to ace Horsfield By STEVE TINNISWOOD VETERAN striker Martin Horsfield believes the squad rotation system has come in 10 years too late!

The 38-year-old Great Harwood hitman would more than welcome the chance to rest his weary limbs from time to time.

As it is, Horsfield continues to battle on refusing to hang up his boots just yet.

He said: "I've been asked loads of times when am I going to call it a day. In fact, I remember an interview with the Lancashire Evening Telegraph about six years ago and there was talk of me packing it in back then!

"Mind you, this squad rotation system would be good for me. I just wish it was introduced 10 years ago."

Now in his sixth spell at the Showground in a career that has spanned four decades -- starting in the Darwen Amateur League in 1979 -- Horsfield has recently recovered from a serious injury.

It happened in a Veteran's League seven-a-side match down at Blackburn Rovers Indoor Centre where Horsfield was playing for the Jubilee Hotel.

He recalls: "I got tackled and both knees went. When it first happened I thought I was never going to play again.

"I have had my cruciate knee ligaments replaced and it was as bad as that."

The incident happened just weeks after Horsfield had signed for Great Harwood for the sixth time -- and he admits had it been before he moved back to the Showground he would have retired.

But he is back, and while goals are not his main proirity, his aim is to help Harwood return to winning ways and move off the foot of NWCL Division One.

"I've never really been one to keep records and I haven't got a clue how many I have scored in my career," although he still remembers the 35 goals he scored in one season for Lancaster City in the UniBond League in 1989.

"It's always nice to score goals but as long as we win I don't really mind nowadays."

Horsfield is convinced Great Harwood can pulled away from trouble.

"The quality of players is here and there are some very skilful individuals. It is just a case of getting it right collectively and becoming more confident."

Great Harwood will be playing games away from the Showground for the foreseeable future because of the foot and mouth scare -- starting with tonight's trip to Kidsgrove.

They are at 'home' on Monday when they take on Kidsgrove again in the quarter-final of the Worthington Challenge Cup at Accrington Stanley's Crown Ground.