Mooney Paul Image 1 Brighton & Hove Albion 1928

Description

Chapel, Lanarkshire born centre half Paul Mooney began his football career with Vernon Athletic from where he joined Scottish League club Falkirk in 1921. He moved on to East Stirlingshire in 1922, helping them win promotion to the Scottish Second Division, scoring 9 goals in 89 matches, from where he signed for Third Division (South) club Brighton & Hove Albion in July 1925, making his Football League debut against Queen’s Park Rangers that October.

Mooney came into Brighton’s team on a regular basis from the start of the next season, missing only two matches, being described as “an expert defensive player” and “well equipped physically for the pivotal position”, indeed he was reported to have scored a headed goal from near the halfway line. Brighton finished in the top six in five of his first six seasons at The Goldstone.

Mooney became somewhat of a stalwart, missing only one match in their 1930-31 campaign. During a match in December 1934 against Gillingham, he was involved in an accidental clash of heads with an opponent, Simeon Raleigh, who died the same day. He lost his regular place in March 1935, after which he only played once more early the next season, scoring 11 goals in 315 matches for The Seagulls in 10 years with the club, retiring in 1936.