Brian Horton

Hednesford Town

Born in Hednesford, Staffordshire, Horton's father, Richard, was a coal miner at the North Staffordshire Coalfield and his mother, Irene, worked as a cook at Cannock Grammar School. He started his career as a member of Walsall's youth team at the age of 15. He played regularly in the West Midlands (Regional) League, though was released after two years without having appeared for the first-team, and joined hometown club Hednesford Town in the West Midlands (Regional) League after being signed by player-manager Dick Neal. During his time at the club he worked in the building trade in the Walsall area. He became known as Nobby to fans, a nickname that stuck with him throughout his career, after a supporter stated that Horton played like Nobby Stiles. He won the Staffordshire Senior Cup in his final appearance for the club, a victory over Kidderminster Harriers.

Port Vale

Horton returned to the Football League at the age of 21 when he signed for newly-promoted Third Division club Port Vale in July 1970. It was reported that his transfer fee was a pint of shandy, as Vale were struggling financially and simply haggled with the Hednesford Town chairman by plying him with alcohol, therefore his transfer fee was 'a pint of shandy'. Port Vale agreed to play a pre-season friendly with Hednesford and allowed them to keep all the gate receipt money from the match. Horton had been earning £7-a-week at Hednesford, rising to £20 with win bonuses,…

Hull City

Horton became player-manager of Hull City in July 1984 and led his side to promotion to the Second Division at the end of the 1984–85 season. He quickly built up a reputation as a "strong-minded, tactically-aware coach." Due to the League Cup draw, three of his first four games as manager were against Lincoln City, and his very first game in charge was a 0–0 draw at Sincil Bank. In November, his team came from 4–1 down to beat Leyton Orient 5–4 after he instructed assistant manager Chris Chilton to "get some verbals going" at half-time. He signed former Luton Town teammate Frankie Bunn as a replacement for top-scorer Billy Whitehurst, who he sold to Newcastle United for £232,000. Hull went on a 14-match unbeaten run in all competitions during the middle of the 1984–85 season, followed by a run of 12 wins in 15 league matches in March and April that secured promotion with two games remaining. Horton dropped himself from the Hull side in February 1985 as the club's promotion challenge gathered momentum. After promotion was secured, Horton was offered a place on the board of directors. The club had an excellent youth policy, which saw talent such as Andy Payton and Leigh Jenkinson develop, though Nick Barmby was such a prodigious talent that he was signed to Tottenham Hotspur at the age of 16. Horton also brought in defender Richard Jobson from Watford for £40,000 and Garry Parker from former club Luton for £72,000. He attempted to sign Mark Bright from…

Playing statistics

Managerial statistics

He married Denise, a computer programmer, in the 1970s. They had twins: Matthew and Lucy. He married his second wife, Val, in October 2002. Before meeting Val he had released her son, Simon McMain, from the Manchester City youth team. Horton was diagnosed with prostate cancer and publicly revealed the news in October 2023 after being persuaded to do so by Mick Harford.