Historical Football Kits

 

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Halifax Town

Formed 1911. Wound up May 2008.

Founder member of Division Three (North) 1921. Relegated to the Conference 1993.

Promoted to Division Three 1998. Relegated to the Conference 2002.

Kit History

halifax town 1911

1911-1916 z

halifax town 1919-21

1919-Dec 1920 z

halifax town 1920-21

Jan-May 1921 z

halifax town 1921-22

1921-1923 z B

halifax town 1923-24

1923-1924 z D

halifax town fc 1924-30

1924-1926 z

Socks not confirmed
halifax town 1926-27

1926-1929 C E

halifax town 1931-32

1930-1932 j m z

halifax town 1932-33

1932-1933 H

halifax town 1934-37

1934-1937 zE

halifax town 1938-39

1938-1939 H

halifax town 1943-44

1943-1944 e

halifax town 1948

Jan-May 1948 z

halifax town 1948-49

1948-1950 v x z E

halifax town 1950-52

1950-1952 a x z

halifax town 1952

1952-1953 z

halifax town 1953

1952-1956 b d x z

halifax town 1957-59

1957-1959 w z

buy halifax town 1961 shirt

1959-1962 l z

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halifax town 1962-63

1962-1963 F

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buy halifax town 1961 shirt

1963-1964

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halifax town 1964-65

1964-1965 G

halifax town 1965-66

1965-1966 w G

halifax town 1966-67

1966-1967 w

halifax town 1969

1968-1969 b

halifax town 1969

1969-1970 b

halifax town 1970

1970-1971 c t

halifax town 1972

1971-1972 q t

halifax town 1972-73

1972-March 1973 p t

halifax town fc march-april 1973

March-April 1973 z

1973-1974 a t

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halifax town 1974

1974-1975 f

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Bukta

1975-1976 q

Litesome
halifax town 1976

1976-1977 g q A

Bukta

1977-1978 l q

Bukta
halifax town 1978

1978-1979 l n q

Bukta
halifax town 1979

1979-1980 l q

Bukta

1980-1982 l m q

Bukta
halifax town 1982

1982-1983 l

Admiral

1983-1984 l

5D Togs

1984-1985 l q

Umbro
halifax town 1985

1985-1986 l s y

Star Sportswear

1986-1987 b s y

New Olympic
halifax town 1987

1987-1988 n s

Rodsport

1988-1989 l

Rodsport

1989-1990 l

Ribero
halifax town 1990

1990-1991 i

Ribero
halifax town 1991

1991-1992 early e l n A

Elgren
halifax town 1991-92

1991-1992 mid y

Activity
halifax town 1992

1992-1993 e n

Alpa Sportswear
halifax town 1993

1993-1994 k n s u A

Beaver International
halifax town 1994-95 kit

1994-1995 s A

Spall
halifax town 1995-96 kit

1995-1996 k s

Uhlsport
halifax town 1996

1996-1997 k l s

Uhlsport
halifax town 1997-98 kit

1997-1998 e h n s

Biemme
halifax town 1998

1998-1999 e

Beaver

1999-2000 e

Beaver

2000-2001 e

Xara
halifax town 2001

2001-2002 e

Vandanel
halifax town 2002

2002-2004 e s

Errea
halifax town 2004

2004-2005 g

Errea
halifax town 2005

2005-2006 h s

Errea
halifax town 2006

2006-2007 h

Vandanel
halifax town 2007

2007-2008 h

 

Background

halifax town fc 1925Halifax’s formation by Dr Muir and Jock McClelland in 1911 was the last in a series of ventures that brought professional association football to the rugby league heartland of West Yorkshire. Since the turn of the twentieth century, Leeds City, Huddersfield Town, Hull City and the two Bradford clubs had been created. Halifax always struggled to compete against their more powerful neighbours in both codes.

Halifax originally played in black and white stripes but after the First World War they switched to blue and white. They played in the Midland League before being elected to the new northern section of the Football League in 1921. They had to seek re-election in their first season and again in 1930 but came close to promotion when they finished as runners-up in 1935.

