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Back: Dave Postle, Mark Bickerdike, Simon Vickers, Mark Sweeney, The Inflatable Sub(!), Tim Vickerman, Sooty (Assistant Manager!!), Sheldon Bonner, John Hryszko. Front: Chris Fardon, Steve Burns, Bob Matthew, Martin Woods, Gary Watson, Dave Vernon.

  Another sideways step. With Simon Vickers returned to challenge Dave Postle for the No 1 jersey, and a couple of other important signings in midfield player Bob Matthew and striker or midfielder Sheldon Bonner ("Boz"), a higher standard of football should have held no terrors for Horsforth, but the effects of an early injury to Mark Bickerdike were to be felt all season. The opening months were characterised mainly by drawn games, the mid-season by something of a collapse, and the spring months saw us finish the campaign off with yet another new manager.

  The back line was usually made up from Tim Vickerman, Steve Burns, John Steenson, Mark Sweeney and Tim Hirst - and Dave Postle put in a few respectable performances in the back four. In midfield, new skipper Martin Woods was at first paired with Bob and Phil Troughton, with Tim Hirst, Marten Gadd and Boz coming into the frame later on. The attack, initially last year's fun boy three Simon Hockney, Mark Bick and Dave Vernon, was infiltrated by Gary Watson, Boz and Hirsty in the later months.

  This season saw a respectable league cup run, featuring wins over Omnibus and Dragon Hotel, ending in a replayed quarter-final with Swarcliffe, but the side's league form was bordering on relegation material at times, and John Hryszko was succeeded as Manager by Hirsty towards the end of the campaign. The new incumbent masterminded a rather grim but ultimately successful struggle to stay in Division Six. That the fight turned out to be immaterial due to a major league restructure should in no way detract from the splendid efforts the side put in at the back end of this season.

  Highlight - the first Swarcliffe game from a footballing point of view without doubt, although the first Old Codgers Match, on the 28th of April 1990, would for many reasons be the season's defining moment.

Back: Dave Vernon, Mark Sweeney, John Hryszko, Simon Vickers, John Steenson, Bob Matthew, John Field, Tim Hirst, Mark Bickerdike, Ian McGregor, Martin Riley, Chris Fitzgerald, Dave Murphy, Rob Phillis, Tony Cole, Paul Kenyon. Front: Craig Oddy, Gary Watson, Chris Fardon, Simon Hockney, Phil Troughton, Steve Burns, Andy Lewis, Howard Churchill.

  The club's tenth anniversary celebrations, held in April 1990, were marred by the tragic death three days later of Mark Bickerdike at the age of 29. His loss was felt deeply by all the players at the club, who counted ourselves as his friends as well as his team-mates. Now, more than 15 years on, it's a sadness we still all feel, and no history of the club would be complete without a tribute to his huge role, on the field and off it, in making the club what it was and what it is. To say he served the club as a player with unsurpassed distinction in defence, midfield and attack over ten years, had been the most popular Manager ever, and at the time of his death held the record number both of appearances and of goals scored, does scant justice to the contribution he made to HFFC.

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Awards.

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

Top Goal Scorer - Simon Hockney (9).

Club Colours.

Change - Not worn. Registered as All silver.

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