1
When Bob Murphy first took charge of Mossley in January 1974 his first target was a striker. He quickly signed centre forward Tommy Aspinall from Wigan Athletic and the team’s fortunes quickly improved under Murphy’s firm leadership. However, two weeks into the 1974-75 season Murphy was contacted by former Lilywhites boss Don Wilson regarding a young striker who had been at Manchester City as a junior and who Wilson’s current club Radcliffe Borough had signed from Glossop.
Wilson stated that he considered 20 years old Moore to be too good for the Cheshire League and that Mossley could have him for a nominal £100 fee. Murphy took Wilson’s advice and promptly signed the talented forward. Moore made a scoring debut for Mossley bagging in 1-1 draw against Matlock Town in a League Cup tie. Moore’s first League goal came in a 2-2 draw against Altrincham at Seel Park on 7th September 1974.
Tommy Aspinall, Jimmy Riley, Bobby Manning and Bob Street were all tried as Moore’s strike partner but the coup de grâce came in January 1975 when centre forward Leo Skeete arrived, initially on loan, from Rochdale. The pair hit off an instant understanding. Moore missed only three games through to the end of the season and scored 38 goals playing off Skeete’s flick-on’s and lay-off’s to great effect.
The partnership was to provide the strike force for Mossley fantastic successes over the following eight years. Moore hit 33 goals in 57 appearances in 1975-76, 32 in 55 games the following season and 29 in 43 games in 1977-78.
1978-79 saw Moore break the club’s post war goalscoring record with 41 goals in Mossley’s all conquering forward line which included Skeete, ian Smitrh and Eamonn O’Keefe as the Lilywhites achieved the Northern Premier League title and Cup double.
As Mossley retained the NPL title in the 1979-80 season Moore was scored 26 in 41 games and took his place on the team-sheet when Mossley faced Dagenham at Wembley Stadium in the 1980 FA Trophy Final. Mossley finished NPL runners up the following season with Moore scoring 20 in 42 games and in 1981-82, his last for the club, he scored 14 in 32 appearances. Moore decided to retire from semi pro football in 1982 and played for a couple of years for The New Streetbridge Inn in the Gorton Sunday League where he continued to rack up the goals.
Brian Grundy replaced Murphy as manager in 1984 and tried to bring Moore back to Seel Park but he played only one game under Grundy scoring in a defeat by Buxton.
Dave Moore played a total of 399 games for Mossley and scored a club record 234 goals.
A butcher by tried Moore left football for good in the mid 1980’s.
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Born in Liverpool on 3rd August 1949.
Stylish 6' 3" centre forward Leopold Skeete began his football career with Burscough and then Ellesmere Port Town before signing as a professional with Rochdale in 1973.
He was leading scorer for Rochdale in the 1973-74 season before a change in management at Spotland saw him left out of the side and available for loan.
That loan arrangement saw Leo arrive at Seel Park in January 1975.
Leo had scored 15 goals in 40 Rochdale games.
He then scored 15 goals in 18 games for Mossley before the 74/75 season’s close and he struck up an almost instant understanding with fellow front man Dave Moore.
He was signed on a permanent basis in August 1974 and moved to live in Oldham and work for Club President Ronnie Ward’s Engineering company Weldem Ltd. In Mossley.
After scoring 20 goals in 58 appearances the following season, in 1976-77 Leo broke the Club’s post war scoring record, netting 45 goals in 60 appearances.
His partnership with Moore yielding an incredible 77 goals that season.
1977/78 saw Leo win the first of two successive Mossley ‘Player of the Year’ awards while scoring 26 goals in 57 games.
1978-79 saw ’the dusky destroyer’ lead from the front as Mossley won the Northern Premier League and Cup double in superb style, scoring 26 goals in 53 games and was team captain as Mossley retained the League title in 1979-80 and reached Wembley in the FA Trophy.
He scored 29 goals in 55 appearances that season and 19 in 42 in 1980-81.
He won representative honours with the NPL and was named in the England Semi Pro squad in 1980.
The 1982-83 season was to be his last at Mossley as he scored 7 goals in 14 games before a £3,500 move to Runcorn where he again won the NPL title.
