After that nailbiting end of 2004 that is, when Fax survived a Grand Final play-off in the last 10 minutes courtesy of a Steve Cross video decision and a late try from Scott Grix when some fans in the crowd were already in tears.

Third last year and don't forget that near miss in 2005 when only a disallowed try of Dave Larder's in the closing seconds at The Jungle prevented Halifax going through to the Grand Final instead of Castleford.

But there were some horrible experiences four years ago, and one of them occurred on Sunday March 21st.

At first glance Halifax should have sailed through a qualifying group in the Arriva Trains Cup which included Keighley, Rochdale and Hunslet.

The Cougars always included a healthy contingent of ex-Shaymen though and this particular Sunday proved to be a happy one for James Rushforth, David Foster, Matt Foster, Matty Firth, Simeon Hoyle, Craig McDowell and Danny Ekis as they finished up winning quite comprehensively 26-8.

The perceived wisdom nowadays is that the team was drastically understrength and that recruitment hadn't been what it could have.

You have to bear in mind though that Halifax didn't remain a fulltime outfit unlike Huddersfield and Salford who had bounced back before them.

And a more stringent salary cap affected the budget badly. There were some good signings in the off season. Anthony Farrell for one.

The former Leeds prop had played his last game for Widnes in the final Super League game at the Shay. He had even been allowed a kick at goal to mark the occasion!

His old mate Paul Dixon persuaded him for one last hurrah though but it is doubtful if he realised when he put pen to paper that by May he would be coaching as well as playing.

Pat Weisner was another to earn his money.

On the debit side however most people would agree that Phil Cantillon never really lived up to the hype surrounding him.

Farrell realised that and brought in players like James Bunyan, Ben Feehan and Matthew Whittaker and gave chances to Simon Grix and James Haley.

The big imponderable is what would have happened if Brad Davis had arrived on time.

Or if a halfback of a similar quality had been available from the start of the season. It was July before Ben Black arrived.

Farrell himself felt that the side lacked fire in it's belly.

He used to recount a story from midway through the Challenge Cup tie at Limoux.

Having been "spelled" he was ready to come back onto the pitch early in the second half when a scrum formed.

Unbelievably both props turned and made to leave the field at the sight of him on the touchline!

For the record, that team at Lawkholme four years ago was: Scott Grix, Richard Smith, Chris Norman, Hadcroft, Arnold, Simon Grix, Moxon, Farrell, Cantillon, Jaymes Chapman, Wayne Corcoran, Morley and Weisner with Oli Marns, Danny Fearon, Ryan MacDonald and Paul Davidson starting on the bench.