After the Second World War “the Shaymen” (derived from the name of their ground, The Shay) had to go through the re-election process three times in four seasons. A change of colours in 1950 made no difference and in 1953 they were facing the re-election ballot once again. In 1957-58 they managed to finish in the top half of the table for the first time since the war and were placed in the Third Division for the following season, following the abolition of the old regional divisions.

They held on to their place until 1963 when they were relegated to the Fourth Division. Re-elected yet againhalifax town crest 1973 in 1965, Halifax won their first ever promotion in 1969.

During the 1970s, in an effort to improve their fortunes, Halifax experimented with orange and blue and during this period the club's initials were embroidered on to the team shirts. In 1976 the club was relegated back to the Fourth Division and over the next ten seasons they had to halifax town fc crest 1977seek re-election no fewer than five times.

From 1977 the Halifax coat of arms was worn on their shirts (this probably also appeared on the club's first all-white strip worn in 1972-73). The chequered shield at the centre of this elaborate heraldic device dated from the original arms of the Earls Warenne, who held the town in Norman times.

During the 1980s and 1990s the team turned out in a variety of striped tops, recalling halifax town 1983 cresttheir original shirts but their fortunes on the pitch did not improve. In 1993 the inevitable occurred although by now the election system had been replaced by automatic promotion and relegation between the League and Conference. Finishing bottom, Halifax lost their League place and spent five seasons in the Conference before winning the championship in 1998.

In 2002 The Shaymen dropped back into the Conference for the second time and in May 2006 they came within ten minutes of returning to the Football League in the play-off final, losing out to Hereford United.

In 2007 Halifax introduced their own crest design.halifax town fc crest 2007

In March 2008, the club went into administration after their former chairman, Raymond Moreland, took out a winding up order over an unpaid debt of £8,000. A consortium of local business people agreed to meet day to day running costs with a view to buying the club but an offer to pay creditors 2.5p in the pound was dismissed as derisory. Negotiations continued and the outlook seemed improved when, on the final day of the season, Halifax managed to retain their place in the National Conference despite being docked ten points for entering administration. Days later, however, it was revealed that the club owed over £800,000 to the Inland Revenue and were more than £2m in debt. Because they had failed to reach agreement with their creditors, Halifax lost their place in the Conference and the club was formally wound up.

A new "phoenix club," FC Halifax Town was promptly constituted and accepted into the Northern Premier League Division One North for the following season.

You are welcome to Contact Me with corrections and additions.

Sources

  • (a) Club Colours (Bob Bickerton 1998)
  • (b) Football Focus
  • (c) Football Cards
  • (d) York City FC - Images of Sport (David Batters)
  • (e) empics
  • (f) Aldershot Has It Website
  • (g) Classic Kits
  • (h) Halifax Town Official Website
  • (i) Programmes for Sale
  • (j) The Football Encyclopaedia (Associated Sporting Press 1934) Information provided by Arthur Fergus
  • (k) Alliance to Conference (John Harman 2005)
  • (l) Ralph Pomeroy
  • (m) Pete's Picture Palace
  • (n) Richard Catton
  • (o) David King
  • (p) Football League Review provided by Simon Monks
  • (q) Alick Milne
  • (r) Robert Gray
  • (s) Matthew Pearson
  • (t) Martin SHAYMAN
  • (u) Mark Alton
  • (v) Pete Wyatt
  • (w) Keith Ellis (HFK Research Associate)
  • (x) Roger Tilbury
  • (y) Anthony Borrett
  • (z) Johnny Meynell (Halifax Town FC Historian)
  • (A) OldFootballShirts.com
  • (B) Athletic News (19 February 1923) submitted by Kingsley (Wrexham FC)
  • (C) Lancashire Evening Post 19 June 1926 submitted by Richard Essen
  • (D) Athletic News 19 February 1923 submitted by Richard Essen
  • (E) Halifax Town Legends
  • (F) The Senior Tigers Club
  • (G) Peter Stevenson
  • (H) Simon Monks
  • (I) yorkcitysouth.co.uk