He ended his playing career two seasons later with Altrincham.
Leo made a total of 350 appearances for Mossley scoring 174 goals.
He is second only to his former team-mate Dave Moore in Mossley’s all time scorers list.
Nowadays Leo, lives back in his native Liverpool where he is a company director and is also an Everton season ticket holder.
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3
Born on 28th January 1906. Died 1989.
Centre forward Jackie Roscoe began his career in Oldham amateur football with Werneth Athletic and signed professional forms for Mossley from Witton Albion in August 1928 scoring a hat-trick on his debut against Altrincham.
He went on to smash the club scoring record for the first time with 45 goals (including six in one game, a 6-0 win over Middlewich) in 43 appearances.
The following season Roscoe equalled his previous year’s feat with another 45 goals this time in 49 appearances and again managed six in a game (a 7-1 win over Altrincham).
The 1930-31 season was to see Roscoe at the peak of his powers for Mossley though as he crashed home a still un-bettered 58 goals in just 47 appearances and at one stage scored in 13 consecutive games (another club record).
Roscoe’s progress was being watched by neighbours Oldham Athletic though and he was to sign for them for the 1931-32 season. Six years later and after spells with Oldham (19-8), Chester (1-1), Macclesfield and Hyde United.
Roscoe returned to Mossley following the sale of top scorer Dai James to Chelsea and Roscoe scored 30 goals in 49 appearances that season before WWII intervened in football and Jackie Roscoe’s Mossley career ended.
He scored an amazing total of 176 goals in just 188 appearances for Mossley.
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4
Born in Oswaldtwistle on 6th September 1943.
Of slight build but extremely quick, prolific goalscorer Bruce Birtwistle was signed by Don Wilson after a spell as a junior with Carlisle United.
He was still a teenager when he made his first Mossley appearances late in the 1965/66 season.
Averaging a goal every other game through his time at Mossley he was surprsiningly transferred to Wigan Athletic for a £200 fee in the summer of 1973 by Wilson's successor George Sievwright.
This after finishing top scorer in Mossley's first Northern Premier league season of 1972/73. Bruce later had a spell with Macclesfield Town.
Twin brother of then Mossley team-mate Gordon Birtwistle, Bruce was noted for his lightning pace and was regularly top goalscorer in his time at Mossley.
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5
Born 14th September 1985
Mike Fish is a striker who originally joined Mossley from Stalybridge Celtic in September 2007.
He went on to become leading scorer for Mossley in the 2008/09 with 20 goals.
Fish then transferred to Curzon Ashton in the closed season of 2009 but returned to Mossley for a second spell in November 2009.
He re-joined Curzon Ashton in the closed season of 2011.
A brief spell with Stocksbridge Park Steels followed before he signed for New Mills.
He re-signed for his third spell with Mossley in the closed season of 2014 hitting a rich vein of form in the 2016/17 scoring 22 goals in 28 appearances for the Lilywhites before making a shock move to Brighouse Town in January 2017.
He then signed for Colne prior to the start of the 2017/18 season before rejoining Mossley for a fourth spell at the end of September 2017.
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Born: unknown Died in 2005.
A powerfully built centre forward and a great header of the ball who played for Mossley under the late Don Wilson between 1965 and 1972 scoring 99 goals in 247 appearances in a Lilywhites side that included the likes of Lennie Dickenson, the Birtwistle twins and Mike Batty and played in the two famous FA Cup games against Stockport County in 1969.
Kenny was a junior with Manchester United and then played for Altrincham before joining Mossley and later played for Stalybridge Celtic.
After retiring from playing became he became a referee in the Cheshire League.
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Long serving forward signed from Linotype & Machinery in 1951.
He was the leading goalscorer for three successive seasons 1954-55, 1955-56 and 1956-57.
Retired 1958. Older brother of Don Megson.
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Born in Manchester on 4th February 1919. Died 1979.
John Boothway was a rugged all action centre forward he was spotted by Mossley playing for amateur sides Rusholme and Sedgeley Park and in 1938 was invited to Seel Park for a trial by manager Robbie Bruce.
