"There's a serious intent of progressing young talent" - Progress of Sinfield and Lavelle demonstrates Town's production line is working well

The pair both look set to follow in the footsteps of Jay Benn, the homegrown defender who earned a move to League One side Lincoln City in summer 2022.

After years of relative inactivity, the production line from youth team to first team at Halifax is whirring again.

"There is a huge commitment within the club to develop players and this commitment is even more evident when it comes to the youth team players," said head of youth development Steve Nichol, who reached a decade in the role earlier this year.

"Those who show promise like Ted and Frankie are now being supported with long term first team contracts and focused development to give them every chance of fulfilling their potential.

"The support that Chris (Millington) and the first team staff have offered to the youth team programme alongside David (Bosomworth) to commit players to contracts shows there's a serious intent of progressing young talent and it sends a message to our youth team players that if they're good enough or show they have the potential to develop the club are going to back them and give them that opportunity."

Nichol feels the club is getting better at bridging the gap between youth team and first team.

"Most definitely, considering our financial constraints we have engineered a method of bridging the gap to first team football in quite a unique way," he said.

"Watchers of FC Halifax Town may have identified some key parts of our process but we have a staffing structure from first team through youth team and a stability within the club created by David that is geared towards helping people fulfil their potential and this will benefit youth team players disproportionately.

"There is no healthier way of strengthening a squad than a young player or academy player making it through to the first team, we have been working hard across the club to establish this pathway and recognising the right time for a player to step up with the first team or go out on loan to gain experience in the senior game.

"With like-minded staff all keen to support the development of young players and regular communication, we can be confident many of our talented young players can fulfil their potential and bridge the gap towards the first team."

That's a view shared by first-team manager Millington.

"The fans might not see yet but over the next two to three years I think they're going to be really proud of the team that starts to develop," he said.

"Not only is the first-team young, but Steve is managing an excellent group of youth team players coming through at the moment, a number if whom I think will have a very good chance of earning themselves a first-team contract after their youth team contract finishes.

"We've got other young players we've taken from other clubs, Jimiel Chikukwa, who's currently out on loan at Hyde, we've signed another played in Just in Iwobi who comes from a Championship academy, who's an excellent profile and we believe with a really focused development pathway will impact the first-team significantly in the next 18 months.

"Even the likes of Altrincham and Gateshead are massively outbidding us on players now, so we've got to find a way to do it differently, and one thing we've got here is a fantastic group of staff who are excellent at helping players develop and improve.

"The evidence is there in the current first-team squad, so we can pick players up who've got excellent potential, commit time and energy to them, work opportunities for them, whether that's on loan or within the first-team, and I think the fans will be really proud over the next two years of the homegrown nature of the team that evolves."

Sinfield and Lavelle look set to form part of that future Halifax team.

Both joined the club during their under 16 season, with Sinfield having left Bradford City and Lavelle previously at Rochdale and Wigan.

Sinfield was part of Halifax youth team squad that lifted the National League Academy Cup in 2021/22 and was named on the bench for last season’s FA Trophy final.

Last season he won Thackley’s young player of the season award after a successful loan spell there.

Town had to see off stiff competition to sign Lavelle.

"There was hot competition for his signature at 16," Nichol said. "We worked incredibly hard alongside the manager to convince him to sign for the club."

Lavelle is in his second year of Halifax's youth team programme and recently turned 18, at which Town could offer him a deal.

"Ted stepped up to train with the first team towards the end of last season," Nichol said.

"He was also a named substitute in the FA Trophy Final and spent some time on loan with Glossop.

"He is currently on loan with Colne to facilitate his progression into the senior game."

Millington said on the pair: "Frankie's been around the first-team for over a year now and always acquitted himself well, an exciting winger, can get at players, can deliver and also can finish.

"With him being a Yorkshire lad who's come through the academy, we felt he was the right type of character to invest more time and energy in, and we think that over the next couple of years he will become a first-team regular.

"Ted's not dissimilar, we worked incredibly hard when he was first in on trial with the youth team to secure him because there was a lot of interest from clubs around the north-west to bring him in.

"His dad was quite astute in recognising that Ted would get a more accelerated development pathway here by first-team involvement, so we worked hard to make that sell to him and thankfully we secured his signature.

"Again, he's been in and around it for a number of months now, and his development has been really accelerated by that experience.

"So we're very confident that Ted will be another one that will impact the first-team significantly in the future.

"He can play left centre mid, or left centre-half of a back three or a back four, so he's versatile and technically very gifted, and left-footed."

On their chances of getting into the first-team, Nichol said: "It won't happen overnight but if they work hard their chances are very good.

"We have developed a targeted programme of development for promising players, and we are committed to producing young players both as an academy and a club.

"They are now contracted first team players and have been rewarded for the potential they have shown.

"Having trained with the first team for a prolonged time both boys have earned the right to remain in the first team environment.

"Training daily with the first team will facilitate their development and give them the best opportunity to progress alongside games in senior football.

"The jump to National League football is enormous and it would be wrong to expect a player to jump from the youth team straight into the National League, they are on a clear development pathway designed to get players into the first team and beyond and whilst many aspects of the game can be coached; technically, tactically, physically and to a degree psychologically, a player must be coachable, willing to learn, competitive and a self-motivator without that they will not play at a high level and this will be key for Ted and Frankie, as well as other promising youth team players as they progress."

Nichol says he and the club are determined that the production line will keep on whirring.

"Absolutely, with the academy staff we have and the current first team staff there is a real desire to bring through exciting, homegrown talent whenever possible," he said.

"There are some really exciting prospects in our current youth team but we have to remember it's also a very complex process.

"I believe players don’t reach their physical but most importantly emotional maturity until around the age of 21 whilst contracting a player is one way to extend our programme and give players the time they need we also need to find other ways.

"We feel there are some talented players in the current youth team squad and finding ways to engage those who are excelling is high on our agenda."