Geoff Horsfield
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Malcolm "Geoff" Horsfield (born 1 November 1973) is an English
former professional footballer, now football coach. He made more than 300 appearances in the Football League
playing as a striker. He is now a coach at Port Vale
.
He was a "strong and forceful" player, able to hold the ball up in order to bring other players into the game. Horsfield made his Football League debut with Scarborough
as a teenager. Released by the club, he returned to part-time football with Halifax Town
, Guiseley
and Witton Albion
, before a second spell at Halifax saw him help the club regain their Football League status. He moved on to Fulham
, with whom he achieved promotion to the First Division
, before joining Birmingham City
for a club record fee. He played in the final of the 2001 League Cup
with Birmingham, and the following season helped them reach the Premier League.
After a short period at Wigan Athletic
in 2003, he joined West Bromwich Albion
, with whom he again won promotion to the Premier League. In 2006, he moved to Sheffield United
, but much of his time there was spent on loan to other clubs, namely Leeds United
, Leicester City
and Scunthorpe United
. Horsfield announced his retirement from football in 2008 after being diagnosed with testicular cancer
, but after successful treatment he resumed his career, signing a six-month contract for Lincoln City
in January 2009. In July of that year he was appointed player-assistant manager at Port Vale
under Micky Adams
, and the following summer he took up coaching full time.
, South Yorkshire
, the son and grandson of coal miners
.
While still a schoolboy he started playing football for a men's team, Athersley Recreation F.C., in the Barnsley Sunday League
, and had an unsuccessful trial with home-town club Barnsley F.C.
On leaving school, Horsfield took a college course in bricklaying
.
He continued playing football part-time, with Athersley, with Worsbrough Bridge in the Northern Counties East League
, and with Football League club Scarborough
, where he turned professional in July 1992.
Given his league debut in March 1993 by manager Ray McHale
, he was released after playing 12 league matches and returned to bricklaying and part-time football.
After a nine-game spell with Halifax Town
in 1994, he rejoined manager McHale at Guiseley
, where his 36 goals helped the club to reach third place in the Premier Division
of the Northern Premier League
in the 1994–95 season.
He moved on to Witton Albion
, where he sustained a potentially career-threatening knee injury; after making a full recovery he returned to Halifax for a fee reported as £4,000.
He made his second debut for Halifax in October 1996. On the last day of the 1996–97 season, needing to beat Stevenage Borough
to avoid relegation from the Conference
, Horsfield scored the goal which clinched a 4–2 victory.
The following season, Halifax won the Conference title by a nine-point margin, thus regaining their Football League status.
Horsfield's 30 goals in 40 league games, including hat-tricks against Yeovil Town
, Telford United
and Hereford United
, made him that season's Conference top scorer.
Together with team-mate Mark Bradshaw, Horsfield was selected for England's semi-professional representative team, for a match against their Dutch counterparts, but injury prevented him from playing.
In the Conference, Horsfield had still been working in the building trade while playing football part-time, but promotion to the Football League meant he had to give up his job to become a full-time footballer. Seven goals in his first ten games in the Third Division
attracted a bid from Fulham
, then in the Second Division
and managed by Kevin Keegan
.
's Second Division Team of the Year
. According to Keegan, "Geoff's your old-fashioned centre forward and we love him. He will score goals in this division, he will score goals in the next divisions. He chases a lot of lost causes and is very important for us." Though less prolific in the First Division
, seven league goals and another seven in the cups still made him the club's top scorer for the 1999–2000 season. After new manager Jean Tigana
made it clear that Horsfield's aggressive style and perceived lack of pace and mobility would not fit the way he wanted his new team to play, and brought in Louis Saha
as his main striker, the player agreed to join Fulham's First Division rivals Birmingham City
.
semi-final helped the club reach their first major final
for nearly 40 years. In the starting eleven for the final against his boyhood heroes Liverpool
, Horsfield had been substituted by the time Birmingham lost in a penalty shootout.
In the 2001–02 season, Horsfield was chosen Player of the Year both by Birmingham's fans and by his team-mates. His strike partnership with Stern John
proved crucial in the unbeaten run which helped Birmingham reach the First Division play-offs, and he scored the equaliser against Norwich City
in the play-off final
, which the club went on to win on penalties to earn promotion to the Premier League. Horsfield had promised a donation to his first club, Athersley Rec, if he ever reached the Premiership; a few days after the play-off victory he gave them £25,000 towards improving their facilities.
