Bulldozers will not erase the memories

The Queen Street arena was bought three years ago by Sunley Homes and sooner, rather than later, the town club must re-locate.

The move is sure to be a nostalgic occasion not least for Tinker Browning, who is 90 in May, and his son Micky who, in the best traditions of father like son, led Horsham's attack with spirit and some style in their respective generations.

Micky's association with the club has been an on-off on-off affair going back years. But whenever they parted company there was always a reconciliation. It is only a matter of time before they kiss and make up again.

Just recently Micky left as director of football but that is not to say he will not be a touch misty eyed when the bulldozers finally obliterate the pitch where he scored so many goals.

Goals were always the name of the game in Micky's era and he cannot remember a scoreless draw on the ground when he was playing. Another statistic, and much to his credit, is never having been sent off or booked.

"Queen Street holds tremendous memories for me and indeed it does for the people of Horsham. But nothing stays for ever and I am not one to resist progress. On the contrary, the club must go forward," he said while leafing through yellowing cuttings of a distinguished amateur career.

"Times have changed in all walks of life and not just football and the days when a couple of thousand spectators would queue up to see Horsham have gone. There comes a time when a building outlasts its usefulness. The main stand, which is entirely constructed of wood, was built in 1928.

"But there was so much camaraderie when I first got into the team at just under 16. There weren't other interests for people. There wasn't a television in every house in the Fifties and a big game, like playing Worthing on Boxing Day, would see a couple of thousand flooding to the ground and the entire town was behind the team."

Micky was born less than 500 yards from the ground and before a game half a dozen players would congregate at the Browning house where mum would stack up the cups of tea. Now 61, Micky and his wife Pat live the other side of town and have never expressed a wish to leave Horsham. Assuredlly, Micky is Horsham's most famous footballing son as he was twice capped for England in 1964.

To attract the selectors' attention Micky had to change clubs for Horsham were not considered to operate in a high enough league.

So Micky signed for Tooting and Mitcham who were reckoned to be among the top half dozen clubs in the country at the time. Micky was then 23 with a lot of experience having joined Reading as an amateur aged 17. Then Tottenham were interested and Micky has retained a letter from manager Bill Nicholson pointing out the advantages that would accrue should he play for Spurs as an amateur.

Manchester City and Nottingham Forest also noted Browning who preferred to stay closer to home. But, after half a season at Elm Park, he picked up a leg injury that prompted him to revise thoughts about a professional career.

As a Collyers schoolboy ("although I was a dunce"), Micky was not likely to be short of openings when going out into the wide world. He was a couple of months short of his 16th birthday when making Horsham's first team. John Elphick, the centre forward in residence, welcomed the youngster and offered helpful advice. Micky soon realised he had been admitted to a close-knit club on following in the studmarks of his dad.

At Collyers, Micky played for Sussex Grammar schools which delighted Tinker no end. "Dad was a very good player and even at the age of 27 was wanted by Chelsea. He was very good in the air. I could never head a ball like him. When I was in the Horsham team it was nothing for people to stop me in the street and say 'You aren't as good as your dad'."

Tinker managed Horsham YMCA when Micky made his debut for them in senior football aged 14. At Collyers he was best all round sportsman in every year and, on leaving, worked in the accounts office for British Rail. Shortly he acquired a distinction unlikely to be beaten; the award of his youth and senior county colours in the same week.

"None of what I achieved could have been possible without the support and encouragement of my parents and particularly, dad," added Micky. Mum Norah, 85, is still in good health and all the family live in Horsham.

And what more natural than for Micky to marry Pat, a local girl who watched Horsham before Micky took Queen Street by storm. This year they celebrate their ruby wedding.

"Before I moved to Tooting I was scoring 60 or 70 goals a season but between 25 and 30 was all I could muster in better class football. Ian Wigham, whom I knew as a Sussex player, got me to Tooting and I was there two and a half years when I got my England caps.The first was against Scotland at Crystal Palace and I scored the only goal in the last minute. In the match with New Zealand, which England won 4-1, I scored again and then I was dropped."

Two months earlier Micky was selected for an England Olympic XI to play Aston Villa but remained on the bench. However, the England call came when Tommy Lawrence was injured and Micky became only the third Sussex player since the war to be capped for his country behind Eastbourne United's Eric Beardsley, then a Hendon player, and Scottie Goodwin, the Bognor and Navy right winger.

While at Tooting, Micky was invited by Surrey to play against Sussex. While Wigham opted to turn out for Surrey, Micky declined. "I'd never desert Sussex," he said.

And so in the line-up at Kingston he faced his pal Wigham. "We beat Surrey 2-1 and I scored in the last minute and Ian came over at the finish, shook my hand and grinned 'you rotten b*****d. I still see him twice a year."