He did well and impressed making 8 appearances scoring 4 goals in the 1938-39 season. The following season was interrupted by the War but Boothway still managed to score 22 goals in just 21 appearances.
During the War Boothway had a spell with Manchester City having signed for them in July 1941 but he moved to Crewe Alexandra and scored 5 goals in 11 appearances for them at the beginning of the 1946-47 season.
He was transferred to Wrexham and in three seasons at the Racecourse Ground he netted 55 goals in 95 appearances. In February 1951 Boothway returned to Mossley and helped to lift the side off the bottom of the League with 14 goals in only 16 appearances and following Alan Fletcher's departure in May 1951 Boothway was appointed Player-Manager.
Mossley had a much improved first season under Boothway finishing 7th in the Cheshire League and winning the Ashton Challenge Cup with Boothway himself scoring the winner in the final against Ashton United. He made 45 appearances that season scoring 30 goals.
The form of the previous season wasn't maintained and Mossley finished 18th in season 1952-53 with Boothway scoring 15 goals in 31 appearances a season that also saw Boothway hang up his boots at 34 years old and concentrate on managing the team.
The 1953-54 season saw Mossley reach the last qualifying round of the FA Cup unluckily losing to Rhyl in a replay but they did win the Ashton Challenge Cup again beating Stalybridge Celtic 2-0 in the final at Hyde United's ground but League form was again poor and following another unimpressive showing in the 1954-55 season Boothway departed from Seel Park for the last time. Boothway then managed Northwich Victoria from 1955 to 1957 and then Runcorn from 1961 to 1971.
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9
Born South Elmsall 6th March 1942, Leonard Dickenson was a crafty goalscoring inside forward.
He signed professional for Sheffield Wednesday in February 1960 but didn’t make the first team at Hillsborough and moved to Oldham Athletic for a £100 fee in June 1961. He then made just 5 League appearances for Oldham before being released and stepping into no-league with Witton Albion
A season with Altrincham followed in 1962-63 where he scored 22 goals he was surprisingly released at the end of the season by then Alty manager Charlie Mitten.
From there he joined Buxton before he arrived at Don Wilson’s Mossley in January 1966. He made 19 appearances for Mossley scoring 6 goals in the 1965-66 season but started to come into his own in the season’s that followed.
He became team captain and made 44 appearances scoring 6 goals in 1966-67, 39 appearances scoring 13 goals in 1967-68, he was top scorer with 23 goals from 48 appearances in 1968-69.
Season 1969-70 was probably the pinnacle of Lennie Dickenson’s Mossley career. He led the team to runners up in the Cheshire League, Mossley’s best position for 50 years, the 1st Round proper of the FA Cup where Mossley lost unluckily in a replay to Stockport County and the Quarter Finals of the inaugural FA Trophy making 51 appearances and scoring 17 goals in that memorable season.
1970-71 saw Dickenson make 53 appearances scoring 17 goals and 1971-72 – Mossley’s last in the Cheshire League he made 51 appearances and scored just 2 goals but won the Club’s first ‘Player of the Year’ award – The Gilbert Tarr Trophy in 1972 as Mossley stepped up to the Northern Premier League.
Mossley’s first NPL season saw the departure of manager Don Wilson in November and Dickenson was extremely disappointed not to get the job and after making 30 appearances scoring 7 goals in the 1972-73 season he left Seel Park in December 1972 and returned to Altrincham.
Dickenson made a total of 338 appearances for Mossley and scored 84 goals.
At Altrincham he became team captain and inspiration to a side that would put Altrincham on the map. He had five good seasons at Moss Lane, even acting as caretaker manager along with Tommy Spratt prior to Tony Sanders’ appointment.
He made 212 appearances in his second stint at Moss lane and scored 31 goals.
Spells with Chorley and Leek Town followed and a brief spell as assistant manager at Droylsden to Alex Stepney, but Dickenson surprisingly never became a manager as many people had expected.
One remarkable fact about the fantastic footballer that was Lennie Dickenson was that he was sighted in only one eye.