Horsfield's first Premier League goal came in the September 2002 local derby
defeat of Aston Villa
. He also scored in the return fixture at Villa Park, an eventful game in which he ended up keeping goal when Nico Vaesen
was injured after Birmingham had used all their substitutes. Horsfield missed games through suspension and surgery, and was frustrated by manager Steve Bruce
preferring to use him as a specialist substitute; after he came on to score a late winner against local rivals West Bromwich Albion
, Bruce described him as "a manager's dream", saying that "when you're tiring, the last thing you need is Big Horse rampaging at you". Starting alongside World Cup
-winner Christophe Dugarry late in the season, the pair formed "an unlikely combination, brilliance from Bordeaux alongside a brickie from Barnsley, but Horsfield's robust approach has complemented Dugarry's more delicate touches"; their partnership produced four wins and a draw from the last six games.
was unable to guarantee him a regular place in the team however, Horsfield moved on to Wigan Athletic
, signing a three-year contract in September 2003. A transfer fee of £500,000 was agreed, though this could have risen to £1 million if the player had gone on to make enough appearances for Wigan. Horsfield said of the move, "I could easily have sat out the last two years of my contract at Birmingham, but that's not my style – I just want to play football." He scored on his debut for Wigan, a 4–2 win against Wimbledon
on 13 September 2003. He continued to live in the West Midlands even after his transfer from Birmingham City, and after just three months at Wigan moved to West Bromwich Albion
for £1 million.
on 20 December 2003. The following month he scored his first goal for the club, in a 2–0 win against Albion's local rivals Walsall
. It was the first of three goals he scored during January 2004, earning him the PFA
First Division Player-of-the-Month award. In all he scored seven goals for Albion during 2003–04, helping the club to achieve promotion to the Premier League.
The team struggled in their first season back in the top division, while Horsfield scored just three goals in 29 league appearances. His contribution on the final day of the season against Portsmouth
however, proved vital to the club's survival. Coming on as a second-half substitute, he scored with his first touch, before setting up a goal for team mate Kieran Richardson
. Combined with results from other matches, the 2–0 win ensured Albion's escape from relegation as the first club to survive in the Premier League after being bottom at Christmas. Horsfield said of the achievement, "Even though I have been promoted with every club I have been at this is the best moment of my career."
Horsfield enjoyed a good start to 2005–06, signing a new two year contract and scoring twice in both of Albion's first two home games, but these proved to be the last goals he would score for the club. He made a total of 20 appearances in league and cup during his final season at West Bromwich Albion.
on loan in February 2006, but appeared in just three games under manager Neil Warnock
in the four month spell. Both Horsfield and Warnock wanted to terminate the loan prematurely, but West Bromwich Albion had already agreed to sell the player to United at the end of the season and refused to go back on the deal. Thus the permanent transfer went through in May 2006 for a fee of £1.2 million, with Horsfield commenting that he and Warnock had resolved their differences.
On 3 August 2006, Horsfield signed for Leeds United
on loan until Christmas with a view to a permanent move. He made his debut on the opening Championship
game of the season against Norwich
at Elland Road
on 5 August 2006, and scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw away at Queens Park Rangers
three days later. When Dennis Wise
took over as Leeds manager, Horsfield was in and out of the Leeds side and his loan was terminated in January 2007. At the end of the January 2007 transfer window
, Leicester City took Horsfield on loan for the rest of the season. He made his debut for the club in their 1–1 draw with Luton Town
on 3 February 2007, and scored his first goals for them in their 3–0 victory over local rivals Coventry City
on 17 February 2007.
Horsfield's former West Bromwich Albion manager Bryan Robson
became manager at Sheffield United at the start of the 2007–08 season, but Horsfield remained out of the side. His only appearances came in the League Cup
, playing against Chesterfield in the first round and scoring against Milton Keynes Dons
in the second. On 31 January 2008 he moved to Scunthorpe United
on loan for the remainder of the season. Horsfield went straight into the Scunthorpe squad and made his debut against Charlton Athletic
at Glanford Park, winning the sponsors' Man of the Match award following the team's 1–0 victory. Having played twelve games whilst on loan he was subsequently released from his contract by Sheffield United at the end of the season.
Horsfield had a trial at Chesterfield
during the summer of 2008, but rejected a move to Saltergate because he wanted to move to a club closer to his home in Leicester
. He then had a trial with Kettering Town
and in September began training with Walsall
.
, and was advised that his playing career was finished. By December, he was reported to be considering a return to football, either as a player or in a coaching role, after receiving successful treatment for his cancer
.
He went on to link up with Lincoln City
, managed by former Halifax Town team-mate Peter Jackson, for a week's training to assess his fitness levels with a view to possibly signing for the club.
After an extended trial period, Horsfield signed a short-term playing contract with the club, to run from 2 January 2009 until the end of the 2008–09 season
. He would also be involved with coaching the reserve team. Horsfield made his debut on 12 January against Brentford
, setting up the equaliser for fellow debutant Anthony Elding
in a 2–2 draw. After the game he declared he was "glad to be back playing". He scored his first goal for the club on 27 January 2009, in a 2–1 win against Gillingham
, describing the long range shot "one of my sweetest strikes". Horsfield played regularly during his time with Lincoln, but scored only that one goal, and at the end of the season the club decided not to renew his contract.
's Micky Adams
appointed Horsfield as player-assistant manager. Horsfield aimed to play a majority of Vale's games in the 2009–10 season
while learning the ropes of management. He played in the opening four games of the season despite needing painkillers for a cracked rib and a cracked bone in his hand, the first broken bones he had ever suffered. The club reached the third round of the League Cup, but after three consecutive defeats, Adams placed the entire squad on the transfer list. He suffered from niggling injuries, in addition to a torn hamstring, which limited his appearances at Vale Park
. This caused him to consider his retirement in the summer of 2010. The final of the 2010 Staffordshire Senior Cup
was to be his final competitive game, as the club later announced Horsfield would not be a player at the Vale the following season, though would remain on the coaching staff.
insisted that Horsfield would have a heavier workload over the 2010–11 season
, and would have to "formulate a catalogue of players" and "get to know all the leagues at all levels". However Adams also stated that Horsfield may be registered as a player and return to the field in an emergency situation. This meant many hours of scouting.
