Eric Halliday – Moyola Park FC Team Manager
Eric Halliday had wide experience in his playing days with Albert Foundry, Bangor, Linfield and Banbridge Town. He rates as his greatest playing achievement being on a Northern Amateur League and Border Cup winning side in the same season with Albert Foundry. Since entering the management game Eric has seen service with Comber Rec., Shorts, Harland and Wolff Welders, RUC, Chimney Corner, Ards Rangers and Killyleagh YC before coming to Moyola Park. He won the Steele and Sons Cup with RUC, the Northern Amateur League title and Border Cup with Killyleagh YC, the Northern Amateur League title with Ards Rangers and he has also managed the Northern Amateur League to victory in the annual Britton Rose Bowl game with the Scottish Amateur Football Association in Scotland. Eric was also assistant manager to Alan Campbell at Bangor. His last job in football, prior to joining Moyola Park in May 2001, was as Chief Scout for Roy Coyle at Glentoran, a position which speaks volumes for his renown in local football as a talent spotter. He says his ambition is to bring both the Irish Football League Second Division title and the IFA Intermediate Cup to Moyola Park. Eric is a Manchester United supporter.
Trevor McNicholl – Goalkeeping Coach
Trevor McNicholl is a lifelong supporter of Tottenham Hotspur. He won two Irish Junior Cup medals with Moyola Park in the 1972/73 and 1973/74 seasons, that he regards as being the highlight of his playing career. Trevor also played for Omagh Town, Ballyclare Comrades, Linfield and Derry City. He has a lot of valuable experience in football to pass on to all players and especially goalkeepers.
Colin Gourley – Team Physio
Colin Gourley has been physio with Moyola Park for four seasons. Recently married to Denise, he is manager of the Magherafelt branch of Video City. Colin has a number of First Aid qualifications that have proved to be useful in his role with Moyola Park. Colin is a Liverpool fan.
Brian Hutchinson – Goalkeeper
Brian Hutchinson (22/09/62) has had a long career between the sticks including a previous spell at Moyola Park a few seasons ago when he gained Junior International recognition, being the first Moyola Park player to do so. Last season Brian played in a very successful Armagh City side that finished in fourth place in the Irish Football League First Division before returning to Moyola Park in August 2001. ‘Hutchy’ has also had senior experience at Cliftonville, Ballymena United and Crusaders. During a spell at Dungannon Swifts prior to his first spell with Moyola Park he won an IFA Intermediate Cup medal and Junior International recognition.
Mark Morgan – Goalkeeper
Mark Morgan (27/10/80) signed for Moyola Park from Larne in October 2001. Mark played for FC Enkalon against Moyola Park in the Irish Cup in 1999. On the winning side on that occasion he went on to play against Linfield at Windsor Park in the next round. Mark came to Moyola Park following an injury to Brian Hutchinson and his excellent goalkeeping displays have been an influential part of the club’s successiful first half of season 2001/2002.
Alfie Stewart – Defender & Assistant Team Manager
‘Alfie’ Stewart (16/10/64) is a textile worker with a vast experience in the game of football. He starred for Glentoran, Portadown and Coleraine in over eighteen years of senior football, before returning to Moyola Park in September 2000. He rates his greatest football achievement as having won his first League Championship medal with Portadown in 1989/1990. He also won five Irish Cup medals, four with Glentoran and one at Portadown.A lifelong Liverpool fan, ‘Alfie’ hopes to win an Irish Football League Division Two medal with Moyola Park, a club that he first played for some twenty seasons ago.
Haydn Leacock – Defender
Hayden Leacock (30/06/74) works as a butcher. He joined Moyola Park in July 1999 from Tobermore United. Hayden also had a spell with Linfield. Hayden rates his winning of three medals with Moyola Park last season as the highlight of his career to date and he hopes to improve upon that haul in the current campaign. He clinched last season’s Moyola Park Player of the Year award and the Players’ Player of the award despite some stiff opposition. Hayden is yet another Liverpool fan.
James Storey – Defender
James Storey (16/05/81) is from Portglenone. He has played for his hometown club and also with Ballymena United. During season 2000/2001 he had a trial with Portadown. James was a double medal winner with Moyola Park during 2000, as a member of the Smirnoff Cup and Craig Memorial Cup winning squads. He works as a refrigeration engineer and is Manchester United supporter. His ambition is to play in the Irish Premier Football League.
Seamus Quinn – Defender
Seamus Quinn (09/07/65) is a self-employed wholesale bread distributor from Magherafelt. Yet another (!) Liverpool fan, Seamus has experience with a number of clubs including spells at Ballyclare Comrades, Carrick Rangers, Draperstown Celtic and Magherafelt Sky Blues. He rates his greatest achievement in football to date as having captained Moyola Park to victory twice during 2000, in the Smirnoff Cup on Easter Saturday and the Craig Memorial Cup on Boxing Day. He is hoping to play in a Moyola Park side that wins the Irish Football League Second Division and the IFA Intermediate Cup.
Ollie Mullan – Defender
Ollie Mullan (10/10/75) is a leisure centre attendant from Coleraine. He joined Moyola Park two seasons ago and was a member of the successful Smirnoff Cup and Craig Memorial winning teams during 2000. Ollie sustained a serious leg break in a league game at Castledawson against Coagh United on 17th March 2001 that has kept him out of football since. He hopes to get back to exercising the leg during September 2001, but it could be quite some time before he is fit enough to challenge for a position in the team.
David King – Defender
David King (04/04/67), a joiner by trade, hails from Limavady, where he played for his hometown club, Limavady United for a number of seasons. He gained many honours there before joining Moyola Park in January 2000. David was a member of the Smirnoff Cup winning side on Easter Saturday 2000, but injury prevented him being on the Craig Memorial Cup winning team on Boxing Day of the same year. A number of niggling injuries have kept David out of consideration for team selection on various occasions during his time with Moyola Park.
