FC Halifax Town are delighted to confirm the appointment of John McGrath, as new first team manager.
McGrath joins following two successful seasons in charge at Buxton, where he led The Bucks to consecutive playoff finishes in the Enterprise National League North.
A playing career that spanned nearly two decades, and a managerial career now spanning one decade, McGrath brings a wealth of experience from both the EFL and various levels of non-league football. Having come through the academy at Belvedere he made the move to Aston Villa following a successful trial. Whilst on the books with Villa, he was capped at under 21 level with the Republic of Ireland, making his debut against Greece, and his first start against the Netherlands. McGrath was part of the Doncaster Rovers squad that won the Football League Third Division in 2004, the Weymouth side that won the Conference South in 2006, and the Burton Albion side that won the Conference Premier in 2009. McGrath made nearly 200 appearances in the football league.
In 2015, McGrath joined Mickleover Sports, a partnership that would last for nine years. Originally joining as a player, he made the switch to player-manager in April 2016. In 2024, McGrath made the jump to the National League North to take charge at Buxton FC.
In his first season in charge, the Bucks finished 7th, qualifying for the playoffs on goal difference. They lost in the quarter-finals away at Chester. Last season, Buxton improved with a 5th place finish, and were the league’s fifth top scorers, fifth best defence, and second best team away from home. The Bucks also went one step further in the playoffs, beating Scarborough Athletic 4-2 in the quarter-finals, before losing 1-0 away at South Shields in the semi-final.
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