Going to Halifax on 16th February?
HALIFAX TOWN
Saturday 16th February 2008, Kick-Off: 3.00pm
The Shay Stadium, Halifax, HX1 2YS. Tel: 01422 341222
Directions by Car: On the A1 (M) at Junction 33, join the M62, heading towards Leeds and Manchester. Exit the M62 at Junction 24, onto the A629, following signs for Halifax. Continue along the A629 as it becomes Huddersfield Road and atop the slight incline, branch right at the lights down Shaw Hill where the Shay Stadium can be seen on your left.
For the away entrance, continue down the hill, past the main entrance, and turn left at the mini-roundabout. The parking area, and entrance to the away terrace (see below) can be found almost immediately around the corner on the left.
Parking: There is a small amount of parking behind the away end (The North Stand), adjacent to The Shay pub, at £2. Street parking is also limited, but there are a number of pay and display areas in the nearby town centre (Northgate House, King Street, Cow Green multi-storey).
Train: Services run to Halifax on the Trans-Pennine line from Leeds to Manchester. From the station, the Shay is a five-minute walk. Leave the station forecourt and take the first left into Church Street. Continue along this road as it becomes South Parade and the ground will appear ahead on your right a little further along.
Coach: The Away Travel Club will be running a coach to the game, priced at £23 for adults, £21 for away travel club members and £15 for under 16's and Junior U's. It is due to leave Ely at 8.15am and the Abbey at 9.00am. Contact the club on (01223) 566500 to book your seat.
Admission: Adults £15, £8 for concessions (12-16 year-olds and over 65's) and £5 for under 11's.
Matchday Programme: £2.50
The Ground: An average of 264 U's fans have visited the Shay over the past three seasons, so they, if not the others, will have a decent idea of the make-up of the ground, with little to cheer on the pitch in visits past. The covered, terraced North Stand allocated entirely to away supporters is giant, rising high above the green rectangle below. Space will certainly not be an issue for the travelling contingent, nor should view be. Such is the steep nature of the construction; the vantage points towards the higher regions of the stand are most satisfactory.
At the top of the North Stand lies the concourse area, so one is able to see the pitch while queuing for a burger, certainly a redeeming feature. For the record, I find the stand too big, too spacious. If I had my way, we'd take Burton's away terrace everywhere with us - well-tiered, homely, you know.
Opposite the North Stand lies the replica South Stand, home to the vociferous locals, while to the right, travelling U's will see an ageing seated number - pillared, with sloping roof, like they used to make 'em. And to the left, infamously, lies a building site. Halifax Town's Main Stand has been 'under construction' for some time.
Pre-Match Refreshment: The Shay pub is directly next to the aforementioned away parking area, on the corner of Shaw Hill and South Parade. If you want a no-frills pint within view of the ground and, if you're lucky, some early-afternoon television coverage pop into the Shay, but if you'd prefer a pub with a smidgeon more character, head over the road to the Three Pidgeons. With a uniquely shaped hexagonal bar area and a slightly lighter ambiance, this unassuming public house is a popular spot with away travellers. Elsewhere, the town centre is not too far away - wander along Hunger Hill, turn right onto the main road and meander north. Here you will find rather more in the way of eating and drinking establishments.
Local attractions: The 275 foot tall Wainhouse Tower rises high over the West Yorkshire town. Constructed in the 1870's, it houses a viewing platform from which, on a good day, one can see roads, hills, buildings and people.
If you're travelling with youngsters, why not nip into the Eureka! Museum, located conveniently next to the train station. It is an interactive, educational paradise with various themed 'zones' and buttons to press. However, for an educational area, it's rather costly to enter, £7.25 for anyone over the age of three, and no sign of Richard O'Brien.
People from Halifax are known as Haligonians, and they include John Noakes of Blue Peter fame, and the late Shirley Crabtree, otherwise known as wrestler 'Big Daddy'.
Henry Milward
