BAND MARCHES ON . . .
AS HALFORD LEAVES FOR ASHTON

Mossley have acted quickly to appoint Peter Band as the new Team Manager for the 2013/14 season following the shiock departure of Steve Halford.

Halford has accepted an offer from Ashton United to become joint manager along with goaleeper Paul Phillips following Craig Robinson's surprise resignation from the Hurst Cross club.

Peter Band (39) joined Mossley as a player in August 2011 and made 42 appearances for the Lilywhites in the 2011/12 season. Last season, as Peter winds down his playing career he made just 6 appearances and was more often than not named as an unused substitute while honing his management skills as Steve Halford's right hand man.

Peter now gets the chance to cut his teeth as a Team Manager at Mossley having previously been assistant manager to Chris Willcock at the former Woodley Sports and then to Halford at Mossley following Gareth MClelland's departure in January of last year.

As a player, Peter was late into the semi pro game having played for Cheshire amateurs Bollington Athletic for several years before joining Hyde United in 1998 at 25 years old. He started out as a striker but reverted to midfield and was often used as a centre back as well, a position he eventually featured in regularly for his later clubs.

He left a struggling Hyde team to join Altrincham and then stepped up to the Conference with Northwich Victoria. On Altrincham's promotion to the Conference he switched back to Moss Lane in the summer of 2006, making his 200th appearance for Altrincham in that season. He re-joined Hyde for his second spell at the club in 2007, quickly making his 200th appearance for them also. He joined New Mills in the summer of 2008 and then on to Woodley Sports from where he joined Mossley.

An announcement on the appointment of a new assistant manager will be made shortly.

Mossley AFC would like to place on record our thanks to Steve Halford for his efforts over the last two seasons and wish him all the very best at his new club.