By Brad Saxton | Image by Marcus Branston
Ahead of this weekend’s Vanarama National League fixture in front of the TNT Sports Cameras at the LNER Community Stadium, we take a look at this weekend’s opposition, FC Halifax Town.
The West Yorkshire side have made a promising start to their campaign so far, as they currently sit in and around the top-end of the league table.
Currently sat inside the playoff positions, they’ve secured seven wins and six draws from their opening seventeen league games, recording 27 points from a possible 51 points.
Halifax travel up to North Yorkshire following Tuesday night’s 2-1 win against Hartlepool United at The Shay, which saw them extend their recent run of successive wins to four games in the National League.
They also currently boast the league’s best defensive record, having only conceded sixteen goals so far this season.
Manager: Chris Millington
Previously assistant manager to former Halifax manager Pete Wild, Millington stepped up to become the club’s boss in May 2022.
In his first season in charge of the club, he guided the club to Wembley success as they won the Isuzu FA Trophy back in May, as well as guiding them to an 11th place finish in the National League.
Having previously worked as assistant manager under Wild, who now manages League Two side Barrow, he also worked with him previously at Oldham Athletic in a similar role.
Millington has been with FC Halifax Town since 2019 and he has also previously coached at National League North side Curzon Ashton ahead of his move to the West Yorkshire club.
Top Scorer: Millenic Alli
The 23-year-old has become a fan-favourite at Halifax over the last couple of years, who is now in his second season with the Shaymen.
Having previously represented South Shields, Ashton United and Stockport County, he had a successful loan spell with National League North side Chorley in 2021/22, as he helped them into the playoff eliminator, where they were beaten 2-1 by the Minstermen.
Last season, he scored nine goals in 33 National League appearances and he has continued his fine goal scoring form so far this season, having scored four times in thirteen games so far in 2023/24.
Alli also netted the opening goal for the Shaymen in their most recent trip to the LNER Community Stadium back in April, which saw them run out as 3-0 winners.
One We Know: Luke Summerfield
A 35-year-old central midfielder, who has a wealth of experience in both the EFL and the National League, who won’t make the game today due to injury.
A former York player, he represented the Minstermen between 2014 and 2016, before leaving the club following our relegation from the Football League.
Since leaving City, he has turned out for the likes of Grimsby Town, Macclesfield Town and Wrexham, before he joined his current employers in West Yorkshire in August 2020.
Over the last four seasons with the Shaymen, he’s become an important presence in the Halifax midfield and he has gone on to make just short of 100 appearances in the league for the club.
Head to Head
FC Halifax Town completed a league double over the Minstermen last season in the Vanarama National League.
Both sides first met at The Shay in October 2022 where the hosts ran out 1-0 winners, before the return game here at the LNER Community Stadium saw the West Yorkshire side run out 3-0 winners back in April.