OTD: MICKY HORSWILL BORN

On this day in 1953, former Sunderland midfielder Micky Horswill was born in Annfield Plain. Horswill played a key role in our FA Cup victory of 1973.

Joining Sunderland at the tender age of twelve, tenacious midfielder Micky honed his skills with Stanley Boys and Annfield Plain before becoming an apprentice in 1968 and progressing through the ranks at Roker Park to turn professional in 1971. He made his first appearance at the age of 19 at Deepdale as we won 3-1 thanks to goals from Dave Watson (when he was still a centre forward), Ian Porterfield, and Dennis Tueart. Micky played in front of Derek Forster that day, as Monty had sustained an injury against Hull City the week before and, by the end of the campaign, had remained ever present with the last four games being in the Anglo-Italian Cup. That tournament brought him up against some big-name Italians but the famed “hard man” approach of their midfield and defence didn’t faze Micky and the experience certainly helped develop his fearless attitude.

The following season, he missed only three league games in a campaign that brought another 49 appearances, including all nine of our FA Cup games. His first Sunderland goal came at Roker when he opened the scoring in a 4-0 demolition of Middlesbrough. Horswill's most famous goal occurred in the 1973 FA Cup quarter final when Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Corrigan threw the ball out and Micky intercepted. I can still remember Corrigan’s throw disappearing from view behind a huge pillar as we watched from the Kippax, then Micky emerged from the blind spot with the ball and charged into the box to our right before clipping it home to cancel out the City opener; scored by future Sunderland player Tony Towers.

In that famous final, there was no escape for the big names in the Leeds United midfield as Horswill reprised his semi final nullifying of Arsenal’s stars. From the off, he was a flame-haired terror, ratting away at Billy Bremner and Johnny Giles. He was the youngest player on the pitch but by far the most aggressive, winning the ball and giving it to Porterfield to weave his magic. Crucial in that cup run was the way he cancelled out players like Colin Bell, Alan Ball and the Leeds midfield.

The 1973/74 season brought European Cup Winners Cup action and Micky scored what turned out to be the winner at home to Sporting Lisbon but their consolation goal in a 2-1 victory was eventually enough to end our involvement after a 2-0 defeat in Portugal. After 32 appearances and much transfer speculation, he went with Dennis Tueart to Man City in a complicated transfer that brought Tony Towers to Wearside and ended a six year association with Sunderland that had brought 92 appearances. Life in Manchester was a big step up, with off-field friendships with the likes of George Best and other big names eclipsing Horswill’s on-field performances.

There were only 14 appearances before a transfer to Plymouth Argyle in June 1975, where he settled in well and played over a hundred games in his three seasons. Hull then came calling and, in July 1978, he signed for the Tigers. Four seasons on Humberside brought over 80 appearances but a knee problem was becoming troublesome and precipitated a move to Happy Valley in Hong Kong for a short spell in 1982. Bob Stokoe then offered him a last hurrah at Carlisle United but the knee meant only a single appearance for the Cumbrians before those tough-tackling boots were hung up for good.

Since retirement, Micky has run pubs in the North East and been part of Real Radio’s Three Legends show alongside Bernie Slaven and some bloke called MacDonald. The show moved to Star Radio after 2012 and since then Micky has been a regular on the Sportsmen’s evening circuit, taking his Three Legends partners in crime to talk-ins across the region, when his Manchester days are the source of some cracking stories. There was a time when you could turn up at any charity football match in the region and he’d pop up and say hello, he obviously remembers folks who’ve spoken to him over the years, and still follows the Lads, very much appreciative of being one of the Boys of ‘73. Recently, Horswill did an interview with A Love Supreme for issue 266 of our print magazine.