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Sheffield based Ian Smith was signed by Dick Bate from Yorkshire League side Mexborough Town Athletic in September 1977 making his debut as a substitute for Dick Bate’s side in a 2-0 League Cup defeat by Lancaster on 30th September 1977.
Hampered by injury, the young striker hardly set the world on fire in his early Mossley appearances, in fact, his unorthodox appearance and a lazy eye made him a fans scapegoat in Bate’s less than successful side.
Bate was sacked at the beginning of January 1978, just prior the away game at unbeaten League leaders Boston United with trainer Bernard Keeley and captain Leo Skeete in temporary charge of the team.
Mossley weren’t given any hope of success at Boston but Smith stole the show running 3/4 the length of the pitch to score a last minute winner against all the odds.
He finished the season with 10 goals. The following season playing in a 4-2-4 formation under Bob Murphy - Smith, playing alongside Skeete, Dave Moore and Eamonn O’Keefe caused havoc in opponents defences throughout a superb season that saw Mossley win the Northern Premier League and Cup double with Smith netting 38 goals.
The following season saw more of the same as the livewire right sided striker bagged a further 31 goals as Mossley retained the NPL title and reached the final of the FA Trophy at Wembley where he scored Mossley’s goal in the unlucky final defeat.
He was then selected to play for the England Semi Pro side in a four nation tournament in Italy where he played against Italy and Scotland before being transferred to Scarborough for a £9,000 fee in the summer of 1980.
He went on to play 77 games for Scarborough, scoring 16 goals.
Smith later played for Matlock Town and Alfreton Town and was later involved in coaching in the Sheffield area.
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Born in Lanark, Scotland on 27th June 1951.
James Kelly O’Connor began his playing career in Scottish junior football with Kirkstyles before moving south and signing professional for Bury in July 1970 as a right winger.
He made 7 appearances for Bury scoring 2 goals before injury cost him his place with the club and he was released. Having been recommended to Mossley boss Don Wilson he duly signed for Mossley in August 1972 and played in Mossley’s first ever Northern Premier League game at South Liverpool.
He quickly became a fixture in the side and remained so through the next two seasons making a total of 191 appearances scoring 30 goals before being transferred to Macclesfield Town in May 1975.
Following successful spells at Macclesfield and Runcorn, O’Connor played for Droylsden and cost Mossley a three figure fee when Bob Murphy re-signed him in August 1978.
By now a central midfield player O’Connor became a key figure in the all conquering Mossley side of the late 70’s and early 80’s and remained with the club well beyond the break-up of the Wembley team.
He was overlooked when he hoped to get the manager’s job following Brian Grundy’s departure in 1984 but following Tony Steenson’s quick departure was offered his chance as Player-Manager in December 1984.
He quickly brought stability back to the club but was never going to take Mossley beyond mid-table.
The team was treading water by February 1987 and following a shock Manchester Cup defeat by Irlam Town O’Connor and his assistant Paul Webb were dismissed.
O’Connor is remembered more for his playing skills than his abilities as a manager and in two spells with Mossley he made an incredible 613 appearances (by far a Club record) scoring 77 goals.
He had later spells as a player with Horwich RMI and Buxton and ended his career with Colwyn Bay after taking over as a pub landlord in that area.
Later became a director of League of Wales Club Rhyl.
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Tony Burke was a powerful forward with great heading ability who signed from Bacup Borough by Eddie Quigley in November 1959 remaining for five years broken only by ayear out on National Service. He was Mossley's top scorer in the 1962/63 season.
He was transferred to Hyde United in 1965 and then had a spell with Witton Albion before returning to Mossley in September 1967 going on to score 14 goals in 27 appearances in the 1967/68 season.
He made only 2 appearances the following season before moving to Ashton United.
He was the elder brother of later Mossley team-mate Kevin Burke.
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Born in Rawtenstall 29th September 1966.
James McCluskie was a YTS player at Rochdale, coming on as sub in a home defeat to Bury on 21st April 1984.
It was hard for Jim, a big lad even at 17, to impress in a side playing so wretchedly but he did look to have the makings of a decent striker. He wasn't selected at all in the following season but came back in the side in 1986 when many had forgotten him to replace the injured Ian McMahon in midfield.