In December 2010, he was made joint caretaker manager
at Vale, along with Mark Grew
, following the departure of Micky Adams. Vale were hammered 5–0 by Rotherham United
in his first game in charge, but rallied to beat Burton Albion
2–1, before Jim Gannon
was appointed manager. Gannon retained Horsfield as his assistant. However the new manager was keen to bring in his own staff, and so in February 2011 Stockport County
approached Horsfield in a bid to sign him as a coach and also to bring him out of retirement as a player. On 25 February, during a pre-match coach trip to Aldershot
, Gannon left the team bus after an apparent bust-up with Horsfield. It was later reported in the national media that Horsfield had requested a day off to deal with a family matter, Gannon then granted him permission but subsequently wrote a letter to the board complaining of his conduct. An unnamed director then handed the letter to Horsfield, who confronted Gannon over the issue, brandishing the letter as proof when Gannon denied its existence. The following week Horsfield was informed that he would face a disciplinary hearing over the matter. After Horsfield was told to stay away from the club for two weeks he was invited back to his assistant role as before, with no disciplinary action taken against either party. Gannon was sacked less than four weeks after the bust-up on the bus, and Grew was appointed as caretaker-manager, with Horsfield as his assistant.
In July 2011, Horsfield stepped down as assistant manager to concentrate on his coaching qualifications, remaining at Port Vale as a coach. Later in the month he scored in a friendly against Stone Dominoes
, and was forced to dismiss speculation that he would make a return to the playing side of the game.
In October 2008, Horsfield was diagnosed with testicular cancer
, and advised that his playing career was over. As the disease was discovered in its early stages, no chemotherapy
or radiotherapy
was needed, surgery proved successful and less than two months later he was given the all-clear. Horsfield decided to make his illness public in order to help spread awareness of the disease, and lent his support to a Premier League-backed project launched in 2009 to promote men's health issues. He said: "Getting cancer was something I had to get over. I got it, wanted to beat it and I did. Now I am just glad that I've got another chance in football."
Shortly before he joined Port Vale, Horsfield fell victim to the swine flu pandemic
.
with Halifax Town
with Fulham
with Birmingham City
with West Bromwich Albion
with Port Vale
}||0||28||9
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|align=left|Conference
|1997–98
|40||30||4||4||colspan=2| ||3||0||47||34
|-
|align=left|Third Division
|1998–99
|10||7||0||0||4||1||0||0||14||8
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|rowspan=2 align=left valign=center|Fulham
|align=left|Second Division
|1998–99
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|-
|align=left|First Division
|1999–2000
|31||7||3||1||6||6||0||0||40||14
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|rowspan=4 align=left valign=center|Birmingham City
|align=left|First Division
|2000–01
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|align=left|First Division
|2001–02
|41||11||1||0||3||0||3||1||48||12
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|align=left|Premier League
|2002–03
|31||5||0||0||2||0||0||0||33||5
|-
|align=left|Premier League
|2003–04
|3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0
|-
|align=left valign=center|Wigan Athletic
|align=left|First Division
|2003–04
|16||7||0||0||1||0||0||0||17||7
|-
|rowspan=3 align=left valign=center|West Bromwich Albion
|align=left|First Division
|2003–04
|20||7||1||0||0||0||0||0||21||7
|-
|align=left|Premier League
|2004–05
|29||3||2||0||1||1||0||0||32||4
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|align=left|Premier League
|2005–06
|18||4||1||0||1||0||0||0||20||4
|-
|align=left valign=center|Sheffield United
(loan)
|align=left|Championship
|2005–06
|3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0
|-
|align=left valign=center|Sheffield United
|align=left|Premier League
|2006–07
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align=left valign=center|Leeds United
(loan)
|align=left|Championship
|2006–07
|14||2||0||0||1||0||0||0||15||2
|-
|align=left valign=center|Leicester City
(loan)
|align=left|Championship
|2006–07
|13||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||13||2
|-
|align=left valign=center|Sheffield United
|align=left|Championship
|2007–08
|0||0||0||0||2||1||0||0||2||1
|-
|align=left valign=center|Scunthorpe United
(loan)
|align=left|Championship
|2007–08
|12||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||12||0
|-
|align=left valign=center|Lincoln City
|align=left|League Two
|2008–09
|17||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||17||1
|-
|align=left valign=center|Port Vale
|align=left|League Two
|2009–10
|9||0||1||0||2||0||0||0||12||0
|}
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former professional footballer, now football coach. He made more than 300 appearances in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
playing as a striker. He is now a coach at Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
.
He was a "strong and forceful" player, able to hold the ball up in order to bring other players into the game. Horsfield made his Football League debut with Scarborough
Scarborough F.C.
Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season...
as a teenager. Released by the club, he returned to part-time football with Halifax Town
Halifax Town A.F.C.
Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National, although prior to that they participated in the Football League for over eighty years...
, Guiseley
Guiseley A.F.C.
Guiseley A.F.C. are an English football club from Guiseley, West Yorkshire, England.-History:Founded in 1909 by a local group of enthusiasts, the club’s first success came in 1913 when they won the local Wharfedale League...
and Witton Albion
Witton Albion F.C.
Witton Albion F.C. are a football club based in Northwich, England. They were founded in 1887. They have won the Cheshire Senior Cup 11 times since 1902. Their most recent success in this competition was in 2006, when they defeated Stalybridge Celtic in the final. They have also reached the FA Cup...
, before a second spell at Halifax saw him help the club regain their Football League status. He moved on to Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
, with whom he achieved promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, before joining Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
for a club record fee. He played in the final of the 2001 League Cup
2001 Football League Cup Final
The 2001 Worthington Cup Final was a football match played between Liverpool and Birmingham City at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Sunday 25 February 2001...
with Birmingham, and the following season helped them reach the Premier League.
After a short period at Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
in 2003, he joined West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, with whom he again won promotion to the Premier League. In 2006, he moved to Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, but much of his time there was spent on loan to other clubs, namely Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
, Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
and Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
. Horsfield announced his retirement from football in 2008 after being diagnosed with testicular cancer
Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.In the United States, between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. In the UK, approximately 2,000 men are diagnosed each year. Over his lifetime, a man's risk of...
, but after successful treatment he resumed his career, signing a six-month contract for Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
in January 2009. In July of that year he was appointed player-assistant manager at Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
under Micky Adams
Micky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
, and the following summer he took up coaching full time.
Early career
Horsfield was born in BarnsleyBarnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, the son and grandson of coal miners
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
.
While still a schoolboy he started playing football for a men's team, Athersley Recreation F.C., in the Barnsley Sunday League
Sunday league football
Sunday league football is a term used in the United Kingdom to describe those association football leagues which play on Sunday, as opposed to the more usual Saturday. These leagues tend to be lower standard amateur competitions, whose players may have less ability, or less time to devote to...
, and had an unsuccessful trial with home-town club Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
On leaving school, Horsfield took a college course in bricklaying
Bricklayer
A bricklayer or mason is a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork. The term also refers to personnel who use blocks to construct blockwork walls and other forms of masonry. In British and Australian English, a bricklayer is colloquially known as a "brickie".The training of a trade in...
.
He continued playing football part-time, with Athersley, with Worsbrough Bridge in the Northern Counties East League
Northern Counties East Football League
The Northern Counties East Football League is an English football league that was founded in 1982 by the merger of the former Yorkshire League and Midland League. The league has two divisions at present; The Premier Division and Division One which stand at the ninth and tenth levels of the football...
, and with Football League club Scarborough
Scarborough F.C.
Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season...
, where he turned professional in July 1992.
Given his league debut in March 1993 by manager Ray McHale
Ray McHale
Ray McHale is an English footballer who played as a central midfielder.McHale began his career with Chesterfield before moving to Halifax Town...
, he was released after playing 12 league matches and returned to bricklaying and part-time football.
After a nine-game spell with Halifax Town
Halifax Town A.F.C.
Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National, although prior to that they participated in the Football League for over eighty years...
in 1994, he rejoined manager McHale at Guiseley
Guiseley A.F.C.
Guiseley A.F.C. are an English football club from Guiseley, West Yorkshire, England.-History:Founded in 1909 by a local group of enthusiasts, the club’s first success came in 1913 when they won the local Wharfedale League...
, where his 36 goals helped the club to reach third place in the Premier Division
Northern Premier League Premier Division
The Premier Division is the top division of the Northern Premier League. It is at Step 3 of the National League System, placing it six divisions below the Premier League...
of the Northern Premier League
Northern Premier League
The Northern Premier League, is one of the regional English football leagues which sits directly below the Football Conference featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England, and the northern areas of the Midlands. Originally just one...
in the 1994–95 season.
He moved on to Witton Albion
Witton Albion F.C.
Witton Albion F.C. are a football club based in Northwich, England. They were founded in 1887. They have won the Cheshire Senior Cup 11 times since 1902. Their most recent success in this competition was in 2006, when they defeated Stalybridge Celtic in the final. They have also reached the FA Cup...
, where he sustained a potentially career-threatening knee injury; after making a full recovery he returned to Halifax for a fee reported as £4,000.
He made his second debut for Halifax in October 1996. On the last day of the 1996–97 season, needing to beat Stevenage Borough
Stevenage Borough F.C.
Stevenage Football Club is an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The club currently participate in League One, the third tier of English football, having won promotion from League Two in the 2010–11 season...
to avoid relegation from the Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
, Horsfield scored the goal which clinched a 4–2 victory.
The following season, Halifax won the Conference title by a nine-point margin, thus regaining their Football League status.
Horsfield's 30 goals in 40 league games, including hat-tricks against Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
, Telford United
Telford United F.C.
