35 Facts About Geoff Horsfield

Geoffrey Malcolm Horsfield was born on 1 November 1973 and is an English former professional footballer and football coach.

Geoff Horsfield made more than 300 appearances in the Football League playing as a striker.

Geoff Horsfield was a "strong and forceful" player, able to hold the ball up to bring other players into the game.

Geoff Horsfield moved on to Fulham, with whom he achieved promotion to the First Division, before joining Birmingham City for a club record fee.

Geoff Horsfield played in the final of the 2001 League Cup with Birmingham, and the following season helped them reach the Premier League.

Geoff Horsfield announced his retirement from football in 2008 after being diagnosed with testicular cancer, but after successful treatment, he resumed his career, signing a six-month contract for Lincoln City in January 2009.

Geoff Horsfield's father, Terry, was a coal miner, as was his grandfather.

Geoff Horsfield continued playing football part-time, with Athersley, with Worsbrough Bridge in the Northern Counties East League, and with Football League club Scarborough, where he turned professional in July 1992.

Geoff Horsfield made his second debut for Halifax in October 1996.

Together with teammate Mark Bradshaw, Geoff Horsfield was selected for England's semi-professional representative team for a match against their Dutch counterparts, but injury prevented him from playing.

Geoff Horsfield was named in the PFA's Second Division Team of the Year.

Geoff Horsfield was their top scorer in his first season, finding the net on twelve occasions, and his two goals in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final helped the club reach their first major final for nearly 40 years.

Geoff Horsfield scored in the return fixture at Villa Park, an eventful game in which he ended up keeping goal when Nico Vaesen was injured after Birmingham had used all their substitutes.

Geoff Horsfield missed games through suspension and surgery, and was frustrated by manager Steve Bruce preferring to use him as a specialist substitute; after he came on to score a late winner against local rivals West Bromwich Albion, Bruce described him as "a manager's dream", saying that "when you're tiring, the last thing you need is Big Horse rampaging at you".

When Bruce could not guarantee him a regular place in the team, Geoff Horsfield moved on to Wigan Athletic, signing a three-year contract in September 2003.

Geoff Horsfield made a total of 20 appearances in league and cup during his final season at West Bromwich Albion.

Geoff Horsfield signed for Sheffield United on loan in February 2006, but appeared in just three games under manager Neil Warnock in the four months.

On 3 August 2006, Geoff Horsfield signed for Championship club Leeds United on loan until Christmas with a view to a permanent move.

When Dennis Wise took over as Leeds manager, Geoff Horsfield was in and out of the side, and his loan was terminated in January 2007.

Geoff Horsfield played twelve games while on loan and was released by Sheffield United at the end of the season.

Geoff Horsfield had a trial at Chesterfield during the summer of 2008 but rejected a move to Saltergate because he wanted to join a club closer to his home in Leicester.

On 10 October 2008, Geoff Horsfield revealed that he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer, and was advised that his playing career was finished.

Geoff Horsfield linked up with Lincoln City, managed by former Halifax Town teammate Peter Jackson, for a week's training to assess his fitness levels, and after an extended trial period, signed a short-term playing contract to run from 2 January 2009 until the end of the season.

Geoff Horsfield would be involved with coaching the reserve team.

Geoff Horsfield played regularly during his time with Lincoln, but scored only that one goal, and at the end of the season the club decided not to renew his contract.

Geoff Horsfield played in the opening four games of the season despite needing painkillers for a cracked rib and a cracked bone in his hand, the first broken bones he had ever suffered.

Geoff Horsfield suffered from niggling injuries, in addition to a tore hamstring, which limited his appearances.

Twelve months after he joined Port Vale as player-assistant manager in July 2009, Geoff Horsfield was offered a contract at the club as full-time assistant manager.

In July 2011, Geoff Horsfield stepped down as assistant manager to concentrate on his coaching qualifications, remaining at Port Vale as a coach.

Geoff Horsfield has shown me a lot of things that I haven't done in the past.

Geoff Horsfield is married to Tina and has four children: Chris, Chloe, Leah and Lexie-Brooke.

In October 2008, Geoff Horsfield was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and advised that his playing career was over.

Geoff Horsfield decided to make his illness public to help spread awareness of the disease and lent his support to a Premier League-backed project launched in 2009 to promote men's health issues.

Shortly before he joined Port Vale, Geoff Horsfield fell victim to the swine flu pandemic.

Geoff Horsfield established the Geoff Horsfield Foundation, a charity which offers accommodation to homeless people.