It wasn't really his position and morale in the side had fallen through the floor (allegedly because Vic Halom had made promises of perks which the Board couldn't sanction) but he was starting to impress by the end of the season. It was therefore a surprise when he was released in 1986.
He played in Jersey for a brief time with St Peters FC then kicked off a long, successful career in non-league football with Mossley. His first Mossley appearance was a Reserve team match against Barrow and he immediately took the bull by the horns scoring all four goals in a 4-0 win.
He made a scoring first team debut as a substitute the following week on 26th October 1987 in a 3-1 home defeat by Rhyl, a game that proved to be manager John Sainty's last game in charge at Seel Park.
McCluskie then went on to score 23 goals in just 31 appearances to finish as the club's top scorer in 1987/88 season and despite playing just over half a season won the club's Supporters Player of the Year award under the management of Keith Hicks.
Hicks departed early in the 1988/89 season to be replaced by Bryan Griffiths but McCluskie's goalscoring exploits continued unabated as he hit 32 goals in 60 League and cup appearances. He again won the Supporters Player of the Year award and played a major role as Mossley won three trophies that season. The Northern Premier League Cup (in which he scored the opening goal in a 2-1 win over Fleetwood Town at Maine Road), the Manchester Premier Cup and the Reporter Floodlit Cup when he again scored in the final. His last game for Mossley came in Griffiths last game as Mossley Manager on 2nd December 1989 when he scored both goals in a 4-2 defeat at Gateshead having scored 22 goals in 31 Mossley games that season.
Departing Directors Les Lawlor and Steve Fisher then sold McCluskie to Hyde United for a fee of £8,000, a record fee paid by Hyde, as their parting gesture to Mossley and the club controversially never saw a penny of that money.
McCluskie's scoring exploits continued at Hyde before he was sold to Witton Albion for a £10,000 fee midway through the following season after scoring 21 goals in 46 appearances for the Tigers.
He spearheaded Witton Albion's campaign to win the NPL in 1990-91. He was also part of the team that took Witton to the FA Trophy final at Wembley in 1991-92. In the space of 2 months in 1992 played for Barrow, Witton Albion and Mossley (1 game) before settling down at Accrington Stanley until being signed by Morecambe then managed by ex Mossley boss Bryan Griffiths for £2,000 in August 1993.
His goals were vital as the Shrimps won promotion to the Conference. He had a brief spell as Griffiths successor Jim Harvey's assistant between October 1995 and February 1996 before being released in July 1997. He scored 99 goals in 193 appearances for Morecambe.
He returned to Accrington in 1997 and became joint player manager alongside David Hamilton but was surprisngly sacked a few months later.
After a season as a player at Rossendale United ended by an achilles tendon rupture that finished his career and having retired from playing he moved into management full time with Rossendale United and led the now disbanded club to the North West Counties League title in the 2000/2001 season.
He resigned in November 2002 but returned as assistant manager in September 2003 and became manager for a second time in January 2004, resigning for a second time in May 2004.
It was Jim Harvey’s input which encouraged McCluskie to start "doing his badges" at Morecambe and he went through to UEFA B Level.
McCluskie later worked as chief youth scout at Preston North End.
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A Welshman by birth from Rhos near Wrexham, Tommy Jones enlisted in 1914 in World War One serving in France and was involved in the retreat from Mons gaining a medal for this engagement.
He served three years in Flanders at the rank of sergeant and having been shot returned home to the hospital which had been set up at Heaton Park, Manchester. In the 1918/19 season he was on the books of Manchester United and 1919/20 he moved to Oldham Athletic.
He joined Macclesfield part way through the 1920-21 season via brief spells with Accrington Stanley and Stockport County, partnering Collinson and Rourke playing with resourcefulness and calculated skill.
His inexhaustible energy and steady play served the team well as did his ability to move forward scoring a few goals along the way.
On leaving Macclesfield he signed for Mossley in the summer of 1922 where he remained for six seasons scoring an impressive 76 goals in 186 appearances.