Telford United F.C. was an English football club based in Telford, Shropshire.The club existed under various names for a total of 132 years from its formation in 1872. The club was founder members of the Alliance Premier League in 1979 and played at this level for 25 years before being wound up in...
and Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
, made him that season's Conference top scorer.
Together with team-mate Mark Bradshaw, Horsfield was selected for England's semi-professional representative team, for a match against their Dutch counterparts, but injury prevented him from playing.
In the Conference, Horsfield had still been working in the building trade while playing football part-time, but promotion to the Football League meant he had to give up his job to become a full-time footballer. Seven goals in his first ten games in the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
attracted a bid from Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
, then in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
and managed by Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
.
Fulham
An initial fee of £300,000 was agreed, plus an additional £50,000 depending on appearances, and in October 1998 Horsfield joined Fulham. A clause was also included in the contract which would allow Halifax a share of the profits from any future sale. The remainder of his 1998–99 season produced 15 goals from 28 games as Fulham won the Second Division title by 14 clear points. He was also named in the PFAProfessional Footballers' Association
The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....
's Second Division Team of the Year
PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
. According to Keegan, "Geoff's your old-fashioned centre forward and we love him. He will score goals in this division, he will score goals in the next divisions. He chases a lot of lost causes and is very important for us." Though less prolific in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, seven league goals and another seven in the cups still made him the club's top scorer for the 1999–2000 season. After new manager Jean Tigana
Jean Tigana
Jean Amadou Tigana is a manager and former French international footballer, having played in midfield and managed professional football extensively throughout France, including 52 appearances and 1 goal for the France national football team during the 1980s.-Playing career:Tigana started his...
made it clear that Horsfield's aggressive style and perceived lack of pace and mobility would not fit the way he wanted his new team to play, and brought in Louis Saha
Louis Saha
Louis Laurent Saha is a French footballer of Guadelupian origin who currently plays as a forward for Everton FC in the Premier League and the France national team. A former scholar at the Clairefontaine football academy, he started his career at Metz before playing on loan at Newcastle United...
as his main striker, the player agreed to join Fulham's First Division rivals Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
.
Birmingham City
In July 2000, Horsfield signed a five-year contract with Birmingham, who paid a club record fee of £2.25 million, £350,000 of which went to Halifax Town under the sell-on clause. He was their top scorer in his first season, finding the net on twelve occasions, and his two goals in the second leg of the League CupFootball League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
semi-final helped the club reach their first major final
2001 Football League Cup Final
The 2001 Worthington Cup Final was a football match played between Liverpool and Birmingham City at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Sunday 25 February 2001...
for nearly 40 years. In the starting eleven for the final against his boyhood heroes Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, Horsfield had been substituted by the time Birmingham lost in a penalty shootout.
In the 2001–02 season, Horsfield was chosen Player of the Year both by Birmingham's fans and by his team-mates. His strike partnership with Stern John
Stern John
Stern John is a Trinidadian football player currently playing for North East Stars in Trinidad. He played for a number of high profile English football clubs that included Nottingham Forest, Birmingham City and Coventry City.-Early Career in US:John moved to the United States to attend Mercer...
proved crucial in the unbeaten run which helped Birmingham reach the First Division play-offs, and he scored the equaliser against Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
in the play-off final
2002 Football League First Division play-off Final
The 2002 Football League First Division play-off Final was a football match played at The Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on May 12, 2002 at the end of the 2001–02 season...
, which the club went on to win on penalties to earn promotion to the Premier League. Horsfield had promised a donation to his first club, Athersley Rec, if he ever reached the Premiership; a few days after the play-off victory he gave them £25,000 towards improving their facilities.
Horsfield's first Premier League goal came in the September 2002 local derby
Local derby
In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby means a sporting fixture between two, generally local, rivals, particularly in association football...
defeat of Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
. He also scored in the return fixture at Villa Park, an eventful game in which he ended up keeping goal when Nico Vaesen
Nico Vaesen
Nico-Jos Theodoor Vaesen is a Belgian former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He retired from football shortly after joining Lierse, but returned to the game in 2008 with K.F.C...
was injured after Birmingham had used all their substitutes. Horsfield missed games through suspension and surgery, and was frustrated by manager Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce
Stephen Roger "Steve" Bruce is an English football manager and former player. Born in Corbridge, Northumberland, he was a promising schoolboy footballer but was rejected by a number of professional clubs. He was on the verge of quitting the game altogether when he was offered a trial with Gillingham...
preferring to use him as a specialist substitute; after he came on to score a late winner against local rivals West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, Bruce described him as "a manager's dream", saying that "when you're tiring, the last thing you need is Big Horse rampaging at you". Starting alongside World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
-winner Christophe Dugarry late in the season, the pair formed "an unlikely combination, brilliance from Bordeaux alongside a brickie from Barnsley, but Horsfield's robust approach has complemented Dugarry's more delicate touches"; their partnership produced four wins and a draw from the last six games.
