Horns Inn FC

🏆 CUP ACTION | INTO ROUND ONE 🏆

Cup action today as we comfortably make our way into Round One of the J&F Transport Shield with an emphatic 13-0 win. 🦌

We started strongly, with our opener coming from a corner routine that had a lot more success than any of the attempts in training. 😂 Allman finished off the routine whipping it towards the back stick and Fridge was there to meet it and put us 1-0 up.

We were on top for most of the half, with Jesters battling well to stay in the game — until one of their lads completely lost his head.

A foul was given which he clearly didn’t agree with, so apparently the solution was to give the ref a reason to actually give one. He came steaming in and launched Sanders for absolutely no reason, earning himself an early shower and leaving Jesters down to 10.

We continued to create chances but couldn’t quite make them count until another corner caused problems. Mander delivered to the back post, Tony headed it back across goal and there was Fridge again to finish in almost identical fashion.

2-0 at the break. It could’ve been more, but the football was very encouraging.

A plethora of changes at half-time did nothing to slow us down as we came flying out and quickly made it 3-0.

Jesters had battled well throughout the first half, but a man down and increasingly deflated, they simply couldn’t live with us after the break.

The goals kept coming from all over the pitch. TJ squared for Bridges to complete his hat-trick, before Bridges turned provider and won us a penalty. Banksy stepped up and calmly slotted it home for his first goal for the club. ⚽️👏

By the time the final whistle eventually put Jesters out of their misery, we’d added 11 second-half goals to turn a competitive 2-0 half-time scoreline into a 13-0 demolition.

A massive thank you to everyone at The Jesters for the hospitality🤝

Despite the scoreline, they battled well, particularly in the first half, and we wish them all the best for the rest of their season. 💚

MOTM Jake Bridges Hat trick, an assist and a clean sheet for our fridge at the back.

DOTD Sanders™️ misses sitters and tackles himself

Onto the next round. 🦌📯

🏆 J & F TRANSPORT CUP | MATCHDAY 🏆

Cup football returns this Sunday as we travel to Charnley Road to take on The Jesters in the Preliminary Round of the J & F Transport Cup. 🦌📯

After kicking off the league campaign with all three points and a clean sheet last weekend, attention now turns to the cup as we look to keep the momentum going. 💪

🆚 The Jesters FC
🏆 J & F Transport Cup – Preliminary Round
📅 Sunday 23rd August
⏰ 10:30am KO
📍 Charnley Road

A place in the next round up for grabs. 👊

🟢⚫

🟢⚫ SUNDAYS ARE BACK. ⚫🟢

A left-back in goal. A day out at the prison. An unlikely red card. And three points to start the season. Just your standard Sunday morning. 😂

With Jord stepping in as our makeshift keeper, we switched things up from our usual shape with the aim of staying solid at the back and limiting Featherstone to as few chances as possible.

And that’s exactly what we did.

A fairly uneventful first half saw chances at a premium for both sides, with the Horns staying organised and giving very little away.

One change at the break, but much of the same followed. Featherstone began to see more of the ball and grow into the game, but our back line stood firm.

Further changes and a switch back to our usual shape saw us looking to nick the game on the break.

Then came the turning point…

After disagreeing with the referee’s decision, a prison guard, no less, decided to take his frustrations out on Sanders and was given his marching orders. 🟥😂

Time to punish them.

Some brilliant work from TJ saw him brought down inside the box. Penalty. 🎯

TJ stepped up himself and calmly slotted it home.

1-0 HORNS. THREE MINUTES TO GO.

From there, we saw the game out and picked up all three points in our first game of the season. 💪

⚽ TJ (P)

🏆 MOTM: Fridge
Absolute unit at the back. Not a thing was getting past him today. 🧱

🧤 Special mention: Jord
A very good cameo between the sticks as our makeshift keeper. Left-back by trade, goalkeeper by necessity.

🍆 DOTD: .haldron
Lasted approximately 30 seconds of the warm-up before pulling up injured. A phenomenal start to the campaign. 👏😂

HORNS 1-0 FEATHERSTONE

Clean sheet. Three points. Sundays are officially back. 🦌📯

⚽️ MATCHDAY | GAMEWEEK 1

THE LEAGUE CAMPAIGN STARTS HERE. 🟢⚫️

After a long pre-season, we’re finally back to competitive action as we travel to HMP Featherstone for our first game in the SDSL Championship.

A new division and a new challenge for the lads as we look to start the season strongly.

🆚 HMP Featherstone
🏆 SDSL Championship
📅 Sunday 16th August
⏰ 10:00am
📍 HMP Featherstone

Up the Horns. 🦌

🟢🟢⚫ THE SQUAD | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

Introducing your Horns Inn FC squad for the 2026/27 SDSL Championship season. 🦌📯

Familiar faces. New additions. A few honorary Horns. And more than enough questionable characters.

