My Time At Town - Chris Tate: “It was only a short time but I loved it, I really did”

Chris Tate’s big money move to Town in 1999 may not have lasted as long as either party expected, but the former striker is proud of his place in the club’s record books.
Chris Tate. Photo: Johnny MeynellChris Tate. Photo: Johnny Meynell
Chris Tate. Photo: Johnny Meynell

The striker joined Town in July 1999 for £150,000, having only become a regular starter for Scarborough the previous season.

He returned to his former club in a cut-price deal only five months later, but had it been up to Tate, that move wouldn’t have happened.

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“Honestly, to this day, I don’t know,” says Tate when asked why his stay at Halifax was so short.

Tate pictured with manager Mark Lillis (left) and Peter Butler (right) celebrating his record transfer to The ShaymenTate pictured with manager Mark Lillis (left) and Peter Butler (right) celebrating his record transfer to The Shaymen
Tate pictured with manager Mark Lillis (left) and Peter Butler (right) celebrating his record transfer to The Shaymen

“I got on with all the players and the manager, I was being played.

“I don’t know if they thought I should’ve scored more goals and made more of an impact, I’m not too sure.

“But I didn’t think I did too badly.

“I offered a lot more than just scoring a goal, I set goals up and I was pretty unselfish.

Tate in action for Town away to Doncaster in October 1999Tate in action for Town away to Doncaster in October 1999
Tate in action for Town away to Doncaster in October 1999
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“I don’t look back at my time with Halifax as a bad time at all, it’s just unfortunate the way things panned out.”

Tate had netted 13 goals in 49 games for Scarborough the previous season but was unable to prevent the club being relegated.

“I think we had about 20 games left and the manager Colin Addison gave me the chance to get into the first-team and I did pretty well,” he recalls.

“I think I scored 11 or 12 in the last 18 and we nearly got out of relegation.

Tate in action for Town against Plymouth in August 1999Tate in action for Town against Plymouth in August 1999
Tate in action for Town against Plymouth in August 1999
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“I remember playing against Halifax at home, I was doing pretty well and my name was getting talked about.

“Preston were interested as well, and I went to meet David Moyes at their ground.

“I think my agent asked for too much money because I was only a young lad and I wouldn’t have been starting straight away.

“Then there was Carlisle who were interested, as well as Halifax.”

Tate on the ball for Town at home to Darlington in August 1999Tate on the ball for Town at home to Darlington in August 1999
Tate on the ball for Town at home to Darlington in August 1999
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Tate, who was 21 when he moved to The Shay, says the price tag wasn’t a big deal to him at the time.

“I just wanted to play football and make the right choice really,” he says.

“Being young, I think you don’t really mind. Obviously I knew it was a record signing for the club and that there were expectations.

“I’m a very thoughtful person and I did think about those things, but if you worried about it too much then you don’t know what will happen.

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“I spoke to the club on numerous occasions beforehand, and I didn’t think they thought I was overpriced, I didn’t think they were worried about it, so that didn’t put any added pressure on me and I kind of took it in my stride.

“I met the chairman, Jim Brown, and Peter Butler, the captain.

“They were getting Mark Lillis in, who was going to be the new manager, and I met him.

“It just felt like the right move. It was a good match really.”

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Tate started well enough, scoring the only goal in a pre-season friendly over Sunderland in a match that was billed as George Mulhall’s testimonial.

“I think the keeper came out but I beat him in the air and headed it in,” recalls Tate, who lived in a flat in Sowerby Bridge owned by Jim Brown.

His first competitive game saw him pick up a winners’ medal in the one-off final of the West Riding Senior Cup when the Shaymen defeated Bradford City.

Tate then netted four goals in 18 league appearances and scored six in 23 overall.

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“It was a good club, the players were awesome,” he says. “I’m still in contact with Jamie Paterson.

“I thought we had a lot of good players.

“I scored five in about 20 games, which isn’t brilliant don’t get me wrong, but it’s still not bad.

“And I think we were in the play-off places when I left, so the team was doing alright.

“I didn’t think there was really a problem, but they called me in and asked me how I was finding it.

“I said ‘yeah I’ve scored goals, it’s going OK’.

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“I set-up a few goals with my heading ability, I was second top scorer behind Jamie, so I didn’t think it was so bad.

“But then my agent said ‘they want to get rid of you’.”

Did the six-figure fee weigh heavily on Tate’s shoulders?

“I don’t think the price tag was the problem,” he says, “it was more the fact that I didn’t score the goals was more of an issue.

“I can’t remember going into a game thinking about the price tag, it was more just a matter of wanting to do well for Halifax Town and for myself.

“I don’t look back at it as a big issue. If I missed a chance, even if I’d cost a fiver, I still would’ve been gutted for the club and not helping the side.

“It was an honour to be the record signing.”

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Tate’s first goal came in his seventh game in a 2-0 success over Torquay United, while further league strikes were recorded against Brighton, Peterborough and Swansea.

He also scored in the televised 2-0 FA Cup win at Doncaster Rovers on 30 October.

His final outing for the club came at home to Rotherham on December 11.

A week later, he was back playing for Scarborough.

After leaving Halifax, Tate played at Scarborough for another year-and-a-half before joining Leyton Orient, but ended up retiring aged 24 due to injuries.

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People might look back and say ‘bloody hell he wasn’t worth the money’, which I totally understand,” he says.

“But I didn’t think I was doing too badly for them to get rid of me after such a short spell.

“Maybe there were other underlying issues because you don’t give a record signing six months to see what he can do.

“The reason they gave me didn’t really stack up because if they didn’t think I was playing that well they wouldn’t have played me.

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“I do look back at it fondly because the players were awesome and the people around the club, and the fans were good.

“It was only a short time but I loved it, I really did.

“The players and the people at the club were brilliant.

“It was just a really good, well run club. Everyone was really nice, it was just a shame I couldn’t have stayed longer.

“But considering where Halifax was when I left and where they ended up, I wasn’t that much of a failure.”

Thanks to Johnny Meynell for his help with this article.

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