Wigan Athletic
Horsfield played in three Premier League matches for Birmingham City at the start of the 2003–04 season. When Birmingham manager Steve BruceSteve Bruce
Stephen Roger "Steve" Bruce is an English football manager and former player. Born in Corbridge, Northumberland, he was a promising schoolboy footballer but was rejected by a number of professional clubs. He was on the verge of quitting the game altogether when he was offered a trial with Gillingham...
was unable to guarantee him a regular place in the team however, Horsfield moved on to Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
, signing a three-year contract in September 2003. A transfer fee of £500,000 was agreed, though this could have risen to £1 million if the player had gone on to make enough appearances for Wigan. Horsfield said of the move, "I could easily have sat out the last two years of my contract at Birmingham, but that's not my style – I just want to play football." He scored on his debut for Wigan, a 4–2 win against Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
on 13 September 2003. He continued to live in the West Midlands even after his transfer from Birmingham City, and after just three months at Wigan moved to West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
for £1 million.
West Bromwich Albion
Horsfield made his Albion debut in a 1–0 defeat away to Coventry CityCoventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
on 20 December 2003. The following month he scored his first goal for the club, in a 2–0 win against Albion's local rivals Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
. It was the first of three goals he scored during January 2004, earning him the PFA
Professional Footballers' Association
The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....
First Division Player-of-the-Month award. In all he scored seven goals for Albion during 2003–04, helping the club to achieve promotion to the Premier League.
The team struggled in their first season back in the top division, while Horsfield scored just three goals in 29 league appearances. His contribution on the final day of the season against Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
however, proved vital to the club's survival. Coming on as a second-half substitute, he scored with his first touch, before setting up a goal for team mate Kieran Richardson
Kieran Richardson
Kieran Edward Richardson is an English footballer currently playing for Sunderland. He is naturally a left winger, but has proven to a extremely versatile; having also played as a left back, right winger, central midfielder and recently as a support striker...
. Combined with results from other matches, the 2–0 win ensured Albion's escape from relegation as the first club to survive in the Premier League after being bottom at Christmas. Horsfield said of the achievement, "Even though I have been promoted with every club I have been at this is the best moment of my career."
Horsfield enjoyed a good start to 2005–06, signing a new two year contract and scoring twice in both of Albion's first two home games, but these proved to be the last goals he would score for the club. He made a total of 20 appearances in league and cup during his final season at West Bromwich Albion.
Sheffield United and loans
Horsfield signed for Sheffield UnitedSheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
on loan in February 2006, but appeared in just three games under manager Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock is an English former footballer who is currently manager of English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers....
in the four month spell. Both Horsfield and Warnock wanted to terminate the loan prematurely, but West Bromwich Albion had already agreed to sell the player to United at the end of the season and refused to go back on the deal. Thus the permanent transfer went through in May 2006 for a fee of £1.2 million, with Horsfield commenting that he and Warnock had resolved their differences.
On 3 August 2006, Horsfield signed for Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
on loan until Christmas with a view to a permanent move. He made his debut on the opening Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
game of the season against Norwich
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
on 5 August 2006, and scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw away at Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
three days later. When Dennis Wise
Dennis Wise
Dennis Frank Wise is an English former football manager and player, and former Executive Director at Newcastle United....
took over as Leeds manager, Horsfield was in and out of the Leeds side and his loan was terminated in January 2007. At the end of the January 2007 transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
, Leicester City took Horsfield on loan for the rest of the season. He made his debut for the club in their 1–1 draw with Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
on 3 February 2007, and scored his first goals for them in their 3–0 victory over local rivals Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
on 17 February 2007.
Horsfield's former West Bromwich Albion manager Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
became manager at Sheffield United at the start of the 2007–08 season, but Horsfield remained out of the side. His only appearances came in the League Cup
League Cup
In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish...
, playing against Chesterfield in the first round and scoring against Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
in the second. On 31 January 2008 he moved to Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
on loan for the remainder of the season. Horsfield went straight into the Scunthorpe squad and made his debut against Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
at Glanford Park, winning the sponsors' Man of the Match award following the team's 1–0 victory. Having played twelve games whilst on loan he was subsequently released from his contract by Sheffield United at the end of the season.
Horsfield had a trial at Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
during the summer of 2008, but rejected a move to Saltergate because he wanted to move to a club closer to his home in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
. He then had a trial with Kettering Town
Kettering Town F.C.
Kettering Town Football Club are a football club originating in Kettering, Northamptonshire but currently based in the nearby village of Irthlingborough. The club play in the Conference National after winning the Conference North in 2007–08...
and in September began training with Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
.
Lincoln City
On 10 October 2008, Horsfield revealed that he had been diagnosed with testicular cancerTesticular cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.In the United States, between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. In the UK, approximately 2,000 men are diagnosed each year. Over his lifetime, a man's risk of...
, and was advised that his playing career was finished. By December, he was reported to be considering a return to football, either as a player or in a coaching role, after receiving successful treatment for his cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
He went on to link up with Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
, managed by former Halifax Town team-mate Peter Jackson, for a week's training to assess his fitness levels with a view to possibly signing for the club.
After an extended trial period, Horsfield signed a short-term playing contract with the club, to run from 2 January 2009 until the end of the 2008–09 season
2008–09 in English football
The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while...
