Geoff Horsfield might be a high-flying Premiership star these days, but his roots have more to do with graft than glamour. While his contemporaries were enjoying cosy apprenticeships, Horsfield was working hard as a bricklayer and completing his football education in the Barnsley Premier League!
In fact, prior to his recent trip to Malaysia for the FA Premier Cup, the furthest the 29-year-old had been on his football travels was Scotland! Givemefootball's Ian Clarkson caught up with the Birmingham City striker and asked him how he laid the foundations on an exciting new career.
Q: YOU HAD A FAIRLY TOUGH INTRODUCTION INTO FOOTBALL DIDN'T YOU?
A: I started playing for Athersley Rec as a 14-year-old in the Barnsley Premier League. I was playing against fully-grown men, but I was part of a hard side like the Wimbledon of old and they used to look after me. I was only about 5ft 6ins in those days, as I didn't shoot up till I was older, but I have to say I have never experienced anything like that league before or since. I saw tackles at thigh and hip height where you were lucky if a foul was given never mind a card! The referees were sacred to death of a lot of the players yet there was some real talent amongst them - they just happened to be crackpots!
Q: WERE YOU CLOSE TO MAKING IT AS A YOUNGSTER?
A: I was offered a trial by Barnsley, but there wasn't anything at the end of it. I would have worked down the pit like my dad, Terry, but they had all closed down and most of the lads I played with were either bricklayers, carpenters or electricians and one was a lecturer at college and I decided to enroll on a bricklaying course.
Q: WHEN WAS YOUR NEXT OPPORTUNITY IN FOOTBALL?
A: After a year of training as a brickie and playing for Athersley, I was picked up by Scarborough and Ray McHale asked me to come and play for their Intermediate team. They asked me if I fancied an apprenticeship, but I had gone through 12 months at college so I turned it down. It was tough at that time because I used to work on site and in college before getting the train from Wakefield to Leeds and on to Scarborough. I used to leave on a Friday night at around five o'clock and arrive around 11pm. My dad would come and watch before taking me back to Barnsley on a Saturday afternoon where I played for Athersley.
Q: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU HAD FINISHED YOUR BRICKLAYING COURSE?
A: I was offered terms by McHale and actually scored on my League debut against Crewe, but it didn't do the gaffer much good and he was sacked. The new boss, Steve Wicks came in and binned me. I went back to bricklaying and rejoined Ray McHale at Guiseley in the Unibond Premier League. I scored 36 goals for Guiseley and 12 months later I was bought by Witton Albion, who were managed by ex Manchester City and Birmingham full-back Ray Ranson at the time. It didn't work out for me there, as I picked up a knee injury and five months later I was on my way to Halifax for £4,000.
Q: THAT IS WHERE IT REALLY TOOK OFF FOR YOU ISN'T IT?
A: In my first season I scored the goal that kept them in the Conference and the following year, without undertaking a pre-season I notched 35 as we won the title and entered the Football League.
Q: HOW DID YOU MANAGE THAT WITHOUT A PRE-SEASON?
A: I was building some nursing homes down in Chiswick at the time and couldn't afford to take the time off. I spoke to the Halifax manager, George Mulhall, and told him I would keep fit while I was working. I used to run from the digs every day to work, which was about four miles and the rest of the lads used to drive past eating bacon sandwiches and heckling me! I also used to run around the site and went back to pre-season like an ox.
Q: THIRTY-FIVE GOALS MEANT IT WORKED I PRESUME?
A: Definitely. However, I am sure if I suggested it to Steve Bruce nowadays he would tell me to go away politely and run round the track!
Q: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN HALIFAX JOINED THE LEAGUE?
A: I had a bit of a dilemma as the money wasn't great and I had to give up my job. However, it was a gamble that paid off as seven weeks later, Kevin Keegan signed me at Fulham and then after that I moved on to Birmingham.
Q: YOU STILL HELP OUT AT ATHERSLEY REC THOUGH DON'T YOU?
A: I rang up their manager, Porky (named after the film Porky's) as I always said that if I reached the Premiership I would give them some money. I have given them £25,000 that is spread out over a few seasons, but this enables them to apply for a lottery grant as they have a 10-acre site where their ground is based. They don't have any stands or changing facilities so they will be able to progress up the leagues with this, and it is just my way of putting something back to the people who helped me.