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Scottish born Jock Anderson arrived in England in 1932 having played Scottish junior football for Arthurlie.
A bustling centre forward and goalscorer Jock had returned north for a spell with Greenock Morton before signing for Mossley in 1934 and scoring 47 goals in 47 games in the 1934-35 season.
It was to be the beginning of a lifelong association with the Club.
He scored 22 goals in 38 appearances the following season before being snapped up by Rotherham United (8-0) before joining Stalybridge Celtci until WWII intervened.
By now a qualified chiropodist with a practice in Mossley, Jock returned to Seel Park as trainer and physio in 1948 up to 1953.
He then had spells as trainer at Ashton United and Hyde United between 1953 and 1961 and apart from a brief spell as Altrincham Trainer in 1968 he stayed at Mossley for the remainder of his life. He was Club physio as the team appeared at Wembley in the 1980 FA Trophy Final, Jock’s proudest moment.
Following Ronnie Ward’s death in 1981 Jock was appointed Club President and remained in the role up to his death in 1991.
The main stand at Seel Park was named the James Anderson Stand in his memory.
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Born in Bradford 28th October 1959.
Bradford born of Hungarian parents, Tibor Lewis Szabo graduated through Bradford City's junior teams and made 12 first team appearances before his release in 1979, whereupon he signed for Macclesfield Town.
He began to make a name for himself as a quality forward with Macc' and was considered an excellent signing when he arrived at Bob Murphy's Mossley, along with goalkeeper Mike Sherlock, in a deal that cost Mossley a total of £2,000 in August 1980.
Both he and Sherlock took a little while to settle in the team but Mossley fans began to realise that they had a quality player when he scored a superb hat-trick in a 4-1 win at Grantham in November of that year.
Never a prolific scorer Tibor more often popped up with the vital goal and he netted 14 times that season as he proved to be an able provider for fellow strikers Leo Skeete and Dave Moore and later Phil Derbyshire and Billy Hughes.
The following season saw him score on 12 occasions and then 17 times in the 1982-83 season as he completed three seasons with a Mossley side that had finished Northern Premier League runners up in each of those successive years.
His last full season 1983-84 was a traumatic one for Mossley as five years of unparalleled success came to an end with an almighty bump but Tibor was top scorer with 15 goals and shared the 'Player of the Year' award with Jimmy O'Connor before being transferred to Gainsborough Trinity at the end of the season.
He re-signed from Gainsborough on loan the following season and scored 3 goals in 7 appearances before moving to Goole Town.
Mossley then re-signed him for a third time, from Goole in the 1985-86 season but after 2 goals in 5 appearances he moved to Morecambe and later played for Buxton.
Tibor played a toytal of 197 games for Mossley scoring 63 goals.
He has, since retirement from playing, coached at Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Leeds United, Bradford City and Halifax Town’s academies and centres of excellence and in the USA.
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Born in Glasgow on 10th December 1931, Died 29th July 2014.
Henry 'Harry' Gordon played for Glasgow Rangers as a junior, but later signed for Bury from Scottish non-league side Petershill.
He played 24 times for Bury over a seven year period, joining Buxton on leaving.
Harry then played for Runcorn before he joined his former Bury team mate Eddie Quigley's Mossley from Runcorn in the closed season of 1959 and, playing as an inside forward, scored the opening goal on his debut, a 4-0 Cheshire League victory over Wrexham Reserves at Seel Park.
Harry finished the season with 16 goals from 47 appearances playing in a forward line which included the likes of Tony Burke, Eddie Gleadall and flying winger John Willis.
The following season, 1960/61, saw Harry achieve a then post war record 34 goals in 52 appearances helping Mossley to a 4th place finish in the Cheshire County League.
The team also won the Cheshire League Cup for the first time in 40 years. He scored two goals in the final, a 6-3 victory over Tranmere Rovers at Hyde United's Ewen Fields ground and also played as Mossley beat Ashton United 4-0 to win the Manchester FA Intermediate Cup.
