A
passionate and combative player who has steadily improved his goal
scoring return at Meadow Park before hitting an incredible unprecedented
rich vein of striking form in the 2003/4 season. Hosky's 37 goal haul
set a new post-war scoring season record for Gloucester City, eclipsing
venerated names like Kim Casey, Chris Townsend, Dale Watkins and current
coach Karl Bayliss. His 28 league goals earned Hosky the DML Western
golden boot but also helped catapult the City side to a well deserved
second spot and promotion into the reshaped SL Premier. His robust
target play provided the perfect foil for the lightning pace of strike
partner Jimmy Cox but Hoskins is also capable of producing that little
bit extra special moment. |
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Hosky's record is all
the more remarkable as his 2003/4 tally is more than the total he
grabbed in all of his previous three campaigns at Meadow Park and
beats his previous personal best of 33 goals scored as a brash 18
year-old playing local football for Brockworth. The prolific quantity
and consistency of his goals may be new but Hoskins is a popular
player who richly deserves the plaudits he's received this season.
Hoskins is a classic British centre forward, strong in the air and
able to hold off defenders long enough to get away a shot or play
in a team mate. His ability to win the high ball and hold onto it
makes him a vital pivot point for the faster forward players around
him. to hold off challenges while support arrives. Hoskins also
surprises many with early shots and chalks up a fair percentage
of spectacular goals, not afraid to volley from distance or try
an acrobatic effort to get on the score sheet.
His occasional touches of subtlety belie his reputation as a bruising
target man - indeed few could claim his record of 14 yellow cards
in 2003/4 as a genuine improvement in discipline. Often unfairly
penalised by referees but certainly not afraid to mix it with defenders.
Hosk has long been highly rated by local coaches, but the vocal
skeptics who doubted his ability to score goals at this level will
now be looking for hats to eat. In 2001 it was his hard work and
encouragement of the younger players around him that earned him
the respect of the fans, but once paired with Jimmy Cox in 2002
Hoskins was rewarded by regularly finding the net, something which
he has just continued doing with some glee. He also has a happy
knack of scoring bundles of goals, demonstrated with a show-stopping
second half display against Bilston in March 2002 when he scored
four in just over half an hour, and four goals again against Evesham
in 2002/3 and Bristol Manor Farm in the 2003/4 FA Cup, plus hatricks
against Gresley and Shepshed in 2003.
Hosky first played for Gloucester when assistant
manager Tim Harris brought him from Cinderford in 1997. He was rated
highly by then City boss Leroy Rosenior, but Hoskins was slightly
too raw and saw his season ended prematurely in November '97 against
Newport County with a broken left leg sustained by launching into
a characteristically psychotic challenge. He was offered a contract
on his recovery, but never got back into the first team and headed
back to The Causeway. He had seemed content to drift into local
football with Brockworth, but Burns saw him as a wasted talent and
persuaded him back to Gloucester City, a decision neither can have
regretted. Unfortunately Hosky decided to leave City in October
2004 to join former City coach Mike Cook at Cinderford, tempted
by the offer of a coaching role back at The Causeway. His sudden
departure at a crucial time was unfortunate, but it is his goal
scoring feats which will live longest in the memories of City fans.
After leaving Cinderford Hosky prolonged his playing career at Hellenic
Premier side Shortwood United, coming back to haunt City with the
second goal in a 2-0 defeat that put City out of the FA Cup in Spetember
2007.
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