‘He is loved’ – Boss hails ‘loyal’ Horsham FC hero after hitting major appearance milestone
Dominic Di Paola lauded Horsham FC’s latest milestone maker Harvey Sparks after the ‘loyal’ defender reached 350 appearances for the club at Braintree Town on Saturday.
Sparks is a player who has achieved so much in his time at the Hornets, and the clash at Braintree marked another landmark for the 30-year-old.
The full-back, who arrived from Bognor Regis Town in September 2018, has been an integral part of Horsham’s remarkable rise from the old Bostik One South East to the National League South.
While at the Hornets, Sparks – the longest serving player of the current squad – has earned two promotions, lifted the Sussex Transport Senior Cup twice, won the Velocity Trophy, and appeared in the first and second rounds of the FA Cup.
The left-back was also named Horsham’s joint-Player of the Season at the end of his first campaign with the club, before winning the award outright in 2022.
Di Paola told the County Times: “Harvey, to his credit, has come back much better this season. He looks in better shape. He looks like a much fitter, sharper version of himself.
“Last year he had a baby, and it takes it out of you, but he’s looking like the player we know he can be – but I think there’s more he can improve at this level. If he wants to, he could be a real stand-out in this league. That requires a little more from him.
“But in terms of his longevity at the club, commitment to the cause, he’s a very loyal lad. He’s been brilliant for the football club.
“It’s worked for the football club and Harv. Harv’s a loyal lad and likes to be comfortable and somewhere he’s loved – and he is loved at Horsham. The flip of that is we’ve given him a good place to play football for a long period of time.
“It’s really pleasing. Hat’s off to him for his service at the club.
“I say this to a lot of guys at the club, we lost a year-and-a-half of football because of Covid. That could have been 450 (appearances) maybe, or close to that number.
“To do that over this length of time is great. I’m hoping we’ll see the real Harvey in the league this season. It’s really good.”
The Hornets host 19th-placed Farnham Town this Saturday.
You can get Di Paola’s thoughts on Horsham’s home clash with Town tomorrow at sussexworld.co.uk/sport.