Cult Poolies - Brian Horne

Five foot odd and roughly 15 stone, this keeper didn't even look like a professional footballer, let alone a cult hero. But he was to Pools fans. Horne had played some 160 plus games for Londoners Millwall in the late 80s, had a few premiership games on loan at Middlesbrough in '92 and duly arrived at Hartlepool via Portsmouth on a free in 1994. Despite his physical appearance he won the fans over with his whole hearted displays and superb shot stopping.

Flying Pig vs. Darlo

 In a very poor Pools squad, Horne exceeded with some superb displays between the sticks. He was pretty much unchallenged in 94/95, almost being ever present in goal - the only bright spot in another disappointing season. The next season was a hero in a League cup derby with Scarborough, the match drawn over two legs went to penalties - Brian saving a couple of spot kicks in the shootout before stepping up to convert one himself. He did blot his copy book somewhat in the next round by getting sent off in a heavy defeat by Arsenal.

Premiership class with Boro

Firmly established in the heavy drinking culture that surrounded professional football back then, Horne was out on the piss with Tony Adams the night the England skipper drove home intoxicated, wrecked his car and was subsequently jailed. That pastime caught up with him by the time he'd reached Hartlepool, and his portly figure led to disgust and derision from Pools boss Keith Houchen. Houch described Horne as a 'fat slob' in his autobiography and did his best to force him out, using four hastily assembled and substandard loanees. None worked out and Houchen was reluctantly forced to play Brian. It pitted the fans against the player manager, disappointing given the amount of goals he'd bagged in two spells at Pools, prompting him to hit back at the supporters: "there are a lot of shit people following every club. They are everywhere, that type, with brains the size of a pea. I wouldn't keep the players they wanted, players who were patently not good enough and were really, really bad professionals... the majority of them are nasty people. There are more of them at Hartlepool than elsewhere – without a shadow of doubt"

It all ended on Saturday 6th April 1996 when a relegation threatened Pools were trailing two nil half time at Gillingham. A shocking on field spat between the Horne and Houchen almost came to blows, and led to the mananger subbing him off on the spot for the much maligned Steve Jones. It was to be Horne's last appearance for United. Keith Houchen didn't last much longer either, resigning early into 96/97.

Horne took a year out from the came before returning to the semi professional game in his native South East, first with Dover in 97/98 and Farnborough the following season. Brian now works commentating on the odd game with first club Millwall, and also organizes the annual Atlantic Cup competition with former Arsenal midfielder Stefan Schwarz.

Young Lion - Millwall Days

Rothmans Football Yearbooks

I've become quite sentimental in my old age (well late 20s). Maybe it's stemmed from becoming a dad in the past year or possibly that an increasingly alarming amount of grey hairs are sprouting, but I've become all nostalgic for the 1990s - the periods music and the clothes for example. And, of course, the football. Football seemed sexy and classy in the mid nineties as SKY pumped its early money in - there were big transfers and foreign signings - and England nearly bringing football home in 1996. But although football was changing fast, in those pre-internet days there was only one way of keeping up to date with all of footballs statistics - The Rothman's football yearbook.

Nowt screams football like these blue backed beasts of knowledge. Starting out in 1970 Rothman's produced 32 editions before government legislation banned cigarettes advertising in sport, thus prompting the decision to quit - handing over to SKY for the 02/03 season. Probably a more apt choice of sponsor given their (like it or loathe it) link with football. Had a couple of Rothy's back in the day (books not cigs) but didn't exactly appreciate them (packed full of stats they're not exactly light reading for a not-yet-teenager) and they went the way of the car boot. So bought an edition I'd previously owned from the bay and it was like welcoming back an old friend. A couple more have since followed through the letter box. So many facts and figures from years gone by down in black and white, a fountain of footie knowledge. In an age now when everything revolves around the internet it's so good to actually have something in your hands to flick through, never to be lost in time or a power surge.