On this day in Yorkshire- 3rd September 1921: The Shay opens in Halifax

Standing in the heart of Halifax, the Shay and the land around it had an interesting history. After being a mansion and estate, which was demolished in 1901, the land became a rubbish tip and wasteland. Then, in 1921, the town’s football club needed a home in order to apply for membership of the football league and so the land was granted for sporting use. The Shay, named after the mansion which once stood here, kept its name and became the home of Halifax Town FC. They kicked off the inaugural Third Division North seaon with an impressive 5-0 win over Darlington in front of 10,000 fans. The club’s nickname, “The Shaymen,” named after their home ground has stuck ever since.

Cover picture credit: (clearly not from 1921) forza the shaymen wikipedia creative commons