Tributes have been paid to Gary Pierce, the goalkeeper who began an illustrious career at Mossley, who died today at Bury Hospice aged 74 after battling prostate cancer.
And Lilywhites’ legend Jimmy O’Connor, who brought Pierce back to Seel Park at the end of his pro career, has been speaking about the loss of his friend who played for Huddersfield Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Barnsley and Blackpool.
O’Connor, who was Mossley player-manager, said: “Gary was not only a tremendous keeper but a great lad. He was always joking and was the life and soul of the party.
“I knew Gary before I signed him as we both lived in Bury, and in recent times we have met up at reunions of former players at Mossley though, sadly, he wasn’t swell enough to attend.”
And of the many clubs which Pierce was associated with, Mossley was the one closest to his heart as he often said he owed a lot to them because that is where his playing days started and ended.
The highlight of Pearce’s career was winning the League Cup in 1974 when Wolves beat Manchester City, and he was named man of the match.
Pearce, one of only 19 players in Mossley’s hall of fame, hadn’t played in the cup until the final when he was called up after first choice Phi Parkes was injured.
“We all knew about Gary winning the League Cup because he kept on telling us about it,” joked O’Connor who holds the record for the number of appearances for Mossley with 613 matches.
Pierce, who had trials for England schoolboys, failed to make the grade as a junior at Bury and Bolton Wanderers before moving to Mossley in October 1970 where his career lifted off.
When he kept four clean sheets in his five matches for Mossley, scouts flocked to their games and after only 12 appearances for the Lilywhites, Pierce was sold for £2,250 to Huddersfield Town.
Pierce played only 23 matches for Huddersfield in his two years at the club before he was transferred to Wolves for £45,000.
Pierce, despite being largely second choice early on to Parkes, made 111 appearances for Wolves, the highlight being his starring role in their League Cup final win against Manchester City.
Pierce was an ever-present in the 1976–77 season as Wolves won the Second Division at the first attempt, but the club bought Paul Bradshaw upon their return, relegating Pierce to reserve status again.
He left Molineux in 1979 for Third Division Barnsley, where he played three seasons, before ending his league career with a season at Blackpool where his pro career ended aged 33.
Pierce then returned to non-league football with Chorley, Accrington Stanley, Rossendale United and Mossley where he returned to play 40 matches in 1986/87 season before retiring.
He later managed Northern Premier League clubs Netherfield, Accrington Stanley during their centenary season, and Congleton Town as well as top amateur clubs.
Pierce, who also had a spell as Hyde United goalkeeping coach, later worked for Bolton Wanderers’ community programme and in the care sector.