. He would also be involved with coaching the reserve team. Horsfield made his debut on 12 January against Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
, setting up the equaliser for fellow debutant Anthony Elding
Anthony Elding
Anthony Lee Elding is an English footballer, currently playing as a striker for Conference National side Grimsby Town....
in a 2–2 draw. After the game he declared he was "glad to be back playing". He scored his first goal for the club on 27 January 2009, in a 2–1 win against Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
, describing the long range shot "one of my sweetest strikes". Horsfield played regularly during his time with Lincoln, but scored only that one goal, and at the end of the season the club decided not to renew his contract.
Port Vale
In July 2009, Port ValePort Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
's Micky Adams
Micky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
appointed Horsfield as player-assistant manager. Horsfield aimed to play a majority of Vale's games in the 2009–10 season
2009–10 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2008–09 season was Port Vale's ninety-eighth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in League Two. Micky Adams received plaudits for his first full season in charge. He took a squad of players that had previously been near the bottom of the division and made...
while learning the ropes of management. He played in the opening four games of the season despite needing painkillers for a cracked rib and a cracked bone in his hand, the first broken bones he had ever suffered. The club reached the third round of the League Cup, but after three consecutive defeats, Adams placed the entire squad on the transfer list. He suffered from niggling injuries, in addition to a torn hamstring, which limited his appearances at Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
. This caused him to consider his retirement in the summer of 2010. The final of the 2010 Staffordshire Senior Cup
Staffordshire Senior Cup
The Staffordshire Senior Challenge Cup is a football cup tournament based in the county of Staffordshire in England first competed for in 1877-78. Organised by the Staffordshire Football Association, it is competed for by a mix of clubs from Staffordshire and the surrounding areas. Both...
was to be his final competitive game, as the club later announced Horsfield would not be a player at the Vale the following season, though would remain on the coaching staff.
Coaching career
Joining Port Vale as player-assistant manager in July 2009; twelve months later he was offered a contract at the club as a full time assistant manager. Manager Micky AdamsMicky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
insisted that Horsfield would have a heavier workload over the 2010–11 season
2010–11 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2010–11 season was Port Vale's ninety-ninth season of football in the Football League, and third successive season in League Two. Vale enjoyed a solid start to the campaign, looking like good prospects for promotion. However Micky Adams left the club in December to take charge of Sheffield...
, and would have to "formulate a catalogue of players" and "get to know all the leagues at all levels". However Adams also stated that Horsfield may be registered as a player and return to the field in an emergency situation. This meant many hours of scouting.
In December 2010, he was made joint caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
at Vale, along with Mark Grew
Mark Grew
Mark Stuart Grew is an English former football goalkeeper, now assistant manager to Micky Adams at Port Vale. On three occasions he has also served as the club's caretaker-manager, most recently from March to May in 2011....
, following the departure of Micky Adams. Vale were hammered 5–0 by Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
in his first game in charge, but rallied to beat Burton Albion
Burton Albion F.C.
Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...
2–1, before Jim Gannon
Jim Gannon
James Paul "Jim" Gannon is a former footballer and football manager, who is now Director of football and manager of Conference National team Stockport County...
was appointed manager. Gannon retained Horsfield as his assistant. However the new manager was keen to bring in his own staff, and so in February 2011 Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
approached Horsfield in a bid to sign him as a coach and also to bring him out of retirement as a player. On 25 February, during a pre-match coach trip to Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
, Gannon left the team bus after an apparent bust-up with Horsfield. It was later reported in the national media that Horsfield had requested a day off to deal with a family matter, Gannon then granted him permission but subsequently wrote a letter to the board complaining of his conduct. An unnamed director then handed the letter to Horsfield, who confronted Gannon over the issue, brandishing the letter as proof when Gannon denied its existence. The following week Horsfield was informed that he would face a disciplinary hearing over the matter. After Horsfield was told to stay away from the club for two weeks he was invited back to his assistant role as before, with no disciplinary action taken against either party. Gannon was sacked less than four weeks after the bust-up on the bus, and Grew was appointed as caretaker-manager, with Horsfield as his assistant.
In July 2011, Horsfield stepped down as assistant manager to concentrate on his coaching qualifications, remaining at Port Vale as a coach. Later in the month he scored in a friendly against Stone Dominoes
Stone Dominoes F.C.
Stone Dominoes F.C. are a football club based in Stone, Staffordshire.-History:The club was established in 1987 and joined the Midland League Division Two in 1995. They reached the 5th round of the FA Vase in 2003–04 season. They are currently members of the North West Counties Football League...
, and was forced to dismiss speculation that he would make a return to the playing side of the game.
Personal life
He is married to Tina and has four children: Chris, Chloe, Leah and Lexie-Brooke.In October 2008, Horsfield was diagnosed with testicular cancer
Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.In the United States, between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. In the UK, approximately 2,000 men are diagnosed each year. Over his lifetime, a man's risk of...
, and advised that his playing career was over. As the disease was discovered in its early stages, no chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
or radiotherapy
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy , radiation oncology, or radiotherapy , sometimes abbreviated to XRT or DXT, is the medical use of ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells.Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor because of its ability to control...
was needed, surgery proved successful and less than two months later he was given the all-clear. Horsfield decided to make his illness public in order to help spread awareness of the disease, and lent his support to a Premier League-backed project launched in 2009 to promote men's health issues. He said: "Getting cancer was something I had to get over. I got it, wanted to beat it and I did. Now I am just glad that I've got another chance in football."
