Horsfield: Geoffrey Malcolm (Geoff)

2006-2007 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Centre Forward

Born: Barnsley: 01-11-1973

Debut: Norwich City (h): 05-08-2006

6’0” 11st 7lb (2007)

Horsfield started his footballing career at Scarborough, on 10th July 1992, playing twelve games and scoring once before moving to Halifax Town in April 1994. His first stint with Halifax was less than successful and he was released after just one season. He rejoined the club from Witton Albion in October 1996 and helped them prevent relegation to the Unibond League with a goal on the final day of the season. The following season saw Halifax promoted from the Conference with Horsfield scoring thirty-seven goals in thirty league games, including hat-tricks against Yeovil Town, Telford United and Hereford United. Upon Halifax’s return to League football, he scored seven goals in ten games, and impressed Fulham so much that he moved to there in October 1998 for £300,000. Although never as prolific as during his Non-League days, he still found the net regularly, scoring twenty-two goals in fifty-four starts and five substitute League appearances, and nine in fourteen games plus one off the bench in cup competitions, during his two seasons at the club. In July 2000 Birmingham City Manager Trevor Francis, bought Horsfield for a club record fee of £2.25m. Horsfield helped Birmingham in their climb to the EPL in 2001-02, but after scoring twenty-three goals in sixty-five starts and thirty-three games from the bench in League fixtures he moved again. This time he went to Wigan Athletic on 5th September 2003 for £1million, the club paid Birmingham City £500,000 up front with the remainder of the fee to be paid depending on League appearances. His arrival at the JJB Stadium ended a four month long search for a striker following the Wigans’ failure to land five previous targets. He made his Latics League debut on 13th September 2003 against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park and Wigan ran out 4-2 winners with Horsfield scoring one of the goals in the 4-2 victory that ensured Latics were second from the top of the First Division at the end of the afternoon. In his next game, he scored the winner in a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion at the JJB Stadium. The victory ensured Latics made history by reaching the top of the First Division for the first time since becoming a Football League team in 1978. However, he could not settle at Wigan, and, within three months Horsfield was gone, transferred to First Division rivals West Bromwich Albion in a shock £1m. deal on Thursday 18th December 2003. In total he made sixteen League appearances for the club, scoring seven goals and also started one League Cup game. Horsfield made his Albion debut in a 1–0 defeat away to Coventry City on 20th December 2003. He scored seven goals in the season which saw them promoted to the Premiership. He also scored a vital goal on the final day of the 2004-05 season against Portsmouth, which, combined with results from elsewhere, ensured Albion's survival from relegation. At the time, he said it was the best moment of his career. Horsfield enjoyed a good start to the 2005-06 season, signing a new two year contract and scoring twice in both of Albion's first two home games. However, they proved to be the last goals he would score for the club. After fourteen goals in sixty-seven League games, including nineteen from the bench, Horsfield signed for Sheffield United on loan on the 13th February 2006 and made just one starting and two substitutes appearances in the four month spell, without scoring. He had a difference of opinion with Neil Warnock but, nonetheless, West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United had already agreed that the player would move permanently to United at the end of the season, and the deal went through on 3rd July 2006 for a fee of £1.2 million. On 4th 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 City at Elland Road on 5th August 2006 and scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw away at Queens Park Rangers three days later, when he was also sent off and was sidelined for three weeks. When Dennis Wise took over the managerial reigns at Elland Road, Horsfield was in and out of the Leeds side and his loan was terminated in January 2007, he had scored twice in eleven starts and three substitute appearances in the League. On 31st January 2007, Leicester City confirmed that they had taken 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 3rd February 2007, and scored his first goals for the club in their 3–0 victory over local rivals Coventry City on 17th February 2007, however he scored only twice in thirteen League appearances, four of which were as a substitute. 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 31st 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. He won the sponsors' “Man-of-the-Match” award in a 1–0 win. He made eleven starts in the League and a further game off the bench but failed to find the net. He had a trial with Chesterfield in the summer of 2008, but decided that it was not close enough to his Leicester home. A trial with Kettering Town followed and he trained with Walsall for a while, but on 10th October 2008 he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. It was thought that his career was at an end, but after successful treatment he wanted to return to football either as a player or a coach. He trained with Lincoln City and, after a trial, signed for them on 2nd January 2009 until the end of the season. He scored once in fourteen League starts and three more from the bench and at the end of the season the club decided not to renew his contract. On 1st August 2009 Micky Adams appointed Horsfield as his Player-Assistant Manager at Port Vale. He started one League game and came off the bench in several others, but when the club suffered three consecutive defeats Adams placed the entire squad on the transfer list on 27th September 2009. He remained as Assistant Manager to Micky Adams at Port Vale and Adams refused to rule out Horsfield playing in an emergency. Horsfield started one League game and came from the bench in eight more, as well as making two substitute appearances in the League Cup and one in the F.A. Cup, before he hung up his boots at the end of the 2009-10 season. After Micky Adams left Port Vale in December 2010, Horsfield was appointed joint caretaker manager with Mark Grew. Jim Gannon was eventually appointed Manager and he, in turn, made Horsfield his Assistant. After a disagreement with Gannon, it appeared Horsfield was about to leave the club but it was Gannon that was sacked by the club and Grew was appointed caretaker Manager with Horsfield his Assistant. On 13th May 2011, Micky Adams became Manager of Port Vale. Horsfield stepped down as Assistant Manager in July 2011 to concentrate on obtaining his coaching qualifications, but remained on the Vale coaching staff. On 14th March 2012 it was confirmed by the club's Administarator that Manager Micky Adams and first-team coaches would remained with the club.