FC Halifax Town: Shaymen will resume training on Monday if play-offs are given go-ahead

The Shaymen should hear today whether enough clubs have voted for the plans, which would see the play-offs start no later than Saturday, July 18, and finish no later than July 31.

The proposal needs the backing of 51 per cent of clubs in the National League’s three divisions to go ahead.

There are 32 votes in total, each National League club gets one and the National League North and National League South share four each, so a majority of 17 is needed. The decision will then need to be ratified by the FA Council.

Halifax, Notts County, Chesterfield, Boston United, Alfreton and Hereford had all confirmed their vote or intention to vote for the proposal by yesterday afternoon.

Town would play away to Boreham Wood, which looks likely to be on July 18, with the winner then facing a trip to Harrogate Town in the semi-finals.

“I’m really happy with the proposals on the table, I think they’re fair and honest, and I’m hopeful they get signed off and we can drive forward and end the season,” Wild said.

“We’re putting things in place behind the scenes already in terms of testing, we’ve ramped up our physical programmes with the players and we’re now discussing everybody back in the building, how we do that and the processes we need to go through to get players back on the training ground, initially in small groups but hopefully then quite quickly into contact training.

“Providing there’s a green light, we’ll be back on the grass on Monday morning.”

Having not played for 14 weeks, since their 1-0 home defeat to Ebbsfleet in March, The Shaymen look set to have four weeks to prepare for the trip to Boreham Wood.

“It is what it is, everybody’s in the same boat,” said Wild.

“We’re hoping the lads have done what we asked them to do away from the club for the last 15 weeks to ensure that, physically, they come back in the right shape.”

Wild hinted that The Shaymen could take part in one or two behind closed doors friendly games before the play-offs.

“We’ve already got a couple of irons in the fire with that,” he said.

“Everything’s ready to go, pending what happens. Staff and players can’t wait to get started.”

Wild said the club “haven’t been told specifically” what level of testing will be needed on the squad and staff, but that they have already looked at “our own protocols and how we’d do it”.

“Masks, sanitisers, gloves - it’s going to look like a nuclear power plant at the training ground, but we’re happy to follow any guidance that’s put our way,” he added.
On the availability of loan striker Devante Rodney, who has been told he will not be offered a new contract at parent club Salford, Wild said: “That will hopefully be resolved by the time we go back next week.”

But the Town boss had some good news to report on injured defender Michael Duckworth.

“We’re a bit more hopeful on Ducky,” said Wild. “It’s coming up to 16 weeks post-op.

“The physio and the surgeon are looking at him to see if he can resume contact training, which is better than I thought last week.

“It’s not a clear yes but it’s more hopeful than it was last week.”