Personal information:

Club history:

Club	Years
Wycombe Wanderers FC	Youth
Stevenage FC	Youth
Wycombe Wanderers FC	Youth – 2015
Hendon FC	2013 (on loan)
Harrow Borough FC	2014 (on loan)
Hitchin Town FC	2014 – 2015 (on loan)
Hitchin Town FC	2015 – 2016
Eastbourne Borough FC	2016 – 2017
Hastings United FC	2017 – 2019
Hitchin Town FC	2019 – 2024
Slough Town FC	2024 – 2025
Berkhamsted FC	2025 –

Interview:

Introduce yourself…

I’m Charlie Horlock. I’m 30 years old currently living in High Wycombe and working as a PE teacher.

How do you mentally and physically prepare for big matches?

If anyone knows me will know I’m meticulous in my preparation. I believe consistent approach = consistent performance.
I’m a huge advocate for the mental side of the game and have worked with sport psychologists in the past. Physically, during the season, I prioritise recovery to help maintain intensity when playing.
If playing games Saturday to Saturday. 
Monday:
•  Gym working on power cleans as not too taxing, mobility / Pilates
Tuesday:
•  Training
Wednesday:
•  Yoga
Thursday:
•  Drink 2.5 litres of water
•  Watch opposition and penalty research
•  Training
•  8 hours sleep
Friday:
•  Drink 2.5 litres of water
•  Last bits on opposition. What’s the ground like? Pitch? Crowds? Weather?
•  Pack bag
•  8 hours sleep
Saturday:
•  Drink 2.5 litres of water
•  9am = 1 Banana
•  12pm = Scrambled egg on toast
•  1pm = 1 Banana
•  1:30 = Mental prep tuning into the game
Sunday:
•  Rest and Recovery

Consistent Approach = Consistent Performance.

You spent your developmental years at Wycombe Wanderers FC. Can you describe what the youth setup was like there and how it influenced your foundational skills as a goalkeeper?

I joined Wycombe at 15yo and the academy as a whole was by far the most nurturing academy that I’d ever been to! Led by Richard Dobson as the head of academy, he was really leading the way on how to develop players in a different way. Tapping into the psychological side of the game which was rear at that time. I was blessed to have 2 outstanding goalkeeper coaches in Martin Brennan and Stuart Owens. Both took me under their wing and were so clear in the route to transition from academy football into men’s football via the loan system.
As a whole, the academy was well ahead of its time with what they were doing with their players. It’s just a shame the whole academy shut down at the end of my first years as a scholar due to financial issues.

Your first senior loan spell came in 2013 at Hendon FC. What do you remember most about that transition from academy football to the senior men’s game?

I remember loads from my 10 games there but if I’m honest, I was very inconsistent. I was told I was going there to ‘make mistakes’… it’s a cliche thing to say. I understand what they were saying in terms of I needed to learn from them but looking back, I wouldn’t say it like that to a young keeper going on loan.

I’d personally tell a young keeper that ‘you’re going there to build trust with the manager and show you’re comfortable at the level so we can look to move you higher’.
I played my first match against Maidstone at home losing 5-2. I think that game summed my time up there doing well at times but shipping loads of goals and other teams capitalised on a young pup in the opposition net.