FC Halifax Town: New boy Lynch happy to have flown the Robins' nest

Lynch agreed his release from Altrincham after growing disillusioned at Moss Lane, despite only joining them from Clitheroe in the summer, and made his Halifax debut in the 4-0 win over Bradford Park Avenue on Saturday.

“I didn’t think I was treated right there,” he said of his short stint at Altrincham, who are managed by ex-Town boss Jim Harvey, who replaced former Chester manager Neil Young when he resigned after just six games.

“I had a couple of clubs ring me saying they’d circulated my name for loan without speaking to me.

“When I was there, a lot of the supporters were disgruntled because of the performances.

“If results were going well it would be a totally different story.

“But because you’re a young lad and you’re new to the club, you become a bit of a scapegoat.

“One or two other lads had stepped up two leagues like me and got all the stick because we were Neil Young’s players, but some of the other lads who had been there a long time were immune from criticism.

“I wouldn’t say I was pulling up trees there but I thought my performances were decent.

“But it’s so refreshing to be here now, it’s a fantastic opportunity and one I’m keen to grab with both hands.”

Lynch felt he and his fellow summer signings at Altrincham were unfairly blamed for the club’s poor start to the season.

“I didn’t like the environment there,” he said. “I felt there were far too many people there passing the buck and too many new players were getting blamed for results when certain people should have been looking at themselves.

“I know I can play at this level - I believe in my ability. It’s just a case of working hard.

“Many teams are similar in this league but we’ve got that added quality as well and if you’ve got every player pressing, you saw the work rate on Saturday, if you go to press, look round and see you’re team-mate doing it as well, it makes your job so much easier.”

Lynch, who says there were “one or two” other offers from National League North clubs, feels right at home at The Shay after struggling to get a clear answer on his future from Harvey while at Altrincham.

“The chairman and everyone at the club were fantastic but the new manager that came in - he just didn’t want to give me a straight answer,” Lynch said.

“Even when I rung him and asked him what was happening.

“It was a good opportunity for me. I took it under Neil Young, who I’d like to put on record my thanks for giving me the chance at this level.

“I’m just really looking forward to being here and playing under Billy (Heath).

“I know I’m the sort of player he likes - I work hard.

“You can tell everyone’s playing for him, he’s got every player on side.

“There’s no egos or any big-time Charlie’s, it’s a great environment to be around.

Lynch captained Clitheroe aged just 21 and won the manager’s player of the year award in 2014-15 from ex-Halifax midfielder Simon Garner.

He then stepped up two levels to join Altrincham in the summer, but took it upon himself to leave just four months later.

“I always knew, without being big-headed, that I could push myself to this level,” he said.

“But if I don’t think things are working, I won’t just sit there.

“I’m delighted to have joined this fantastic football club.

“The one thing I’m about is hard work. First and foremost when I go onto that pitch I try to run my heart out.

“When people are paying good money, that’s what people want to see.

“I’m never going to be one that dribbles round five players and puts one in the top corner, but I try to do the basics, get it and give it, and let the likes of Jake Hibbs, Jordan Sinnott and Liam King go on and play.”

Lynch was at Burnley for 10 years, three of those as a full-time professional, and captained their youth team as well as training with Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez and Tottenham’s and Kieran Trippier

“I got a good grounding there, but Eddie Howe came in and, if you’re not pushing towards the first-team, you’re surplus to requirements,” he reflected.

“I think it’s getting more and more difficult for lads to break through because of the money that’s involved.

“Some lads go under in that situation but I’ve always thought if I could get to this level, maybe I can get to the Conference National and take it from there.

“But none of that is going to come without hard work.

“I dropped down (to Clitheroe) due to work commitments but I thought to myself ‘if I don’t have another go at that level I’m going to regret it’.

“I’ve had that professional background and I want to push myself to the highest level I possibly can.”