The 20-year-old midfielder has been a big hit at the Shay since arriving on loan from Barnsley in mid October.

He started 28 league games scoring five goals, all of which were spectacular and two of which proved to be match winners.

But he has returned to Oakwell for the final week of the Championship campaign and when asked whether that was it for his Halifax career answered: "I would have thought so.

"I am back training with Barnsley this week," he added. "I will return to Barnsley for pre-season training and take it from there."

Manager Chris Wilder had tried to sign the youngster on a permanent deal in the January transfer window, at the same time that he tied up Nathan Joynes and Thomas Harban.

But Heslop's impressive displays for the Shaymen meant Barnsley were unwilling to part with the player whose last actions in a Town shirt were to help the club stave off the threat of relegation from the Blue Square Premier.

And he was just as anxious as a permanent member of the Town squad after the final whistle of Saturday's game at Stevenage when he realised just how precarious the position was.

"I thought Weymouth were still 2-1 up when we were in the last 10 minutes," he said. "Then we got back in the changing room to discover it was 2-2.

"There was silence and a lot of tension in there."

Even when the news that Altrincham had only drawn at Weymouth filtered through there were muted celebrations in the Town camp.

"When the news came through there was not too much of a cheer because we were all disappointed to have lost our game," said Heslop.

"Then we realised what we had achieved over the previous few weeks.

"I have enjoyed my time here, I have made some good friends at the club and I am delighted they have stayed up."


Chris Zebroski's last-minute strike gave Torquay a one-goal advantage over Exeter in the first leg of their Blue Square Premier play-off semi-final.

After Exeter dominated the first half, Torquay went ahead when Lee Phillips' cross was headed home by Tim Sills.

The Grecians' Wayne Carlisle then had an effort ruled out for offside, before he fired a half-volley in to equalise.

But when City keeper Paul Jones blasted a clearance straight at Zebroski, the striker kept his cool to fire home.