'I couldn't let 153 years of rugby league history die': New Halifax Panthers chairman charts rise from the ashes

The future of rugby league in the town looked bleak last month when the Panthers were placed into compulsory liquidation at a High Court hearing and had their RFL membership revoked.

But led by local businessman Martyn Buchan – and with the unflinching support of loyal fans and long-serving members of staff – Halifax came back from the brink against London Broncos in front of a crowd of 2,062 at The Shay.

"It was more relief than anything because it's been quite a difficult process," said Buchan, chairman of the new-look Panthers.

"It was a push from a timeline point of view and there have been some job losses. When people's livelihoods are affected, it's difficult to celebrate being back.

"The most heartwarming and humbling part was the reaction by members of staff who had been at the club for over 30 years and lost their jobs as part of the process. They volunteered last Sunday to get a game on for us.

"They went above and beyond and showed their love for the club."

Buchan originally joined the board of directors last summer amid a legal wrangle with HMRC.

Halifax stated in September 2024 that the tax bill had been settled but the petition was never removed and the club ultimately lost a complex technical dispute.

With Fax's future hanging in the balance, Buchan quickly rallied investors to assemble a new-look board and make a return to the Championship possible in just three weeks.

"There was an appetite across the game for us to go again this year," said Buchan, who has a background in financial services.

"We had that support from the RFL. They guided us on what it all had to look like and the investment we needed to hit a sustainable model within the time period. The London game was the deadline.

"As part of the process, we looked for expressions of interest and managed to get some investors together to hit the initial target.

"I'm not going to say that part was easy but it was easier than I thought it was going to be. It was quite heartwarming that there was still a lot of interest in rugby league in Halifax and West Yorkshire.

"We had discussions about governance and due diligence checks on our plan, the funds, the company structure and how the directors were going to run it going forward."

A Halifax native and lifelong fan, Buchan felt a personal duty to safeguard rugby league in the town.

Whereas Featherstone Rovers failed to convince the RFL that there was enough separation from the old company, Halifax managed to assuage the governing body and win approval for the new-look club.

"It was quite a unique opportunity," added Buchan.

"Personally, I couldn't let 153 years of rugby league history die. Certainly not on my watch having been involved previously, albeit for a short time.

"It was quite clear early on that it was going to be very difficult for a totally new consortium to take the club on and do all the work that was required.

"We've got a combination of former directors and new investors with a much broader director and investor base now, which holds us in a better stead from a governance point of view.

"We've got a strong structure going forward."

With the club's future secured, Fax faced a race against time to assemble a squad for a clash with Championship leaders London Broncos.

The Panthers were indebted to the 14 players who stayed on, as well as the generosity of rival clubs.

"They've been outstanding, supporting us with short-term loans," said Buchan, who watched Fax produce a spirited effort in a 42-4 defeat. "We could have put out four different teams on Sunday.

"The players were absolutely outstanding throughout the process. Some wanted to stay and others moved on to new opportunities because let's not forget, this is their primary source of income. We wished those guys well.

"The fans have been supportive. There was quite an emotional outpouring when it happened. The technical process was quite a lot for them to take in.

"I know there were comparisons with the comms at Salford but they had a run-in to their launch, whereas we were straight out of the gate."

There is still more hard work to come for Halifax.

After returning with a 12-point deduction, this season is less about results and more about laying the foundations for a stable future – starting with a clean slate following the club's liquidation.

"Our vision is financial sustainability and to engage more with local communities, sporting clubs and schools," said Buchan.

"Because we've got a relatively strong base of Halifax players and a rich history, we're always going to be in a situation where we're reasonably competitive in this league.

"The players who stayed didn't want to go elsewhere while they thought they could be playing for Halifax. It's actually galvanised the squad."