'Family orientated' Newtownabbey football club marking 75 years
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Playing out of Mossley Pavilion, the club, which was formed in 1949, has experienced highs and lows, but has survived to be one of the oldest clubs in Newtownabbey, with everyone associated with the club looking forward to marking the major milestone.
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Hide AdA special dinner is being staged to commemorate the occasion at Corr’s Corner Hotel on October 12.
The event, which starts at 7pm will feature guest speaker Liam Beckett MBE, with live music from This Way Up.
Looking ahead to the evening, Club President Tommy Kernoghan, who has been part of the club since its formation, said: “I started at Mossley when I was at school. There had been a five-a-side competition in Whiteabbey and we played against teams featuring a number of Irish League players, including from Glentoran and Cliftonville. They were impressed with us and said we should form a club.
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Hide Ad"We started in the church league and progressed up from the bottom. We were either winning leagues, or finishing second, but gaining promotion, before we made it into the Amateur League.
"We’ve had some amazing players linked with Mossley over the years, including Trevor Thompson, who played for Glentoran.
"I remember we’d a dinner to mark the club’s 50th anniversary and we had former Manchester United player and manager Wilf McGuinness there as a speaker. Trevor Thompson spoke to him during the dinner and it turned out they had played against each other. It was great to hear stories like this and I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone again at the 75th anniversary dinner, where I’m sure more nice stories will be shared.
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Hide Ad"The club’s in a healthy place, with the last couple of years being special as the first team made it to the Premier division.
"I’ve made lots of good friends through Mossley FC. I played up until I was 50 and then joined the committee. It’s a club I’ve never wanted to leave. It’s a very community orientated club. When players retired, we always tried to encourage them to stay on as coaches. It’s players like that who have shown passion for the badge, they’re always wanted around the club after they stop playing.”
Now fielding a first team and second team, the club is looking to the future, with the first’s experiencing a real purple patch over recent seasons, having progressed from division 1B to the top flight since the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Hide AdUnder the current stewardship of former Dungannon Swifts, Ards, Larne and Ballyclare Comrades player, Ronnie Burns, the first team’s enjoying life in the Premier division of the Northern Amateur Football League.
Detailing what inspired him to take the reins at the club, Ronnie explained: “I’ve been at the club for five years. My family’s had a long association with Mossley and my late dad played for them.
"I remember supporting them across the country at the age of seven or eight, going to places like Ardglass. I was seeing some brilliant players for Mossley and they were my heroes. There was great camaraderie between the players and fans and everyone would socialise after the matches back at Ballyearl.
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Hide Ad"They weren’t doing too well when I got involved and could’ve gone down to division 1C. I’d been in touch with Glen McCrum who was managing the firsts at the time and he’d said to come and watch them against Dundonald.
"It was pretty much between Mossley and Dundonald to see who was going to end up in the relegation zone. I went, fairly sure I wanted to take the job. They ended up suffering a heavy defeat, possibly 7-0 if I remember right!
"I spoke to my brother and we talked about the special place Mossley holds for us and he said I should give it a go. I contacted Glen and said I’d be his assistant before taking on the managerial post. This would give me a chance to get to know the players.
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Hide Ad"Not long after this, Glen had to take a step back and I was appointed manager.
"I remember one of my first training sessions. There were 75 players registered with the club on Comet. Some of them maybe hadn’t played for a while, but were still on the system. A total of seven players were there at the training session.
"After discussions with the committee, I knew changes had to made. It’s been a challenge, but I’ve a brilliant group of players and coaches and we’ve gone on to gain promotion to the Premier League.”
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Hide AdRonnie added: "There was no relegation during the Covid-hit season and we used the time wisely to restructure. It’s been an unbelievable period for the club, going from 1B to 1A and then the Premier division.
"This is the pinnacle for us. We’re not playing for promotions anymore. It’s all about consolidating and making Mossley an established Premier League team.
"I’m looking to the future and wanting a strong youth setup, where there’s a pathway for young players to progress to the first team. There are so many gifted footballers around the area, so it would be brilliant to give them that opportunity
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Hide Ad"There’s a real family feel about Mossley FC and it’s at the heart of the community. We’ve passionate players, who want to play for the jersey and a fantastic group of people in the background, who are contributing to the success.
"I’m looking forward to the anniversary dinner. It will be great to see all the old players and hear their memories.
"Liam Beckett will be a fantastic guest speaker. I played against Institute when he was manager and I’ve been at events where he’s been speaker. He’s a class act.”
Tickets, priced at £50, are still available for the anniversary dinner via the club’s Facebook page.