Fraser Horsfall eyes promotion heartache for Northampton – a year after his own
FRASER Horsfall hopes Northampton fans have the same last day woe they and he endured 12 months ago.
The defender scored as the Cobblers did their bit to secure promotion from League Two by beating Barrow.
But they were thrown out of the top three as Bristol Rovers overcame goal difference by battering Scunthorpe 7-0 – they flopped in the play-offs.
Now defender Horsfall hopes for a repeat with County gatecrashing the automatic places by beating already relegated Hartlepool while their rivals fail to win at Tranmere.
“I’d never gone through something like that in my career, I don’t think I ever will again,” said Horsfall.
“You think you’re promoted until the 85th minute, only for someone to shout, ‘Bristol have scored seven, you need another goal!’
“I remember there being 15-20 minutes left and thinking we’re up then my heart sinking when I heard that shout. It wasn’t a good feeling.
“Honestly, you couldn’t write it – especially with Northampton – but I’m hoping it’s a bit smoother today.
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“With the start we had and the way they were going, I thought they’d sail away with it but after the first 10 games, we’ve been really good.
“I’m a Stockport player now and feel like we deserve it. We just need to win to give ourselves a chance, we can’t control anything else.”
In the wake of Northampton’s flop, Horsfall moved back north to link up with EFL new boys Stockport – with many hints as to why.
Striker Sam Hoskins wrote: “All th£ bЄ$t mate.” Defender Aaron McGowan put: “All the Be$t”. Midfielder Mitchell Pinnock posted: “My $kipp£r.”
But appearances can be deceiving.
Horsfall added: “They were having a bit of a joke and they got taken out of turn.
“They’re my friends and it didn’t get to me, I knew they were joking and they meant no harm.
“And moving home, to Huddersfield, was a big thing. When I was at Northampton, I was away from my family.”
Horsfall has already seen what winning promotion at Edgeley Park is like – when Stockport beat Halifax to clinch the National League, he was in the away end watching pal Jack Senior.
But promotion would only put County back towards the pedestal they belong.
After dropping to National League North and going part-time, training at a local secondary school, Mark Stott transformed them after taking over.
Off the field, things are of Championship standard. Now to get one level from it on the field.
If it happens, the nearby Prince Albert pub may be the scene of celebrations, just like it was when an 11-year EFL exile ended.
“Everything’s there for us to get promoted and go again to the Championship – everything’s set for the club to go one way, that’s up,” Horsfall told SunSport.
“Once you play for Stockport, in front of more than 10,000 people, you get the feeling of, ‘This is a proper club.’
“I was in Halifax’s end last year, so I saw the crowd near the pitch at the end. All I did was look at my mate to see if he’d get off OK when fans ran on!
“And there’s a great opportunity for us – if its not automatic, I fancy us in the play-offs.”