Adrian McLaughlin – Defender
Adrian McLaughlin (09/08/75) is a hospital administrator from Magilligan. He has played previously with both Limavady United and Ballymoney United. He rates his greatest football achievement to date as having won a North West Senior Cup medal with Limavady United. He also has five other North West medals won at different levels and finds himself as a Manchester United supporter in a minority within the squad.
Ciaran Mallon – Midfielder
Ciaran Mallon is a joiner from Magherafelt and a Liverpool fan. He won his distinctive ‘Opera’ car last year. Ciarann played last season with Tobermore United, but prior to that he played at Coleraine before injury kept him out of the game for some time. He rates his greatest football achievement to date as playing in the same Coleraine team as Steve Lomas, as for ambitions he hopes to keep playing football for as long as possible, preferably in a trophy winning side.
Noel Cardwell – Midfielder
Noel Cardwell (29/07/77) joined Moyola Park in August 2001 from Coleraine. He has also played for Donegal Celtic where he won numerous medals including four in season 1998/1999. His ambition is to play at the highest level and to help win trophies. Noel is yet another Liverpool fan.
Neil Murdock – Midfielder
Neil Murdock (25/03/77) is a postman from Antrim, where he has played with local side Enkalon FC, and won a Second Division medal in the Ballymena Saturday Morning League. He supports Manchester United and hopes to win an Irish Football League Division Two winners’ medal with Moyola Park.
Jack Canavan – Midfielder
Jack Canavan (20/07/78) from Cookstown left his home down club, where he was last season’s leading goal scorer, to join Moyola Park in July 2001. He works for Unipork and is a Manchester United fan. Jack had a trial with Aston Villa as a fifteen year old, which he rates as his greatest achievement in football to date. His ambition is to continue to play at as high a level as possible for as long as possible.
Ciaran Duffin – Midfielder
Ciaran Duffin (10/11/80) had a one-year apprenticeship at White Hart Lane before deciding to come back home and finish his education. During the year he scored a goal in an under18 fixture against Arsenal that he considers to be his greatest achievement to date in football. Ciaran’s ambition is to play at Irish Premier Football League level. As well as Tottenham Hotspur, Ciaran has had spells with Coleraine and Ballyclare Comrades, from where he returned to Moyola Park in July 2001, having been a member of Kenny Shiels’ squad for a short spell during the 2000/2001 season. Ciaran, who hails from Toomebridge, is a student at University of Ulster, Jordanstown, and is, naturally enough, a Tottenham Hotspur supporter
Brian Martin
Brian Martin returned to Moyola Park recently after a spell as player manager of Draperstown Celtic and thus was cup tied for the 2001 Craig Memorial North West Football Association Intermediate Cup Final having played for Celtic in an earlier round of the competition. The ‘Big Lad’ is one of South Derry’s best known footballers and he is remembered with gtatitude by Carrick Rangers fans for his goalscoring part in their club’s County Antrim Shield success in season 1992/93. Brian was a member of the Moyola Park Smirnoff Cup winning squad at Easter 2000. He also played senior football at Ballyclare Comrades.
Ronan Rocks – Midfielder
Ronan Rocks (28/05/75) has had a somewhat limited association football career to date, being more conversant with the gaelic football code where he has been a member of the Derry senior squad. Ronan has however adapted quickly to the association game and he looks like being a more than useful asset in the midfield, already getting amongst the goals. His ambition is to be a member of a successful Moyola Park side this season. Ronan, who hails from Ballyronan, works in South Derry Coachworks and is a Manchester United supporter.
Russell Kerr
Russell Kerr (05/11/80) joined Moyola Park from Coleraine at the end of September 2001. He made several first team appearances at Coleraine under both Kenny Shiels and current manager Marty Quinn. Russell has excellent goal scoring skills and he scored in his debut game against Dundela at Home on 29/09/01. A niggling groin injury has kept Russell out of the squad following a period of five goals in just a few games.
William Montgomery – Striker
William Montgomery (15/01/79), who joined Moyola Park in August 2001 from Cookstown United, is from Moneymore and he works as a personal fitness trainer. He represented Northern Ireland schoolboys at under15 level, which he says is his greatest football achievement to date. Yet another Liverpool fan, Williams’s ambition in football is to help Moyola Park win the Irish Football League Division Two title.
Liam O’Donnell
Liam O’Donnell (14/07/83) is the baby of the current squad. He joined the club in October 2001 having previously played for Portglenone. Liam, a cousin of the Kearney brothers of Ballymoney, is a strong running left sided player with a powerful shot.
Chris Larkin – Striker
Chris Larkin (20/01/77) is a former Northern Ireland youth international who hails from Clady, and is a sales assistant with a leading sportswear company. A member of last season’s Smirnoff Cup and Craig Memorial cup winning side, Chris has had previous experience with Dungannon Swifts, Carrick Rangers, Larne and Coleraine. Chris was Moyola Park’s leading goal scorer last season, with an impressive 26 league and cup goals to his name.
Sam Shiels – Striker
Sam Shiels (01/03/66) has his own window cleaning business. He has had a long distinguished football career, having seen service with numerous clubs including Coleraine, Carrick Rangers, Ards, Newry Town, Dungannon Swifts and Tobermore United, before joining the Moyola Park ranks in August 2000. He rates the highlight of his career as having been a member of the Carrick Rangers’ County Antrim Shield winning team when his brother Kenny was the manager. He states his ambition to be to finish this season in one piece. Sam was last season’s second highest goal scorer with 25 goals. Sam Shiels, like his older brother Kenny, is an avid Chelsea fan and he also shares his droll sense of humour!