Harry's strike partners that season were former Irish International Billy Hughes and Alec Gaskell. Harry's third and final full Mossley season - 1961/62, saw him score 9 goals in 43 appearances with Billy Hughes and hot-shot Harvey McCreadie grabbing most of the goalscoring headlines as Mossley finished 8th in the Cheshire League with Harry playing a deeper role as a wing half.
Harry played just 16 games of the 1962/63 season as his departure from Seel Park coincided with the departure of manager Eddie Quigley in November 1962 and he then rejoined Buxton where he played until his retirement from football.
Away from football Harry worked for many years in his home town for Bury Council
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Born on 26th December 1987.
Andy Keogh is a strong and skilful versatile midfielder, defender or forward who was re-signed for his third spell with Mossley in February 2018 having returned from a twelve month spell with Trafford.
He was appointed caretaker manager following Dave Wild's departure in February 2020.
Andy began his playing career as a youth teamer at Altrincham. He then played for Manchester League side Wythenshawe Town and then Flixton before joining Winsford United in 2012 and Mossley in August 2013, departing for Nantwich Town in December 2013 after scoring 9 goals in 29 Mossley appearances. He returned to Mossley in August 2014 and made a further 95 appearances for Mossley scoring another 17 goals before transferring to Trafford in February 2017.
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Born in.Stoke-on-Trent 1907,Died: 1969.
James Cecil Henshall joined Port Vale in May 1928 Harrisealand FC and made his debut on 20 December 1930, in a 3–2 win over Millwall at The Old Recreation Ground.
After being a regular for the remainder of the season, scoring twice in 18 Second Division games, he fell out of favour. He scored four goals in 16 games in 1931–32, including one in a 9–3 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.
He featured just five times in 1932–33, and was transferred to Crewe Alexandra in January 1933. He later moved on to Stockport County, also in the Third Division North. Henshall managed 19 league appearances for Alexandra but was not picked for County before his departure to Ashton National.
He then had a spell in Ireland playing for Shelborne before signing for Mossley in 1933.
He went on to score an impressive 56 goals in 174 appearances for Mossley from the right wing and later played for Dinnington Athletic.
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Born in Bury on 13 July 1921. Died 18th April 1997.
Edward Quigley joined his home town club as a full-back in 1941, but through necessity was converted to an attacker. Although on his debut as a centre-forward he scored five goals, his best position turned out to be inside-forward, where he was able to control the attack, lying deep and having the ability to split defences with inch perfect long passes.
1947 he joined Sheffield Wednesday for £12,000 and he scored 50 goals in 76 League appearances.
In December 1949, Preston North End paid a British record transfer fee of £26,500 for him. Quigley found goal-scoring at North End more difficult, but while at Preston he won a Second Division championship medal and represented England 'B' twice against Holland and Italy.
He was transferred to Blackburn Rovers who paid £20,000 for his services. In his five years at Ewood Park, he netted a remarkable 92 goals in only 159 appearances.
As Quigley was now 35, it was a surprise when he was placed on the transfer list at £2,500. After the Football League reduced the fee to £l,000, he re-signed for Bury in 1956 where he only made ten League appearances before retiring from League football at the end of the 1956-57 season with a Football League career record of 180 goals from 337 appearances.
He joined Mossley as Player-Manager in the summer of 1957. It was Quigley’s first attempt at football management and his first season couldn’t really have been worse. Mossley finished bottom of the Cheshire League winning only seven out of 42 games. Quigley himself scored 10 goals in 44 games.
The following season 1958-59 saw Mossley climb to 15th position and Quigley netted 19 goals in 42 appearances and the side also reached the final of the Manchester Intermediate Cup. Quigley scored twice but Ashton United netted six and Mossley lost.
The 1959-60 season saw Quigley’s side climb to 8th place and the now veteran inside forward netted 10 goals in 41 appearances.
Season 1960-61 saw Mossley’s best performance since the War, finishing 4th in the Cheshire League and winning the League Cup beating a strong Tranmere Reserve side 6-3 in the final at Hyde United’s ground. Quigley scored 9 goals in 29 appearances.
Quigley’s last season at Seel Park came the following term as Mossley finished in 8th place and won the old Ashton Challenge Cup for the last time beating Ashton United 5-1 on aggregate in the final. Quigley made 31 appearances scoring seven goals and retired from playing age 41.