After securing the league and cup double last season, we make the step up to the Championship ready for the next challenge. 🏆🏆

Over the next few slides, meet the management, leaders and lads representing the badge this season — with a little bit about what each of them brings to the Horns.

Some of it complimentary. Some of it less so… 😂

The Horns. 2026/27. Let’s have it. 🦌



🟢⚫ THE MANAGEMENT | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

📝 Manager — Shea Terry
Talents: Tactics, overthinking those tactics, sending Spond reminders nobody responds to, and managing a football team despite having the knees of a 70-year-old thanks to an ACL injury. Defo would have gone pro otherwise.....

Always thinking about how we can improve and usually has a plan A, B and C ready to go. Occasionally gets a little “passionate” when those plans aren’t quite being followed — apparently this is called getting “angry”.

💩 Manager — Alfie Price
Talents: Tactics, keeping the dressing room ticking, taming Shea when he gets “angry” and, thanks to Crohn’s, sh****ng with an efficiency that genuinely deserves its own coaching badge.

The tactical mastermind behind the decision to stick Mander up top — who then casually finished as our second-highest goalscorer last season. We’ll give him that one. He’s been dining out on it ever since.

Plenty of opinions between us, but every big decision is made together. Team selections, formations, training and tactics are all worked through as a partnership — usually with far more discussion than Sunday League probably warrants.

Plenty of tactics. Plenty of debates. One reconstructed ACL. An industrial amount of toilet roll. And a league and cup double to show for it. 🏆🏆

Now for the Championship. 🦌



🟢⚫ LEADING THE HORNS | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

#7 Joe Allman — Captain
Lightning quick with a wand of a left foot, the skipper sets the standard week in, week out. Leads from the front and will once again wear the armband this season.

#3 Jamie Haldron — Vice Captain
Is he a better footballer or scout? 👀 Whatever the answer, he massively contributes in both departments. A big character in the group who leads by example.

#8 Thomas Barrett — Vice Captain
An ever-present figure from the day we started, Baz is an integral part of the team. Versatile and quality on the ball, he can be utilised pretty much anywhere on the pitch.

Three big voices. Three experienced heads. One job — set the standards and lead by example. 💪

🦌

🟢⚫ THE GOALKEEPERS | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

🧤 #1 Jack Campbell
Our number one between the sticks. A penalty specialist, reliable when called upon and absolutely loves a camera save — if he can make a simple one look difficult, you better believe he will. 📸😂

🧤 #13 Samuel Blamire
Been with us from the very start and always ready when called upon. Knows exactly where his goal is… most of the time. When he doesn’t, the decision to stand completely still and watch one fly in can look pretty questionable. 😂

Two keepers. Safe hands. Questionable decisions. 🧤

The last line of defence for 2026/27.

🦌

🟢⚫ THE DEFENDERS | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

🧱 #4 Jake Bridges
Better known as The Fridge. An absolute unit and near enough impossible to get past once that arm comes out. If you’re an attacker and he gets goal-side of you, you may as well start jogging back.

🦸‍♂️ #5 Chad Hurcombe
All the ability you could ask for… unfortunately, the availability of a Victorian railway. 😂 When his body allows him onto the pitch, there aren’t many better on the ball.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #14 Blair Sutherland
Scottish. Lanky as f**k. And somehow those ridiculously long legs manage to get absolutely everywhere. Watching Blair stride out from the back with the ball is less defending and more watching a majestic Scottish giraffe in its natural habitat. 🦒

Different shapes. Different styles. One very difficult defence to get through. 🧱🔒

🦌

🟢⚫ THE DEFENDERS | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

🪓 #93 Jordin Pope
Absolutely loves a tackle. Most of them are perfectly timed… the occasional one gives the referee a decision to make. Never afraid to put a foot in and certainly never far away from a card. 🟨😂

🧱 #14 Harry Platt-Banks
Always ready when called upon and more often than not puts in a solid shift. Dependable, gives everything and does exactly what you want from a defender. The touch can occasionally make you question whether he’s ever seen a football before, but fortunately defending doesn’t require a first touch. 😂

No nonsense. No easy way through. Plenty of tackles. 🔒

🦌

🟢⚫ THE DEFENDERS | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

🌍 #23 Samuel Hodgkiss
One of the long-serving Horns before deciding to f**k off travelling for a year. Now he’s finally back and we’ve got a proper technician on our hands. Ridiculously comfortable on the ball and so two-footed we’re still not entirely sure which one is his stronger foot.

👨‍👩‍👧 #25 Jonathon West
Sh****ng Alfie’s sister might have helped get his foot in the door… 😂 but Westy has genuinely surprised us. Very solid, dependable and an all-round sound lad who’s been a great addition to the squad.

