▁manager ▁George ▁Mul hall ▁chose ▁to ▁ret ire ▁and ▁O ' Reg an ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁manager . ▁St ri ker ▁and ▁top ▁sc orer ▁Geoff ▁H ors field ▁only ▁played ▁ten ▁games ▁before ▁he ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁Ful ham ▁for ▁£ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁Hal if ax ▁made ▁a ▁strong ▁start ▁to ▁their ▁league ▁campaign ▁and ▁were ▁amongst ▁the ▁leaders ▁until ▁December , ▁after ▁which ▁their ▁results ▁started ▁to ▁drop ▁off ▁and ▁they ▁sli pped ▁into ▁mid - table . ▁Although ▁only ▁three ▁points ▁off ▁play off ▁positions , ▁O ' Reg an ▁was ▁s ack ed ▁as ▁manager ▁by ▁Chair man ▁Jim ▁B own ▁after ▁a ▁ 0   – ▁ 0 ▁draw ▁with ▁Ro ch dale ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Return ▁to ▁Conference ▁Chris ▁W ilder ▁was ▁appointed ▁Hal if ax ▁manager ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁In ▁their ▁first ▁season ▁back ▁in ▁the ▁Conference ▁the ▁Sh ay men ▁finished ▁in ▁e ighth ▁position . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 – 0 6 ▁they ▁finished ▁ 4 th , ▁and ▁reached ▁the ▁Conference ▁play - off ▁final , ▁losing ▁to ▁Here ford ▁United . ▁ ▁Fin an cial ▁failure ▁and ▁dissol ution ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁club ▁was ▁placed ▁into ▁administration ▁by ▁a ▁local ▁cons ort ium ▁trying ▁to ▁buy ▁the ▁club . ▁In ▁spite ▁of ▁being ▁dock ed ▁ 1 0 ▁points