, Rochdale and Bury to the west, Bradford to the east and Burnley to the north. To the south lies Huddersfield and horror of horror the hooligan infested Holmfirth Rovers.

Previous Meetings and Memories:

Our last visit was in September 2013 when a Curtis Weston goal was not enough in a 2-1 defeat.

However our visit in August 2004 saw us 2-0 down at half time but after an own goal, a strike by Liam Hatch and a sublime perfectly executed lob by Giuliano Grazioli saw the Bees win 3-2. The previous season we picked up a 2-1 win (thanks to Graz and Ben Strevens) and even the terrace drum joined in the celebrations tumbling down the high terrace towards Shane Gore in the Bees goal............it could have killed someone for sure.

I also had the absolute pleasure of visiting Halifax in the 2000/1 season by stretch limousine. Our little party shared numerous pints and vodkas in the lounge bar with John Doolan’s Dad before the game and numerous more after it. John was desperate to join in but had to get on the coach! The result that day was......I can’t remember!

John Doolan - top man he was!

Celebrity Watch: Halifax’s list of famous persons is mind blowing - US President George W Bush’s family tree was traced back to Halifax and his ancestors emigrated to Massachusetts in the 16th century. The Poet Laureate of 1984 Ted Hughes OBE lived in Halifax. 1970’s legendary Blue Peter presenter John ‘Get Down Shep’ Noakes, wrestling giant ‘Shirley Crabtree’ aka Big Daddy, TV weatherman John Kettley and John Christie the infamous gas murderer/body burier  of ‘10 Rillington Place’ in the 1940’s also hailed from these parts. 

Both of these buried bones!

Daniel Defoe allegedly wrote the novel ‘Robinson Crusoe’ whilst staying in Halifax around 1718. When you are driving home in the dark after witnessing another Barnet victory you should forever think of Halifax as the ‘cats eyes’ that illuminate the road markings were invented here too by Mr Percy Shaw. Mr Shaw has a Wetherspoons Pub in the Town Centre named in his honour.