FC Halifax Town are still looking for a much needed win, with the side currently six points adrift of the play-off positions. The next team to come up against The Shaymen is Stalybridge Celtic. Fans will remember playing against Celtic twice already this campaign, once in the league and once in the FA Cup. Both games were fiercely contested and with Stalybridge in the relegation zone, you can expect a similar battle.
The two sides have had the privilege of having a few mutual players over the years, here is a profile on just some of them.
Keil O’Brien-
Currently still plying his trade on-loan at Stalybridge is former Halifax loanee Keil O’Brien. The centre back has been with The Shaymen twice in his career, both times on loan, making his first stint with the club last season and his most recent stint this season.
O’Brien was brought in by Billy Heath as defensive cover for the injury plagued back four that is still a plight at this stage in the campaign. However he has made more appearances for Stalybridge and with a Manchester United youth academy background it is easy to see why Celtic would want him there.
The defender got one over on Halifax when he buried a header past Steven Drench in the Fa Cup Third Qualifying Round clash in October. The Shaymen would have the last laugh, dumping Stalybridge out of the competition with a 2-1 win.
Adam Morning
Another current player for Stalybridge who was once on the books at Halifax Town is Adam Morning. Coincidentally appropriate for his surname, Morning was there for the first season after the reformation of the club. Playing for the newly formed FC Halifax Town in the Northern Premier League Division One North.
Unfortunately for the striker he has never seemed to quite settle at a club yet, now in his 18th spell with a club, Stalybridge fans will be hoping the former Shaymen has found his home with them.
Steve Torpey
The last player to feature is Steve Torpey. The striker had impressed during his time with FC United of Manchester and The Shaymen swiftly snapped him up after a 13 goal season with the Manchester side.
However, the step up to the conference seemed to be a little bit too much too fast for the then 25-year old only netting seven goals in 27 appearances in the 2006/07 season.
Torpey was hopeful of a better campaign in the following season but he failed to kick on further, this time only scoring twice in 24 appearances and left the club after that season.
Stalybridge then took Torpey on, where he found much better luck in front of goal and went on to score 20 goals in 62 appearances.
You can watch FC Halifax Town take on Stalybridge at Bower Fold on Saturday the 7th of January.
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