Ex-players and managers encouraged to come together for Horndean FC memory lane club reunion

Invites are extended to all ex-players, managers or anyone with a previous association to the Five Heads Park club to attend the event which will take place after the Deans' mouthwatering Wessex League Premier Division meeting with Hamworthy on Saturday, January 22.

Horndean general manager Mick Catlin, who began his senior playing career at the club, has organised the get together after a recent upsurge in former players attending matches this season.

As a result, Catlin thought it would be nice to bring those with previous Deans connections from through the decades back together to celebrate under one roof.

And with Horndean currently jointtop of the Wessex Premier and in contention to win promotion to the Southern League come the end of the season, Catlin sees it as a possible opportunity to attract some new revenue into the club.

‘The reason for it, we’ve had a lot of ex-players coming to games recently, they’ve met up with other ex-players who they haven’t seen for a while and they’ve made it a regular thing themselves coming to the games.’ said Catlin.

‘Everyone has been saying why didn’t we organise a reunion. We were going to do it before Christmas but people were so busy and had their own things going on.

‘We thought the Hamworthy game - we’re expecting a decent gate anyway - and to promote the club a little bit and show we’re doing a lot behind the scenes to get the club up to speed.

‘If we are lucky enough to win it or finish second and get the chance to go up we’ve got to make sure we’re prepared. All these little things help with the budget and get money into the club really. I think it’ll be a good night.’

In his early days as a player, Catlin scored for Horndean in a friendly with Crystal Palace in the 1985-86 season with the Deans then managed by Dave Reid.

It was a great day for the the Deans with a fresh-faced Arsenal legend Ian Wright featuring for the Eagles along with John Solako, while Steve Coppell was the manager in the away dugout.

Catlin is hoping to see a mix of faces from that season and even earlier, through to more recent success stories such as Benny Read (Hawks) and Sam Smart (Eastleigh) who came through at Five Heads Park to come together for a night of celebration. The ex-players and managers reunion takes place in the clubhouse and starts at 7.30pm on January 22.