Halifax Panthers

The first home game was played a month later against Wakefield Trinity on a cricket field in King Cross Street, which again resulted in a draw.

After the 1890-91 season, Halifax along with other Yorkshire Senior clubs Batley, Bradford, Brighouse, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Hull, Hunslet, Leeds, Liversedge, Manningham and Wakefield decided that they wanted their own county league starting in 1891 along the lines of a similar competition that had been played in Lancashire.

In 1896, Halifax lost out on winning the first ever Rugby Football League Championship by a single point, with Manningham becoming the inaugural champions.

The club had made a number of high-profile signings from the New Zealand All Blacks, including George Nēpia and Charles Smith, and these players now joined Halifax.

In 1938, Halifax reached the semi-final of the Challenge Cup, after winning three replays in a row, before they were knocked out by Barrow at Fartown, Huddersfield in the dying seconds of the game.

During the Second World War, Halifax reached the Challenge cup finals in 1941 and 1942, but lost both times to Leeds in matches held at Odsal.

Horrific weather conditions meant that only around 3,000 arrived to watch the Halifax Pop and Blues Concert which made a loss of £6,000.

[5] The 1977–78 season saw Halifax hit rock bottom with a losing streak of 24 consecutive defeats, including a game against amateurs Cawoods.

The club sold Neil James for £20,000 to pay wages but were still in financial trouble including an unpaid tax bill of £70,000.

Halifax went into the hands of receivers, £760,000 in debt, a take-over bid having failed after the players refused to take a pay cut.

During this season, in October 1990, the club set its still current record victory – an 82–8 win over Runcorn Highfield at Thrum Hall.

Roe was removed from office 24-hours after the 1991 Final, when he refused to a demand that he re-apply for his own job; the Halifax board had told him that he did not have the required experience for a club in the top division, and would have to stand against other new applicants.

[6] In the lead-up, the Halifax President, Tony Gartland, and former Chairman, Peter Marsland, left the board over plans to merge with rivals Bradford Northern and join the proposed Super League as single club.

The proceeds from the sale were supposed to enable Halifax RLFC to make a contribution to the costs of a redevelopment of the Shay stadium, but the money was swallowed up by debts.

Under Chief Executive Nigel Wood, Halifax went to Jacksonville University, Florida, in 2000 to help develop American rugby league, along with Salford.

Steve Linnane joined the club as assistant coach from Rochdale Hornets and took full charge after Gary Mercer's resignation.

In 2004 having been saved from insolvency by their new chairman Howard Posner they narrowly avoided a second relegation to National League 2, with a last-gasp victory in a play-off with York City Knights.

The year after was less successful and after a poor series of results including a club record loss to Hull Kingston Rovers, Farrell lost his job.

Rugby league fans nationwide rallied behind 'Fax', and through visits to the ground during home fixtures and other fund-raising events, were able to raise £55,000.

Posner and the new board of directors subsequently invested further sums to ensure the club could survive and that Halifax would be playing in National League One during 2007.

In April 2010, with the club on a sound financial footing, Howard Posner stepped down as chairman and was replaced by long time supporter and director Michael Steele.

In 2011, Halifax reached the Northern Rail Cup Final at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, losing narrowly to Leigh in the last minute.

The following season, Halifax made it to the final of the Northern Rail Cup but this time were victorious over favourites Featherstone Rovers beating them 21–12 in a match watched by over 7,000 spectators.

Despite being the lowest ranked team in the competition, and part-time, they beat promotion favourites Leigh and Sheffield Eagles to finish 6th out of 8, and secured improved central funding for 2016.

After defeating Whitehaven in the first week, Halifax travelled to Featherstone with the winner to play Toulouse Olympique in the Million Pound Game.

[18] Halifax played at Thrum Hall for 112 years, until they sold the land for £1.5 million to ASDA to move to a new stadium in the Super League era.

Locally, Blue Base was working with an initiative established by the DfES, in partnership with Calderdale Children and Young People's Services and Halifax.

This is achieved by developing young peoples' levels of motivation, self-esteem and helping them to have a more positive attitude towards learning by concentrating particularly upon literacy, numeracy and the use of ICT.

Activities include Touch Rugby League, healthy heart circuit training and an 'Over 50s Club which plays Kurling at the Shay stadium.

Skircoat Stand
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