One came back from travelling. One came through slightly different recruitment channels. Both strengthen the back line. 🔒😂

🦌

🟢⚫ THE MIDFIELDERS | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

🎯 #6 Joe Horton
Joined us last season and we spent most of it trying to work out his best position. Turns out the problem is he’s just good pretty much everywhere. Technically quality, composed on the ball and the sort of player you can stick anywhere and trust to do a job.

🧱 #16 Sam “Wocka” Ironmonger
Solid, dependable and exactly the sort of player every squad needs. Nothing flashy, no drama — just gets on with his job and rarely lets you down. Although calling a bloke named Ironmonger “Wocka” still requires some explaining.

🧑🏻‍🦰 #18 Daniel Haldron
Jamie’s brother. More ginger? Definitely. More talented? We’ll let them argue that one out. 😂 Brings versatility, composure and quality on the ball, giving us another player who can comfortably slot into a number of positions.

Quality on the ball, versatility in abundance and apparently no fixed positions required. 🪄

🦌

🟢⚫ THE MIDFIELDERS | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

⚡ #10 Cai Richards
Been with us since he was 16 and, somehow, still looks about 16. 😂 Quality on the ball and always looking to drive us forward, Cai’s at his best when he gets it at his feet and carries us up the pitch. Still waiting for puberty, but the football ability is definitely there.

🏃 #17 Joel Sturgess
Strong. Very f**king strong. Get him on the ball and good luck getting it back off him. Carries it ridiculously well and could probably run for three games back-to-back thanks to his unhealthy obsession with Hyrox. If there’s a football equivalent of a sled push, Joel’s winning it.

Technical ability, power and enough running to make the rest of us feel unfit. 🫁😂

🦌

🟢⚫ THE MIDFIELDERS | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

💰 #67 Thomas “TJ” Hayes
AKA Mr Goal Bonus. Had the sheer cheek to ask for a goal bonus in Sunday League… only to go on and score a grand total of 7 goals. 😂 Then decided the grass was greener elsewhere, left the Horns, realised the error of his ways and came begging to come back home. An ego unlike any other, but unfortunately for us, he is actually decent at football. Plenty of quality on the ball and always capable of making something happen.

🌀 #2 Callum Sanders
The human fidget spinner. Absolutely class with the ball at his feet — unfortunately, getting those feet to the ground on time on a Sunday morning is a different story. Allergic to voting on Spond and on first-name terms with the “Sorry mate, I’m gonna be late” phone call.

His finest effort? Turning up in last night’s clothes, on zero sleep, carrying a brand-new toothbrush before proceeding to brush his teeth pitch-side like that was a perfectly normal pre-match routine. 🪥😂

Somehow, after all that, you give him a football and he’ll twist three players inside out. Preparation: 0. Dribbling: 10.

Goals, flair and plenty of ability. Punctuality, loyalty and sensible life choices sold separately. 😂

🦌

🟢⚫ THE FORWARDS | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

🗣️ #96 Charlie “Cleft” Wright
Decent with the ball, even better with his gob. Never more than five seconds away from giving the referee his completely unsolicited opinion and, somehow, has far fewer cards than he probably deserves. If talking counted as an assist, he’d p**s the league.

🎯 #9 Chris Bradley
Reliable in front of goal and our Golden Boot winner last season. Give him a chance and more often than not he’ll put it away. No gimmicks needed with this one — he just scores goals. ⚽

🎲 #99 Connor Mander
A maverick of the highest order. Will score something he has absolutely no right to score and then five minutes later miss an open goal from three yards. Finished as our second-highest scorer last season after the inspired decision to put him up top, and now possesses the confidence of Cristiano Ronaldo as a result. 😂

Goals, chaos and enough confidence to supply the entire squad. ⚽🔥

🦌

🟢⚫ THE FORWARDS | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

🗼 #11 Tony Allsopp
One of our new additions for this season. Played in goal at a very good level, so naturally we’ve decided to stick him at the complete opposite end of the pitch. 😂 A proper target man, class with both feet and knows how to use his size. Turns out all those years watching strikers from 100 yards away taught him a thing or two.

⚡ #77 Joe Shirley
Another new addition who gives us something completely different going forward. Small, wham and nippy as f**k — essentially built like someone’s created a winger and accidentally put the strength slider all the way up. Quick, versatile and with an eye for goal, he’s already looking like a very handy addition.

One used to stop them. One looks built to cause problems. Now they’re both here to score them. ⚽🔥

🦌

🟢⚫ HONORARY HORNS | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

🙄 “Oooo look at me, I play Saturdays…”

⭐ #20 Jake Thomas
A midfielder by trade, but apparently sticking JT up top activates some sort of cheat code. Seems to score a hat-trick every time we do it. Technically class, can completely change a game and always delivers when we manage to prise him away from the glamorous world of Saturday football. 😂

🎩 #22 Dyllan Hill
A proper number 10 and, unfortunately for his ego, genuinely f**king good at football. Give Dyls the ball in the right areas and he can completely change a game — beating players, creating chances and making things happen.

