Horsforth Fairweather FC
|
HFFC 1983-84: It's Goals That Win Matches. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Previous... the
1982-83 season.
Next ... the
1984-85 season.
Back: Simon Holmes, Tim Vickerman, Mark Sweeney, Mark Burrows, Bernie Gilmore, Martin Riley, Rick Slack, Ray Child, Neil Oddy. Front: Dave Vernon, Tim Hirst, Steve Burns, Steve Palmer, Simon Hockney, Craig Oddy. This season saw a couple of important changes, Craig Oddy's brother Neil taking over as Manager, and the introduction of the short-lived but fondly remembered red and blue striped shirts. Promoted two divisions, Horsforth began the new season promisingly, beating Blenheim Albion by the remarkable scoreline of 6-5 at home and overcoming Hainsworths twice, suggesting we had the ability to acquit ourselves well enough at this higher standard. We even got as high as third in the table after beating Peggy Tub 2-0 at Middleton in November with a severely weakened team. But that was as good as it ever got for HFFC in the Sunday League, and the tide was soon to turn against us. The following week, we lost 1-0 at home to the Merry Monk, a side who couldn't even muster a team to play us on the opening day of the campaign, the away side's winner being scored from a breakaway while our players were celebrating a "goal" that we had put in the net straight from an indirect free-kick. From that point, everything seemed to go wrong. The team managed only one point from the last 13 league games, and we ended up rather fortunate to avoid relegation. All in all, a huge disappointment after the events of the previous season.
Bernie Gilmore continued in goals,
while Steve Burns and Ray Child were the most usual choices as at full-backs.
But long-time central defensive anchormen Martin Riley and Rob Phillis were gone,
and we were to struggle badly in this vital area for some years,
with the dependable if somewhat unwilling Tim Vickerman being partnered by Mark Burrows,
Craig Oddy or Mark Bickerdike as required.
Ray Child, Martin Riley, Ian Clayden, Dave Vernon, Bernie Gilmore, Tim Hirst, Steve Palmer, Mark Sweeney, Mark Bickerdike, Craig Oddy, Steve Burns, (front) Neil Oddy.
This in turn left a rather inconsistent midfield,
especially so after Steve Palmer left the club.
New signing John Steenson was a huge plus in this area, however,
and the returning Tim Hirst and Marten Gadd also contributed in this part of the field.
The problem area all season was the number of goals scored,
the midfield being particularly barren in this department.
Dave Vernon and Mark Sweeney were again the preferred striking partnership,
but only the Sweeney came anywhere near to repeating the exploits of the year before,
and the latter stages of the season were marked by what could only be called a goal drought.
In retrospect, 1983-84 is probably best remembered as John Steenson's first year with the club.
Greatest moment - the Peggy Tub game mentioned above.
Back to
top of page.
Back to
top of page.
Back to
top of page.
Back to
top of page.
Awards.Player of the Year - John Steenson. Goal of the Season - Mark Bickerdike (v. Kippax Band at home). Top Goal Scorer - Mark Sweeney (12). Club Colours.First choice - Red and blue striped shirts, white shorts, blue socks.
Change - Yellow shirts, white shorts, blue socks
Back to top of page.
Previous... the
1982-83 season.
Next ... the
1984-85 season.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
