Previous... the 1987-88 season.       Next ... the 1989-90 season.

Go to ... League Table ... Results ... Appearances ... Awards.

Back: Gary Watson, Mark Bickerdike, Mark Sweeney, Dave Postle, Craig Oddy, Tim Vickerman, John Hryszko, Dave Vernon, Martin Woods. Front: John Steenson, Tim Hirst, Steve Burns, Phil Troughton, Simon Hockney, Chris Fardon, Jason Green.

  Horsforth's first genuinely successful season arrived just when it was least expected. Having changed Manager twice over the summer, few could have looked forward to the new campaign with confidence. It fell to injury victim John Hryszko to lick the team into shape, and this he did remarkably well.

  The key was Mark Bickerdike, who had moved to centre-forward during the experimental phase between managerial regimes during the summer, and the unprecedented 43 goals he bagged, if not on their own the key to the reversal of fortune, were, to say the least, something of a catalyst. In what was arguably the best and most stable team the club had ever had, Dave Postle continued in goals, with Tim Vickerman and Steve Burns full-backs and John Steenson and Mark Sweeney centre-backs. A vital new signing, Martin Woods, was added to Phil Troughton and Craig Oddy in midfield, to make a particularly daunting combination, while Mark Bick was flanked by Simon Hockney and Dave Vernon up front. Other dependable squad players included Ray Child, Islam Ratyal and (of course) Gary Watson. Phil was captain this season.

  This line-up started September promisingly (the Jubilee Cup win against Northern Star at East End Park being one of several early season highlights, just as it had in 1981), wobbled a bit in October, and then exploded into a run of astonishing form in November. Beginning with Dave's late winner against previously-unbeaten Harvester, we managed eleven games without defeat around the end of 1988, the 2-1 home win over close rivals FC Haigh the climax. The re-emergence of Marten Gadd and Tim Hirst as the season progressed enhanced the side's quality still further. Competition for places was fiercer than it had ever been, especially in midfield, and Craig was moved to left-back while the run of success continued unabated. By February, for the first time, I think it's fair to say we had emerged as genuine title contenders.

  Sadly, we were not at this stage quite ready for that challenge, as our main rivals Unicorn, Harvester and Drysalters saw us off in successive weeks. Inevitably, the season ended as a bit of an anti-climax, but it also culminated in our first promotion since joining the Combination, from Division Seven to Division Six, and the general feeling that the club was on its way at long last.

  Mark Bick's sensational goalscoring exploits in 1988-89 will probably never be bettered in the life of this club, though I'm sure he would insist on the rest of the team being given credit for their role in his achievements - and John Hryszko can hardly be praised enough for the part he played in his own understated way. All of us who wore the team's colours remain proud of the status the club had attained this season, not least because of how long and arduous had been the road that took us there, yet the 1988-89 campaign will always be remembered above all as Mark Bick's season, and rightly so. The best game of the season was probably the hard-fought 3-0 win away to the Unicorn at Lofthouse in September (Bickerdike 3 of course).

Back to top of page.

Back to top of page.

Back to top of page.

Back to top of page.

Awards.

Goal of the Season - Tim Hirst (v. Fullerton Park at home).

Top Goal Scorer - Mark Bickerdike (43).

Club Colours.

Change - All silver
(worn in the away match with Oddys Builders).

Back to top of page.

Previous... the 1987-88 season.       Next ... the 1989-90 season.