Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THERE MAY BE RUBBLE AHEAD
Striker-turned-brickie Geoff hopes crisis-hit Blues can paper over the cracks
GEOFF HORSFIELD is looking for Birmingham to do a demolition job on West Brom tonight.
Brickie Horsfield, now 44, has gone back to the building trade since packing up playing, and renovates houses for the homeless to live in.
He has spent all week knocking a house in the north of Birmingham into five flats – but will be at St Andrew’s tonight for the West Midlands derby.
Horsfield scored 23 goals in 108 games for the Blues, getting them promoted to the Premier League and to the League Cup final.
He also got the Baggies up and then launched the ‘Great Escape’ the following season when West Brom, bottom on Christmas Day 2004, stayed up on the last day. He scored one and made the other in a dramatic 2-1 victory over Portsmouth.
Birmingham could be hit with a 12-point deduction under Financial Fair Play rules, which would put them in severe danger of relegation. Horsfield said: “There has been a lot of turmoil. As a player you are thinking, ‘Hang on a minute, I am getting 12 points deducted?’ Touch wood that won’t happen.
“The manager, Garry Monk, is doing well. If he gets investment, he will do even better.”
Horsfield admits he will upset his mate, Baggies boss Darren Moore, by predicting a win for Blues.
“Big Mooro is always willing to help me out,” said Horsfield, who has his own charity – the Geoff Horsfield Foundation – and will have five houses with 30 beds for the homeless once his current project is completed.
Assistant manager Pep Clotet and striker Viv Solomon-otabor were scraping paper off walls for Horsfield this week.
Solomon-otabor said: “The players like to help with
Geoff ’s charity.
“Some were serving meals to people this week and I am happy to help get this house ready for them.”