Jim Wharmby’s connection with Mossley Football Club goes back to before the war, when as a young boy he supported the team, progressing onto the committee in 1952 and becoming Secretary in 1958.
During his time as secretary, along with his good friend and Club Chairman Ian Morecroft, he was instrumental in Mossley moving up from the Cheshire County League to the Northern Premier League in 1972.
After 20 plus years as Secretary, Jim remained on the committee during the glory days of the late 70’s and early 80’s before becoming, first vice-chairman and then Chairman in 1983 a position he held until 1987. At this time he received a long service award in recognition of his services to football and Mossley AFC from the Football Association, to go with a similar award he received from the Northern Premier League two years previously.
It wasn’t long after in 1990 that he was asked once again to come back on board as the club faced yet more problems.
Continuing to be ever present after this Jim was appointed Club President in the late 1990’s, a position he has held to the end.
On a personal note I would like to add—Jim’s loyalty to Mossley AFC was well known and he was a popular figure, and figurehead at Seel Park for many years. I first knew Jim when as a young lad with a growing interest in football and particularly Mossley. Jim was always very encouraging to me as I showed interest in the administrative side of football and we had many long conversations on both the team and football in general—he was extremely knowledgable in both and many other subjects also. He encouraged my involvement with Mossley and was a great source of help and inspiration when I was first compiling the Club history, especially when I discovered that he had on one occasion actually played on the wing for Mossley in an away match at Wrexham Reserves in the late 1950’s.