Kevin Horlock

Horlock started his career as a trainee with West Ham United in 1989 but did not graduate to the first team and moved to Swindon Town in August 1992 where he spent a single season in the Premier League in 1993–94.[2] Over the next few seasons he made his name as a versatile midfielder capable of playing on the left or in the centre, or at left-back. He also scored goals regularly, with 16 in the 1995–96 season.[3] He made 200 appearances in all competitions, scoring 26 goals, in five seasons at Swindon before joining Manchester City in January 1997.[4]

Horlock was Frank Clark's first signing for Manchester City for a transfer fee reported as being between £1.25 million and £1.5 million.[5] He made his debut in a 4–1 Division One win against Oxford United and scored his first goal for Manchester City three weeks later against his former club Swindon. The following season, he was a regular in the first team until suffering an injury which sidelined him for four months.[6] During Horlock's absence, Clark was sacked and chairman Francis Lee later observed that Horlock was one of only two good purchases Clark made.[7] City were struggling at the foot of the table, and were relegated on the final day of the season despite a 5–2 win at Stoke City, in which Horlock scored the fifth goal.[8] Horlock became Manchester City's primary penalty taker in the 1998–99 season, a role in which he continued for the next three seasons. Later that season Horlock was sent off in a match against AFC Bournemouth in unusual circumstances, receiving a second yellow card for "walking towards the referee in an aggressive manner while asking a question". Horlock's best season was probably the 2001–02 season where he was deployed in the holding midfield role and helped Manchester City earn promotion in stylish manner, the team scoring 108 goals.[9] One of the most notable moments of his career was the 1999 season play-off final against Gillingham when he scored the first goal of the comeback when Manchester City won on penalties after being 2–0 down until the last five minutes of the game. Horlock wore the number 6 shirt[10] Horlock made 232 league and cup appearances, scoring 44 goals, in seven years at Manchester City.[11]

Horlock was signed by Glenn Roeder for West Ham United for a fee of £300,000 in August 2003.[12] He made 27 league appearances for West Ham in the 2003–04 season[13] and scored once against Wigan[14] but fell out of favour with manager Alan Pardew and missed the play-offs games at the end of the season.[2] He was given a free transfer to Ipswich Town in July 2004,[13] where he made 58 league appearances[11] before joining Doncaster Rovers on loan in February 2006[15] and being allowed to leave Ipswich at the end of the 2005–06 season.[16] He joined Doncaster on a permanent two-year contract in May 2006[17] but missed the majority of the 2006–07 season due to a serious knee injury sustained in Doncaster's 3–1 victory over Crewe Alexandra in August 2006,[18] a game in which he also scored his first goal for the club.[19] A dislocated shoulder further restricted his opportunities, and in January 2008 his contract was cancelled by mutual consent.[20] The next day, Horlock was signed by Scunthorpe United on a contract until the end of the season.[21] However, he did not feature in the first team and joined Mansfield Town in March 2008 on loan until the end of the 2007–08 season.[22] Horlock signed for Eastern Counties League Premier Division side Needham Market as player/assistant manager on a twelve-month contract on 8 August 2008.[23]