Two players with more than enough ability to take over a game…

Availability permitting, obviously. 🙄😂

Saturday players by choice. Horns when we need them. 🦌



🟢⚫ HONORARY HORNS | 2026/27 ⚫🟢

🤝 #24 Josh Lloyd | #44 Mason Foster | #21 Cal Hope

Three best mates. Three lads who very rarely actually grace us with their presence on a Sunday morning. 😂

They might not be regulars on the pitch these days, but they’re still very much part of the squad and part of the Horns. When called upon, they’re always happy to dust the boots off and remind us they can still do a job.

They’ve been part of the journey, part of the group and there for plenty of the memories along the way.

Once a Horn, always a Horn. 🦌

📅 AUGUST FIXTURES

The wait is almost over. A new season begins. 🟢⚫️

Two games to get us underway in August, starting with our SDSL Championship opener away to HMP Featherstone, before we turn our attention to cup action against The Jesters.

⚽ HMP Featherstone
🏆 SDSL Championship
📅 Sunday 16th August
⏰ 10:00am

⚽ The Jesters
🏆 Cup
📅 Sunday 23rd August
⏰ 11:00am

A new division. A new challenge. Time to get to work. 💪

🦌

WE DID IT! ⛰️💚

After months of planning and preparation, we’ve officially completed the National Three Peaks Challenge in memory of our skipper, Tom Johnson.

An incredible effort from everyone involved, with a special mention to the four lads who completed all three peaks in under 24 hours. An unbelievable achievement that sums up the determination, resilience and togetherness of this team. 👏

During the challenge we came across a sticker that simply read

“Sport has the power to unite.”

It couldn’t have been more fitting.

This challenge brought together teammates, friends, family and complete strangers. It reminded us that football is about far more than 90 minutes on a Sunday morning. It’s about the people you meet, the memories you create, the support you give each other, and the strength you find when everyone pulls in the same direction.

We climbed these mountains in memory of Tom, and every step was driven by the support we’ve received from everyone following our journey.

We’d also like to say a huge thank you to Hodgie, who selflessly took on the responsibility of driving us between each mountain. Spending countless hours behind the wheel so the rest of us could rest and recover was every bit as important to completing the challenge as the climbs themselves. We genuinely couldn’t have done it without you, Sam. 💚

Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who has donated, shared our posts, sent messages of support or cheered us on along the way. It has meant more than you’ll ever know.

There’s still time to donate. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us continue Tom’s legacy and supports the causes we’re raising money for.

Sport really does have the power to unite.

This week’s pre-season looks a little different as the lads swap football boots for walking boots and take on one of the biggest challenges of the summer.

Tomorrow we set off to conquer Ben Nevis, the first mountain of our Three Peaks Challenge, in memory of our friend and teammate Tom Johnson.

This is about so much more than football. Every step we take is for Tom, while raising money for the Tom Johnson Legacy Fund and supporting the club.

We’d like to thank everyone who has donated and supported us so far – it genuinely means a lot. If you’d still like to contribute, you can donate using the QR code on our previous posts.

We’ll be posting updates throughout the challenge, so keep an eye on our socials and wish the lads luck!

⛰️💚 Up The Horns.

Pre-season is officially underway, with our first game now under our belts. 💪

We’re still looking to strengthen the squad ahead of the new season and welcome a few more quality additions.

🗓️ Training: Every Thursday
🕖 Time: 7:00pm

If you’re interested in joining us, or want to come along for a session, drop us a message. We’d love to hear from you. ⚽

OPEN TRAINING SESSIONS ⚽

Horns Inn FC open training starts Tuesday 9th June.

📍 Hednesford Park
⏰ 6:30pm

New players welcome — come down, get involved and meet the lads.

Up the H***y Boys 🍻

🦌 Pre-Season Fixtures Confirmed 🦌

The countdown is officially on… 💚

A strong set of fixtures to kick off preparations ahead of the new season, with four home friendlies before we hit the road for our final test.

Every game is another chance to build fitness, sharpen up, welcome our new faces and continue building towards the campaign ahead.

We’d love to see as many of you down at the Horns supporting the lads throughout pre-season! 🍻⚽

📍 Fixtures
🏠 Greenheath Rangers – 5th July
🏠 The Chase – 12th July
🏠 AFC Vinculum – 26th July
🏠 Newhall Arms – 2nd August
🚌 Smokehouse Albion – 9th August

Who’s looking forward to getting back? 👀💚

StaffordshireFootball UTHB 🦌