FC Halifax Town: Play-off finish leaves us wanting more, says skipper Brown

The Shaymen lost 2-1 at Boreham Wood last Friday in their televised play-off eliminator after finishing sixth in the table.

Instead of remaining in the fight for a place in League Two, they now know they will have a fourth consecutive season in the top tier of non-league football.

But Brown reckons coming so close to what would have been a shock return to the Football League can spur the club on next term.

The Town skipper said: “You get that little taste and you want more of it.

“I think it would have been even more so if we’d got to the play-off final, but even going out in the first eliminator, it gives us that taste.

“There’s no reason why you can’t do it for the length of the season and stay up there. We were up in first and second for a long time.

“We came off it for a little bit but if you keep that consistency, you stay up there and give yourself a chance automatically.

“We’re looking forward to getting started, hopefully in a successful manor.

“But it does give us a little taste of what we can do, but we’re going to need some additions to help us push on.

“I think our (first) 11 is good but then when we lose key players, that’s when we struggle, whereas other clubs can replace like for like.

“We just need a bit more strength-in-depth, which I’m sure with more recruitment time this summer, the gaffer will get sorted.”

Brown says coming off the back of a play-off finish does give Town plenty to build on, but is also wary that it could have the opposite effect.

“I think it could also have the flip-side where you think you have a divine right to finish in the play-offs.

“You’ve seen that with Fylde haven’t you. They got to the play-off final and won the FA Trophy, and then they end up getting relegated,

“I think that’s one thing that won’t creep in with certain characters we have at this club, is that complacency, thinking we’ve got a given right now to finish in the play-off spots.

“First and foremost, our first objective is to maintain National League status, it always is, and then build from there.

“But the higher we can hover in the table next season, it gives us more of a buffer if we do go through a bad spell to push on from there.

“By no means does it give us a divine right to think we can have a good go at automatic promotion or the play-offs.

“We fully understand how difficult and unforgiving this league can be if you don’t approach it in the right way.

“We’re hurting at the minute but I’m sure once the new season comes along, we’ll be ready for it.”

Reflecting on this season, the Halifax captain said the club’s top seven finish was a “massive achievement” especially considering the chaotic nature of Town’s pre-season preparations.

“I’m never one to hide away from things. I saw something pop up on my phone the other day that it was a year since Jamie Fullarton left, and I remember exactly the day because we were invaded by travellers on our training ground and weren’t able to train, and I think we had nine players,” he recalled.

“Me, Sam (Johnson) and Clarkey (Nathan Clarke) were talking, fearing the worst and, being totally honest, thinking you could be down by Christmas.

“But fair play, the gaffer came in, we all got together and we knew we were going to have to grit together this year to just stay up.

“But the fantastic start we made, we managed to turn that into a prolonged period, whereas normally we’d come off it.

“I think it just shows that if you can get a bit of consistency, and if you’re going through a bad spell, you can still pick some points up, it can keep you up there for the majority of the season.

“It was a massive achievement. The company we kept in the play-offs was really good.

“But as a club we’re desperate to try and get back to the Football League and I’m sure the manager and the chairman will sit down to discuss what we can do, and hopefully we can attract some good players because I think people will want to come to Halifax now.

“It’s going to be tough next year with the likes of Stockport spending a lot of money, Yeovil and whoever else doesn’t go up through the play-offs.

“But you want a good competition. I’m sure once the dust settles we’ll be raring to go for next season.”

On a personal note, the Town skipper is hoping to be restored to his usual place at the heart of the defence next season after playing as part of a back three for the second-half of the 2019-20 campaign.

“A bit of a weird one,” he said of his season, “for large periods I’ve played out of position.
“I’m first to say it’s not my preferred position but I’m willing to do it for the team.

“I’ve had a couple of knocks this year which haven’t been ideal, but I think it’s about the team, that’s the main thing, and I’d take the team’s success before my own.

“I’m happy enough with myself but I’ll be looking to improve next year and hopefully get back to my normal position at centre-half.”

On last Friday’s defeat at Boreham Wood, Brown said: “I thought first-half we were the better team, we started well and probably the worst thing that could’ve happened for us was half-time.

“If Tobi’s shot goes in (just before half-time), it makes it 2-0 and a totally different game, but it’s easy to say these things, it didn’t happen.

“They came out second-half and brought the game to us and being totally honest, I don’t think we can really argue with the result.

“It was a game of two halves but all in all they probably shaded it.

“It’s always disappointing and hard to accept going out after four or five weeks of hard preparation.

“On reflection we’re still hurting at the minute but it is a great achievement what we’ve done this year, and it gives us a bit of a taster for potentially going one step further next year.

“You’ve seen Barrow, a team who were definitely not tipped to do well this year, they went and won it, so it shows how far you can go.

“Hopefully we can keep the core of this squad together with a few additions and we can have a good push next season.

“Overall I’d say it was a successful season.”