Shortly before he joined Port Vale, Horsfield fell victim to the swine flu pandemic
2009 flu pandemic in the United Kingdom
The 2009 flu pandemic is a global outbreak of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, first identified in April 2009, termed Pandemic H1N1/09 virus by the World Health Organization and colloquially called swine flu. The outbreak was first observed in Mexico, and quickly spread globally. On...
.
Honours
Individual- PFA Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
Team of the YearPFA Team of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
: 1998–99
with Halifax Town
- Football ConferenceFootball ConferenceThe Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
champions: 1997–98 - Football Conference top scorer: 1997–98
with Fulham
- Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
champions: 1998–99
with Birmingham City
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
runners-up: 20012001 Football League Cup FinalThe 2001 Worthington Cup Final was a football match played between Liverpool and Birmingham City at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Sunday 25 February 2001... - Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
play-off winners: 20022002 Football League First Division play-off FinalThe 2002 Football League First Division play-off Final was a football match played at The Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on May 12, 2002 at the end of the 2001–02 season...
with West Bromwich Albion
- Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
runners-up: 2003–04
with Port Vale
- Staffordshire Senior CupStaffordshire Senior CupThe Staffordshire Senior Challenge Cup is a football cup tournament based in the county of Staffordshire in England first competed for in 1877-78. Organised by the Staffordshire Football Association, it is competed for by a mix of clubs from Staffordshire and the surrounding areas. Both...
runners-up: 2010
as a Player
Data is missing prior to the 1996–97 season with Halifax Town.| Club | League | Season | League | FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Other | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Halifax Town Halifax Town A.F.C. Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National, although prior to that they participated in the Football League for over eighty years... |
Conference Conference National Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system... |
1996–97 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 0 | |||
|-
|align=left|Conference
|1997–98
|40||30||4||4||colspan=2| ||3||0||47||34
|-
|align=left|Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
|1998–99
|10||7||0||0||4||1||0||0||14||8
|-
|rowspan=2 align=left valign=center|Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
|align=left|Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
|1998–99
|28||15||6||2||0||0||0||0||34||17
|-
|align=left|First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
|1999–2000
|31||7||3||1||6||6||0||0||40||14
|-
|rowspan=4 align=left valign=center|Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
|align=left|First Division
|2000–01
|34||7||1||0||6||4||2||1||43||12
|-
|align=left|First Division
|2001–02
|41||11||1||0||3||0||3||1||48||12
|-
|align=left|Premier League
|2002–03
|31||5||0||0||2||0||0||0||33||5
|-
|align=left|Premier League
|2003–04
|3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0
|-
|align=left valign=center|Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
|align=left|First Division
|2003–04
|16||7||0||0||1||0||0||0||17||7
|-
|rowspan=3 align=left valign=center|West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
|align=left|First Division
|2003–04
|20||7||1||0||0||0||0||0||21||7
|-
|align=left|Premier League
|2004–05
|29||3||2||0||1||1||0||0||32||4
|-
|align=left|Premier League
|2005–06
|18||4||1||0||1||0||0||0||20||4
|-
|align=left valign=center|Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
(loan)
|align=left|Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
|2005–06
|3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0
|-
|align=left valign=center|Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
|align=left|Premier League
|2006–07
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|align=left valign=center|Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
(loan)
|align=left|Championship
|2006–07
|14||2||0||0||1||0||0||0||15||2
|-
|align=left valign=center|Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
(loan)
|align=left|Championship
|2006–07
|13||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||13||2
|-
|align=left valign=center|Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
|align=left|Championship
|2007–08
|0||0||0||0||2||1||0||0||2||1
|-
|align=left valign=center|Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
(loan)
|align=left|Championship
|2007–08
|12||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||12||0
|-
|align=left valign=center|Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
|align=left|League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
|2008–09
|17||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||17||1
|-
|align=left valign=center|Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
|align=left|League Two
|2009–10
2009–10 Football League
The Football League 2009–10, called the Coca-Cola Football League for sponsorship reasons, was the 110th completed season of the Football League. It began in August 2009 and concluded in May 2010, with the promotion play-off finals. The Football League is contested through three Divisions. The...
|9||0||1||0||2||0||0||0||12||0
|}
-
- a. One game in the West Riding County CupWest Riding County Football AssociationThe West Riding County Football Association is the governing body of football in the area covered by the administrative county of the West Riding of Yorkshire.-External links:*...
, one in the West Riding Senior Cup and two in the FA TrophyFA TrophyThe Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams... - b. Games in the FA TrophyFA TrophyThe Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
- c. Games in the First Division play-offsFootball League Championship play-offsThe Football League Championship play-offs are a series of playoff matches contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the Football League Championship table. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 6th playing 3rd and 5th playing 4th, with the return fixtures following...
- a. One game in the West Riding County Cup
as a Manager
- As of 6 January 2011.
| Team | Nation | From | Port Vale Port Vale F.C. Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as... (caretaker) | 30 December 2010 | 6 January 2011 |
|---|
External links
- Profile at the official Port Vale site