Shaymen fight against the odds to produce a campaign to be proud of: Our FC Halifax Town 2023-24 season review

The journey had veered between fraught, frantic and fantastic, with some bumps in the road, some days to remember and the odd unplanned stop off at Accrington and Chesterfield.

But, after players and fans had given it their all at Solihull and stood with a mixture of pride, passion and pain, no-one could quibble with the end destination.

Town's 2023-24 season is a story told from the dugout as well as on the pitch.

Chris Millington came into the campaign with the FA Trophy still gleaming, the win at Wembley representing vindication for the Town boss, who had been the subject of derision and disdain from some Shaymen supporters.

Millington had wanted to avoid another summer of upheaval, but the departures of Kian Spence and Jesse Debrah to the Football League seemed inevitable.Jack Senior, the Halifax lad who lifted the trophy at Wembley, Harvey Gilmour and Matty Warburton also left, as did Sam Minihan, Sam Smart and Jordan Slew.

Town's recruitment had a more organised, thought-out look to it than 12 months previously; all 25 or under, more on longer-term deals, all seemingly signed to fit the formation already in place.

Jack Evans scored a debut goal in the opening day win over Bromley, and Town bounced back from defeat at Boreham Wood to win 2-1 at Oldham, including a magnificent 30-yard screamer from Harker.

Three games in and Halifax had already amassed as many points as they had in 11 matches last term.

Two frustrating draws with Oxford City and Gateshead came either side of a very creditable point at Solihull - more of them later - and then Harker netted the winner in a very good win at Rochdale.

Luke Summerfield, the least likely player to assault a referee in the whole Halifax squad, was sent-off for allegedly doing just that in the 1-1 draw with Southend, and became a viral sensation as a result.

After a disappointing home defeat to Dorking, Townt showed much more fighting spirit in their 3-2 defeat at league leaders Chesterfield three days later, agonisingly losing to a late goal. More of those later.

Goalless draws with Barnet and Dagenham and Redbridge were of the one step forward then one step back variety, and then a contentious home defeat to Eastleigh made it just one win in ten.

Town's solid start was disintegrating, while disgruntlement among the more vocal of Halifax's supporters towards Millington was growing.

But they got back on track with a hard-fought win at Woking - scoring a last minute winner for a change - before a comparative cruise at Ebbsfleet, which made the awful performance in the subsequent FA Cup defeat at home to Marine all the more baffling and bemusing.

Consecutive 2-1 home wins over Hartlepool and Kidderminster meant four league wins on the spin for only the second time under Millington.

It would have been a famous five to round off October but for York's last-gasp equaliser, prior to the latest uninspiring visit to Maidenhead and a 1-0 loss.

Wealdstone were beaten at The Shay, also 1-0, but Halifax then almost lost when they should have won at home to Fylde before what would have been a creditable point at Aldershot slipped their grasp - both due to added time goals.

If it was karma for Milli Alli's at Altrincham in last season's FA Trophy semi-final, Town were getting more than enough ying for their yang.

After a two-and-a-half week breaka the start of December, Altrincham brought a heavy dose of karma with them to The Shay for the rearranged FA Trophy clash too, Town's first appearance in the competition since Wembley, ironically knocking Halifax out on penalties after surviving for over an hour with ten men.

By the time the year ended, The Shaymen were enjoying a very Merry Christmas, collecting seven points from nine against fellow promotion hopefuls Gateshead, Rochdale and Altrincham.

But it wasn't a Happy New Year.

After a goalless draw at home to Alty, their heaviest defeat of the season, 3-0, came in a toothless display at Southend.

There might have been another two-and-a-half week break before the next game, but there's rarely a dull moment with Town, who then learned that Calderdale Council wanted to hand over the day-to-day running of The Shay in order to cut costs.

It got no better on the pitch in a dreadful first-half at Fylde, but a rousing second-half fightback salvaged a draw.

It was then three consecutive defeats, away to Wealdstone and at home to Aldershot and Solihull, with boos and chants of 'We Want Milly Out' at half-time against The Moors.

There was a Milli out, but not one the fans wanted, as top-scorer Alli left for Exeter City.

It felt a long time since that sun-drenched day at Wembley, and a long way to getting back there in a play-off final.

But after taking two points from a possible 18, The Shaymen then collected 21 from the next 24 available, an extraordinary run that culminated in an intoxicating win over soon-to-be-champions Chesterfield.

It started with a much-needed 3-1 win at Dorking on February 10 before back-to-back 2-1 home wins over Maidenhead and Woking, with Summerfield scoring straight from a corner in the latter.

