"So near, yet so far" - FC Halifax Town 2024-25 season review

Like last season, after overcoming so much adversity before losing in the play-offs at Solihull, The Shaymen again navigated a series of obstacles only to crash out in the play-offs at Oldham.

Like most things at Town, it's always done the hard way, and after all the graft and toil and effort, a campaign's work was shattered in 90 minutes for the fourth time in six seasons.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

It was another summer of outs - including Jamie Stott, Rob Harker, Luke Summerfield, Tylor Golden and eventually, Kane Thompson-Sommers - and ins, amongst others, Will Smith, Zak Emmerson, Tom Pugh and Adam Adetoro.

Title favourites, and eventual champions, Barnet were beaten on the opening day of the new season, with goals from Jamie Cooke and debutant Adetoro, but Town then failed to win their next four.

There were decent draws with Gateshead and Dagenham, but disappointing defeats to Aldershot and Solihull.

A much-needed win at bottom side Ebbsfleet helped soften the blow of Thompson-Sommers' departure, as did the return of Billy Waters on loan from Wrexham, who made his debut along with Scott High in the goalless draw at Hartlepool on September 7.

Adam Senior, who would play every minute of every league game to a consistently high standard, scored to earn a point at home to Oldham, after his error had led to The Latics' goal, before Waters' first goal back at the club helped The Shaymen to a richly deserved home win against Eastleigh.

The day after that, Chris Millington was taken ill, requiring assistant manager Andy Cooper to take temporary charge of the side while the Halifax boss underwent surgery and then recuperation.

Cooper's stint started with a typically hard-earned win at Maidenhead - is there any other kind? - before a nondescript 1-0 loss at Braintree.

Halifax twice battled back from a goal down to draw at home to Wealdstone and then fought back from a 2-0 half-time deficit to beat Tamworth 3-2 as Millington returned to the touchline.

By then, Town's National League Cup campaign had started with a home defeat to Newcastle under 21s, and would continue with an equally minimal amount of interest with losses to Middlesbrough and Leeds' youth teams too before the end of the year.

Then it was time for the obligatory first hurdle FA Cup exit, this year at Boundary Park, as Halifax suffered a first-half nightmare of Solihull proportions where - not for the last time this season - everything that could go wrong, did.

Andrew Oluwabori's first minute goal earned a narrow win at Boston, which preceded a really good performance at Rochdale and an even better display at home to York, but Town somehow lost both games.

Their response was commendable though, edging past Woking at home and Yeovil away both by 1-0, and then securing a very acceptable 1-1 draw at leaders Forest Green Rovers.

Which made the dreadful performance in the 2-0 home defeat against Southend all the more perplexing, followed by two penalty shoot-out defeats in five days, first to Leeds under 21s in the National League Cup and then to Basford United, two divisions lower than Town, in the FA Trophy. And still no cup win since lifting it at Wembley in 2023.

There were no more home comforts in a dour goalless draw with Sutton, but lots of away ones in a surprisingly goal-laden 4-3 victory at Aldershot, the only time this season Halifax scored four in a game. They would end the campaign as the league's second lowest scorers.

Town then proved they can go toe-to-toe with the best in the division with a 1-1 draw at Barnet but then failed to break down ten-man Altrincham on Boxing Day.

Halifax end the year ensconced in the race for the play-offs, and started the new year with three wins on the bounce against Gateshead, Solihull and Ebbsfleet as January turned to February.

The day after Oluwabori was sold to Exeter, there was then a frustrating slip-up at home to strugglers Fylde, with the Shay pitch turf war starting to rear its head, before an excellent win at Tamworth.

Town were outplayed at Southend but then beat Boston before draws with play-off rivals Rochdale and York, where Will Smith and Scott High, after outstanding form, sustained serious injuries.

Jo Cummings had already suffered the same fate at Tamworth, and Max Wright did too in the home win over Forest Green.

That victory was the first of another three in a row as Yeovil and Sutton, in one of the performance of the season, were also defeated in the first two weeks of March, but that was as good as it got.

Sam Johnson, Festus Arthur and Jack Evans, after a stellar season, all picked up injuries in the 2-0 loss at Oldham, following on from a home defeat to lowly Dagenham and Redbridge - on the day Ken Davy's bid for The Shay was approved by Calderdale Council.

There were hard fought, and hard to watch, away draws at Woking and Eastleigh - with Ryan Galvin equalising just before Halifax's run without a goal reached eight hours - mingled with dreary home defeats to Hartlepool and Maidenhead, as Town went six league games without a win for the first time since January 2019.

How was that win at Sutton only a month ago?

A much improved performance at Fylde proved a false dawn, followed by a 3-0 home defeat to Altrincham.

A top seven place was sealed with a 1-0 home win over Braintree, before a dreadful first-half on the final day at Wealdstone - followed by the goal of the season by Luca Thomas - proved eerily similar to what would happen the following week.

Just like Solihull a year before, The Shaymen gave themselves too much to do in the biggest game of the season, failing to turn up on the big stage and falling 3-0 down in a disastrous first-half.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

This time round though, there wasn't even a fightback, barely even a response, leaving the 1,893 travelling Halifax fans shell-shocked.

Two top seven finishes in three seasons is the envy of most clubs in the National League, achieved on a meagre budget and despite key players missing through injuries or departures, as well as a pitch not fit for purpose.

But another sobering play-off exit at the first hurdle begs the question of how the club can break the cycle of ten months traversing a demanding, relentless National League season, only to find a seemingly impassable, impossible bridge to the Football League at the end of it.

So near, yet so far.

Player of the season

Adam Senior played every minute of every league game, like Jamie Stott did the season before, and did so to a similarly high standard. Also stepped up as captain in Sam Johnson’s absence and scored the goal that sealed Town’s play-off place. Couldn’t have given any more to the cause.

Signing of the season

Will Smith. Close call between him and Scott High, who were both sorely missed when they picked up injuries. Smith had big boots to fill replacing Stott, but produced at least seven out of ten performances every game. A cool, commanding presence at the back who put his body on the line and was one of the leaders of the group.

Goal of the season

Luca Thomas’ outrageous effort from inside his own half on the final day at Wealdstone. Executed in a split second but judged to perfection. If that was Chris Millington’s last league game in charge, the symmetry is delightful with Nathan Clarke’s goal at Ebbsfleet in his first match as assistant.

High point of the season

Tom Pugh’s superb third minute piledriver at York City to put Town 2-0 up. After that, Smith and High picked up injuries, before several others, and things were never really the same again.

Low point of the season

What else but the drubbing at Oldham in the play-off eliminator. Not even one particular moment, just the whole thing.