Moule Alf Image 5 Millwall 1925

Description

Canning Town, London born inside right Alf Moule began his football career prior the the First World War, playing for West Ham Corinthians and Catford Southend prior to the War, and after the War he played for Leytonstone in 1919, from where he was signed by Third Division (South) club Millwall in March 1920 on amateur forms, making his Football League debut at Bristol Rovers in September that year and turning professional in 1921.

Moule immediately established himself as Millwall’s regular inside right and he scored 13 goals as Millwall came third in the division in 1923-24, including hat-tricks in wins over Bournemouth and Merthyr Town in October 1923 and April 1924 respectively. The following season was Moule’s best for goalscoring, his 18 goals leaving him the club’s top goalscorer as Millwall finished fifth, and he remained their top marksman with 16 goals in 1925-26, a total which included a hat-trick at local rivals Charlton Athletic in February 1926.

However he lost his place in October 1926 and played only 4 more matches that season as Millwall recorded back to back third place finishes before joining Norwich City in the 1927 close season after 65 goals in 222 appearances for The Lions. He had a single season in East Anglia, scoring 12 goals in 35 matches for The Canaries, including a goal on his debut in a win over Crystal Palace that August, but joined Watford the following summer, where he lost his place in October and played his final 3 matches in April 1928 at right half. After 4 goals in 11 appearances for The Hornets, he joined non league Margate in 1929, his final club before his retirement.

Moule was also a good cricketer, and made his first class debut for Essex against Lancashire in 1921, although his next first class appearance didn’t come until 1923, when he became a more regular feature in the Essex team, making 15 appearances over the 1923 and 1924 seasons. In his total of 16 first class matches, he scored 317 runs at an average of 12.19, with a single half century, a high score of 64which came against the touring West Indians in 1923. Following the end of his first class career, Moule played Minor Counties Championship cricket for Devon on three separate occasions from 1931 to 1937. He subsequently coached in Cornwall, and later at Lancing College.