Andrew Oluwabori's stunner sealed three points at Dagenham and Redbridge, and after a 2-0 loss at Bromley, it was three wins on the spin against Boreham Wood, Oxford City and then memorably, magnificently, Chesterfield, with the league's big hitters torn apart on a pudding of a pitch.

It was that time of year again when the P word loomed.

Not promotion unfortunately, but postponements. Town's perennial turf war.

Their fine form had to end sometime, and it faltered at Hartlepool, thanks to former Halifax striker Mani Dieseruvwe's goal.

By now, the trickle of postponements was becoming a flood, pun very much intended, thanks to a combination of badly-timed heavy rain and a load of rugby league players.

Home games against Solihull - twice - Altrincham, Maidenhead, Chesterfield, Oldham and Ebbsfleet - less than an hour before kick-off - had already been called off before the Bank Holiday Monday match with York had to be played 24 hours later.

Town scraped a last-gasp draw on April 2, in what turned out to be their final home game of the season at The Shay, before Max Wright's double won a poor game at Kidderminster.

Cue what must surely be one of the most bizarre, dispiriting, exhausting but ultimately rewarding weeks in The Shaymen's history as the club decamped to The Wham Stadium (Accrington Stanley? Exactly) for a decent playing surface and a shot at a play-off place.

The pile-up of postponements had left Town with four games in the final eight days of the season, which started with a 2-0 loss to Barnet and a frustrating 0-0 draw with Ebbsfleet.

It was then off to Chesterfield, and another terrific turnout from the Shaymen fans, for a pulsating 2-2 draw against Oldham, meaning it was win-or-potentially-bust at Eastleigh on the last day.

But Halifax cruised into seventh spot with a comfortable 3-0 win, setting up a trip to Altrinc......Solihull.

It proved one game too much though.

Solihull blew Town out of the water in the first-half, racing into a 3-0 lead, although that was a Rob Harker header away from being wiped out in a stirring fightback that epitomised the kind of character and spirit that had dragged the team into the top seven, despite facing more hurdles than Colin Jackson.

A summer rebuild, a meagre budget, losing the top-scorer midway through the season, postponements piling up like injuries, injuries piling up like postponements, objurgation and castigation of the manager and performances that ranged from the sublime to the sub-par to the sub-awful.

Town had overcome it all to finish in the play-offs and fought to the end in their eliminator at Damson Park.

And after it all, there was reciprocated applause between players and fans for a job well done, a season fought valiantly and a team to be proud of.

PLAYER OF THE YEARJamie Stott. Experienced a similarly nightmarish debut to fellow centre-back Marc Roberts when he was sent-off at Barnet but, also like Roberts, has grown in stature, authority and confidence to become the lynchpin of the Town defence, playing every single minute of the campaign. And, like Roberts, it seems his time at Town will end after two seasons as the Football League beckons. Special mention for Sam Johnson though, who is closing in on the club's all time appearance record and kept the most clean sheets of any goalkeeper in the National League this season.HIGH POINT OF THE YEARIt was going to be the win over Chesterfield until Town's excellent final day win at Eastleigh sealed a place in the play-offs. After an exhausting week, Halifax played their fourth game in eight days as if they'd just had a fortnight off. Yes, Eastleigh had nothing to play for, but The Shaymen completely outplayed them to confirm their top seven finish in style.LOW POINT OF THE YEARThis was going to be Marine dumping Town out of the FA Cup until the play-off eliminator defeat at Solihull. Even though Halifax went down fighting, almost producing an incredible comeback from 3-0 down, it still felt like a punch to the stomach when Jamey Osborne slammed in the hosts' fourth goal and you realised there was no way back.GOAL OF THE YEARThere have been some beauties, but I can't see past Rob Harker's sensational 25 yard sizzler away to Oldham in August.Jamie Stott plays an incisive pass up to Harker, who turns and finds himself with time and space before unleashing an exorcet missile of a shot that dips and swerves across goal and into the top left corner.SIGNING OF THE YEAR

Close run thing between Florent Hoti and Adam Senior, but for consistency of performances and number of games played, I'll give it to Senior. Had a dip in form midway through the season and dropped out of the team but either side of that, he has been very good. Shows fantastic commitment, courage and desire, and has potential to get better.

TEAM PERFORMANCE OF THE YEARI think it has to be the 4-2 win over Chesterfield. It was harsh on Town when they fell 1-0 down but they responded magnificently with an outstanding performance against the champions-elect. Halifax's goals were brilliant and there was a real effervesence and joie de vivre to their play. Chesterfield played their part as well in an engrossing match played in a fantastic atmosphere.