180 Alf Horne

Biography

Outside right Alf Horne joined the Tigers in in May 1925. He had already had one go at senior football before dropping back into the lower league game, his move to Hull was his second chance. He initially grasped the opportunity well and in 1925/26 he shared duties on the right wing with the experienced George Richardson. Horne’s first City goal came in a 4-1 victory over Nottingham Forest in October 1925, and a second goal followed six months later in 2-1 defeat against Blackpool. In the 1926 close season Richardson left the Tigers but further competition for Alf’s favoured right wing berth came from George Martin, another experienced campaigner who had played mostly in the inside forward positions during the previous season. After three starts in September 1926 Alf didn’t reappear in the first team until late January 1927. In early February City signed another wideman, Scotsman Tommy Wyper, and Alf’s time at City drew to a close.

Alfred Horne was born and raised in the Bordesley area of Birmingham and started playing football in the early 1920s with Alvechurch. In 1923 he joined the groundstaff at West Bromwich Albion but failed to do enough to earn a professional contract. He joined Midland League side Stafford Rangers for the 1924/25 season where he was a regular starter and goalscorer, showing form that attracted the attention of the Tigers in the 1925 close seeason.

In May 1927 Alf signed for Division Three South side Southend United in the hope of again finding regular first team football. He achieved this aim with aplomb, starting 32 consecutive games and scoring 10 goals before he returned to second tier in March 1928 when he signed for Second Division promotion chasers Manchester City. Alf contributed two goals in seven starts for the Citizens as they secured promotion to the First Division and remained with the Maine Road side for a further season, although he started only four first team games in the top flight.

In September 1929 Preston North End paid £2,000 to secure Horne’s services, and after being tried in a variety of positions he settled back into the outside right role at Deepdale, though played mostly for the reserves. In three seasons he made 40 starts for North End and by 1932 he was transfer listed by the club. He joined Lincoln City in June 1932, who had just been promoted to the Second Division, and while the Imps were immediately relegated back to Division Three North in 1933 Horne was a regular for four seasons, moving into the half back role in midfield and becoming club captain. By the end of 1936 he had made over 170 starts for Lincoln and scored 36 times. In December 1936 Alf transferred to Mansfield Town to reunite with former Lincoln City manager Harry Parkes, who had moved between the two clubs during the previous summer. Horne was immediately appointed club captain at Mansfield and made another 44 league starts for the Stags before retiring in October 1938 due to injuries and joining the coaching staff.

Alf drifted out of football during World War Two and returned to his roots in Birmingham, living in the Ward End Park area just a mile or so from where he was raised in Bordesley. He died in March 1976.

Details

Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 16 March 1904, Birmingham
Hull City First Game: 10 October 1925, South Shields H (Division Two), 21 years, 208 days old
Hull City Final Game: 28 January 1927, Notts County H (Division Two), 22 years, 318 days old

Clubs

Alvechurch, West Bromwich Albion (1923-1924), Stafford Rangers (1924-1925), Hull City (1925-1927), Southend United (1927-1928), Manchester City (1928-1929), Preston North End (1929-1932), Lincoln City (1932-1936), Mansfield Town (1936-1938)

Hull City Record

Career: 26 apps, 2 goals

Alf Horne
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1925/26212--------
1926/274010------

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