FC Halifax Town: “When I get my opportunity I’ve got to take it” says Tear

The right wing-back signed a one-year contract at The Shay this summer, but has found game-time limited so far, making just one substitute appearance against Wealdstone.

Tear is from Boroughbridge and played with Knaresborough Celtic when he was younger.After an unsuccessful trial at Barnsley, he spent two years at Harrogate Railway, where he was spotted by a scout from Huddersfield Town.

Having impressed on trial, he joined The Terriers aged 15, leaving at the end of last season without making a first-team appearance.

“I won the academy player of the year in my first or second year there, then got offered my first professional contract,” he said.

“I went on loan to a Northern Irish team called Larne for the second half of the 2018/19 season - brilliant club, I can’t speak highly enough of them.

“I learned so much there, it was my first time living away from home. I really enjoyed it.

“It was surprising when it came up but there was some sort of connection with Huddersfield.

“I was a bit unsure at the start because it meant moving away but I absolutely loved it.

“It was an unbelievable experience. It was my first taste of men’s football.

“The standard was similar to National League. The owner of Larne owns Purple Bricks, the housing company.

“He’s originally from Larne so he loves the club. They’ve got great facilities, lovely people.

“It was the first time I cooked for myself, washed for myself. It helped me so much as a person.

“I remember coming back from Larne and playing an under 23 game against Leeds, first game back for Huddersfield, and I scored a hat-trick.

“It really matured me as a player.”

Tear was a winger when he was younger but now classes himself as a wing-back too.

“I played right wing-back for the second-half of last season at Gateshead,” he said.

“It was tough to begin with, especially the defensive side.

“I’m still learning it, the positioning defensively, not getting too far inside.

“But Byrney (Neill Bryne) is brilliant with me, really helps me out.

“In training I’m always getting upfield and trying to get in attacks, but I’m always working at the role.

“I’m comfortable as a winger or at wing-back.”

Tear joined Gateshead on a month’s loan last season, but didn’t play for the first three of four weeks.

“There were two days left on my loan and we had Boston at home on the Saturday, I started and scored and got man-of-the-match,” he said.

“Then they offered me a full season loan!

“I played in the first round of the FA Cup against Oldham, played regularly, really enjoyed it, learned loads again. Another brilliant club.

“You learn loads playing the men’s game, it’s so different from the academy game. Completely different, it’s a whole new world.

“Every time I play, I’m always learning.”

On his move to Halifax in the summer, Tear said: “I had quite a few offers but I didn’t want to rush into anything too soon.
“Coronavirus kind of messed up everything but I was patient.

“It was a stressful couple of months because I was wondering ‘will I play full-time football?’, ‘will I have to go to part-time?’ and then Halifax came up.
“I sat down with Milly and the gaffer and really liked what they were saying.

“It’s really important, especially when you’re signing for a new club, to sit down with the gaffer and the assistant.

“You see what they have to offer but they’ve got to see what you have to offer as well.

“The structure, how they play, what they want to do for the season, it attracted a lot of players.

“It’s a step-up from the league I played in last year with Gateshead, it’s a good club, heard loads of good stuff about it.

“They said really good things when I sat down with them - for me it was a no-brainer.”

Jeff King had been Town’s regular right wing-back until his red card against Wealdstone.

“I think Jeff’s a quality player,” said Tear, “and he got off to a really good start to the season.

“We’ve got a good relationship.

“I’m always learning, I’m 21, I’m training hard and when I get my opportunity I’ve got to take it.

“I don’t really like to overthink stuff, I just like to go with it. I don’t really stress about what I’m going to do next year or anything.

“I’ve got to get my head down, work hard, enjoy my time and see what happens.”

Tear says Town have made a “solid” start, but believes The Shaymen have been unlucky at times.

“We all know as a group we could have done better, but we’re a new group and we’re all working together,” he said.

“We’re hurting that we’re down there, we don’t want to be in the bottom half of the table, we want to be in the top half.

“We’ve got to stick together as a group.”

And Town’s lowly league position isn’t dimming Tear’s ambitions for the season.

“Winning the league, definitely,” he said.

“The talent we’ve got, the drive we’ve got, we’re a good group.

“We’re always pushing each other.

“We all want promotion, we’re all driving towards it, so that’s the goal.”