FC HALIFAX Town host Vauxhall Motors at The Shay tonight as they finally return to Blue Square North league action.

It will be the third time it has been attempted to play this fixture after the two previous games were rained off.

It is 10 days since the Shaymen played a league game and, after a free weekend, manager Neil Aspin will be pleased at the prospect of having a full-strength squad to choose from for the first time this season.

Boss Aspin will be hoping to build some momentum in the league and their last outing brought a promising 0-0 draw at Brackley.

However, the Shaymen are playing catch-up, having up to five games in hand on their nearest rivals yet they remain just five points off the play-off spots. Tonight’s visitors Vauxhall are in a run of tough fixtures and have lost their last three games.

Meanwhile, former Shayman Steve Thompson is hoping he can improve his chances of taking Blackpool’s managerial job.

The vacancy at Bloomfield Road arises after Ian Holloway left last week to become the new manager at Crystal Palace and with Thompson, who played one season at the Shay in 2000-01, took caretaker charge of the Tangerines as they lost 4-1 at Derby.

Thompson, who became first team coach at Bloomfield Road when Huddersfield Town boss Simon Grayson was in charge of the Seasiders, insists he will not be joining Holloway and said: “It is all up to the chairman, but I will get a chance to show my credentials when we play Sheffield Wednesday tonight.”