Horsham FC trio are the ‘greatest players in the club’s history’, says boss
Harvey Sparks, Jack Brivio, and Lee Harding are the ‘three greatest players’ in the history of Horsham FC.
That’s the view of manager Dominic Di Paola, who heaped praise on the long-standing Hornets stars after Sparks made his 300th club appearance in Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Salisbury.
The trio have been an integral part of Horsham’s remarkable seven-year rise from the old Bostik One South East to the National League South.
While at the Hornets, Sparks, Brivio, and Harding have earned two promotions, lifted the Sussex Senior Cup twice, won the Velocity Trophy, and appeared in the first and second rounds of the FA Cup.
Di Paola said: “I think Harv, Brivs, and Lee, in my personal opinion, are the three best players ever to play for Horsham in their history – for their longevity, for what they’ve won, and what they’ve achieved.
“I know there will be supporters from the 40s or 50s who might say there have been better players – but, in my personal opinion, what they’ve done for the football club makes them the three greatest players in the club’s history.
“These ones who’ve been here a long time, going up through three divisions with us, they’re heroes. The further into the future we go, the more credit they will receive.
“Our supporters will look back on them in 15, 20 years and say they are our best players ever. They deserve that level of credit.”
Sparks has cemented himself as a firm fan favourite since arriving from Bognor Regis Town in September 2018.
The left-back was 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.
And Di Paola had nothing but praise for the Hornets’ latest milestone maker, calling Sparks a ‘dream to manage’.
He said: “He’s a fantastic lad. He’s a really good guy for the group.
“He’s quiet but he’s really funny. He’s a good part of the changing room. He gives it a bit of balance compared to the louder boys.
“Harvey is just an unsung hero. Unfortunately when you’re a full-back, I think it was Gary Neville who said no one ever dreams of being Gary Neville when they’re a kid – but it’s true!
“He’s a vital part of how we play, and when he’s fit and firing he makes us a better team. Apart from the Worthing game, which was his first game, he’s played really, really well. The more he plays in this league, the more confident he will get and the better he will be.
“Harvey is just a dream to manage. Sometimes I have to speak to him on the pitch, but it is very minimal. It’s my idea of heaven when I have boys who do what I need them to do without a lot of pushing. That’s all I ever want!
“He should be really proud of himself. To get to 300 games for one club in modern football is amazing, and to do it when you’re going up divisions and testing yourself is even better.”
Horsham travel to 12th-placed Maidstone United in the National League South tomorrow – and Di Paola has no fresh injury worries going into the Hornets’ trip to Kent.