Quigley then returned to Bury yet again, as youth team coach, demonstrating his talents by unearthing, amongst others, Colin Bell and Alec Lindsay.
He was later manager of Stockport County and Blackburn Rovers.
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Highly rated centre forward and prolific goal scorer signed from Stalybridge Celtic in August 1948.
He scored 54 goals in 78 Mossley appearances finishing as Mossley's leading scorer in the 1948/49 and 1949/50 seasons.
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Experienced and prolific striker signed from Salford City.
Previously with Bamber Bridge, Hyde United (104-61), Northwich Victoria and Droylsden. Mossley's top scorer in the 2002/03 season with 35 goals.
Transferred to Radcliffe Borough.
Later with Flixton.
Carroll won representative honours with the British Fire Brigade team.
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Born in Warrington on 11th April 1983,
Christopher Downey was a former Bolton Wanderers (2-0) young player of the year signed by Jason Beckford after spells with Leigh RMI, Altrincham and Trafford.
Scored a hat-trick on his home debut for Mossley and was top scorer in 2004/05 with 25 goals and 2005/06 with 21.
Transferred to Radcliffe Borough in August 2006.
Later with Flixton and AFC Fylde.
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When Benny Phillips became Mossley manager in 1997 one of his main signing targets was lanky midfield player Peter 'Pedro' Brennan.
Brennan, a former Radcliffe Borough and Congleton Town player was signed from Mid Cheshire League side Grove United making his Mossley debut on the opening day of the 1997/98 season.
6' 3" and of slim build, Pedro was a natural athlete and was very much a box to box player.
What he lacked in natural skill he made up for in bucketloads by an extremely high work-rate, often seen heading clear in defence only to appear at the other end as Mossley attacked on the break.
He was voted by the Mossley fans as 'Player of the Year' in the Millennium season of 1999/2000 and the following season was the club’s top scorer with 20 goals.
Benny Phillips departed as manager in October 2001 and Pedro's last Mossley appearance was on 19th January 2002 in a 5-1 win over Atherton Collieries under Ally Pickering’s management.
Pedro made a total of 209 appearances for Mossley, scoring 51 goals.
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Very popular and influential former Manchester City starlet inside forward signed from Oswestry Town became a massive fans favourite in Don Wilson's exciting side of the late 1960's..
Lost a year out of his career with Mossley due to a fractured skull incurred in a match against Ashton United at Hurst Cross in 1971.
Transferred to Buxton in September 1971 after scoring 51 goals in 127 Mossley appearances.
Later wiuth Stalybridge Celtic and Macclesfield Town before he emigrated to the USA in 1980.
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26
Born in Manchester on 13th October 1953.
Eamonn O’Keefe played as a teeneger for Stalybridge Celtic before a spell with Plymouth Argyle.
He didn’t make the Plymouth side but went instead to play for top Saudi Arabian Club Al Hilal returning to Manchester disillusioned and signing for Mossley in December 1976 under Howard Wilkinson as a left full back.
Upon Bob Murphy’s return to Seel Park as manager a year later O’Keefe was moved to an attacking midfield position and it was one he relished.
His pace, power and eye for goal saw him help Mossley to the Northern Premier League & Cup double in 1978-79 and a place in the England Semi Pro side.
He played against Scotland and Holland in the May 1979 tournament scoring the winning goal against Holland in the final.
O’Keefe was then snapped up by Gordon Lee at Everton for a £25,000 fee (money that paid for the erection of the Park End stand at Seel Park) and he went on to make 40 appearances for Everton scoring 6 goals.
He was capped by the Republic of Ireland (thanks to his fathers origin) on 5 occasions and made a further 4 appearances as an over-age player in the under 21 side.
He was then transferred to Wigan Athletic for a £60,000 fee and had later spells with Port Vale, Blackpool, St. Patrick’s Athletic (Ireland) and Chester City and a brief spell as a manager in Ireland with Cork City.
Eamonn O’Keefe made a total of 113 appearances for Mossley scoring 50 goals.
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