The Phenomenon of Ernie Moss

I may have never seen him playing, but I still know that he is a hero. In fact, a lot of younger Spireites never saw him playing, but Ernie remains Ernie - a role model of a footballer and a gentleman.

photo: Chesterfield FC

When the entire town cherish a football player like this, you certainly know he should be a special one. In this article, I am going to write about the phenomenon of Ernie Moss - one of the most prominent members of Chesterfield Football Club in its 154 years history.

Born locally in 1949, Ernie was a clerk in the Derbyshire County Council education offices at Matlock before joining Chesterfield FC in April 1967. He made his debut the next year, scoring one goal in seventeen appearances. His second professional season brought him first league success as Chesterfield won the Fourth Division title. Ernie netted twenty goals to help his club to promote that season. In the Third Division the striker continued to do his job, scoring 74 goals in 210 appearances before being sold to Peterborough United in 1975. After the brief spell with the Posh, Ernie moved to Mansfield Town to enjoy his fifteen matches in the Second division. In 1978, he returned to Saltergate, helping his original club to avoid relegation by just four points. The next two seasons were quite successful, in both of them Chesterfield were close to promotion and, most notably, the Spireites won Anglo-Scottish Cup in 1981. After this success, Ernie Moss moved to Port Vale, where he won Player of the Year award in 1982. In 1983, Ernie moved to Lincoln City, where he played just eleven games before joining Doncaster Rovers and finishing second in the Fourth Division. In 1984, however, he returned to Chesterfield to help his club in promotion battle of 1984/85 season. The Spireites won promotion, so Ernie had a chance to play some Third Division football for almost next two seasons. That was the last time he played for Chesterfield. From 1986, Ernie played for Stockport County, Scarborough, Rochdale and Kettering Town. Ernie’s seventeen goals helped Kettering to become Football Conference runners-up in 1989. After this success, he played for Matlock Town and Shepshed Charterhouse. Ernie ended his playing career in Kettering Town in 1992.

In 1992, Ernie Moss started his career in football management. He became an assistant manager in Boston United. Three years later, he was appointed as a manager in Gainsborough Trinity. Later, he managed Leek Town, Gainsborough Trinity for the second time, Matlock Town, Hucknall Town and Belper Town.

We took a brief look on Ernie Moss’ career, but the main question remains unanswered: what makes him such a special person for Chesterfield? Phil Tooley - a lifelong Spireite and a volunteer for CFC for over forty years - will help us to find the answer.

“There are too many legends about these days, and rest assured, not many of them are real legends,” says Phil. “They’ll soon be forgotten by those conferring the title when the next temporary star comes along. But Ernie Moss is a real legend, and he’ll be remembered long after the transitory title holders have been and gone.

“Ernie’s a local lad, Chesterfield born and bred, and he did pretty well as a junior player for Spireites’ youngsters in the Northern Intermediate League & Cup, and that led to him getting a chance in the first team. He was young, and he was raw, very raw, and his arrival on the scene wasn’t anything to get overly excited about, but he was a hard worker and a trier, but far from an instant hit or a potential legend.”

As Phil says, there was nothing to hint at the future status of the legend in the Ernie’s early days on the football field. But it was hard work that made him a truly special player.

“Manager Jim McGuigan saw something in him and worked tirelessly through the summer to try and unlock the latent talent that few others had spotted. And what a job the pair did. Ernie rewarded his boss with 20 goals in his first full season, helping the team win promotion for the first time in 34 years and staking a claim for a trainee-legend.

“Eight years and over 100 goals bagged since his unheralded entry into the Chesterfield first team, Ernie moved on to Peterborough where his stay was relatively unheralded. His status as a Champion and his goals tally, which at that time placed him fourth in the all-time list for the club, earned him the well-deserved tag of Spireites Legend, and that, we all thought, was that!”

As we know, Ernie traveled a lot during his playing career. Peterborough, Mansfield Town, Port Vale, to name a few. But he always returned home.

“After some great success with the Yellow Peril (Mansfield Town, Spireites great rivals), at the age of 28, he returned home, his reputation as a hard worker enhanced and his aerial ability unquestioned. Playing under Arthur Cox and Frank Barlow, his legendary status grew and grew. The Anglo-Scottish Cup win in arguably one of the best Chesterfield teams of the second half of the 20th Century was a major achievement, but promotion to the Tier Two was twice missed by a whisker.

“After three fruitful seasons, during which time he’d become THE Legend, rather than A Legend, he moved on again, this time as the all-time record scorer for the club, and not one of the goals coming from the penalty spot, something that people understood when, in his testimonial game against Sheffield United, he took one and missed it! And that was that.

“Except it wasn’t! Having helped Port Vale & Doncaster Rovers win promotion, he was back, aged 34, for a final hurrah. He added 34 more league goals to his already record tally and helped his hometown club to another promotion, again demonstrating heading ability and positional sense unlike anyone seen at the club before or since.”

After his successful career at Saltergate, Ernie didn’t stop and went on to play his beloved game in other clubs.

“He moved on to Stockport County, Scarborough and Kettering Town, continuing to win admirers in his last few years as a pro and he then became a hugely respected manager in the lower leagues.”

After his football career, Ernie was always showing his dedication to Chesterfield.

“Always a Chesterfield resident, Ernie came to Saltergate and then the new stadium whenever he could, always willing to share a story or two, always just quite wondering why supporters loved him so much. It was always the team for him, never just the famous Number 8.”

Finally, Phil told us Ernie’s main secret:

“Stars have become superstars and megastars, many of them are just mercenaries who’ll say and do the right things because that’s the best way to enhance their standing. Ernie doesn’t fall into that category. He’s a regular bloke, working his hardest at a job he’s good at to get better. He got better at it, he helped countless teams to improve and he did it all without any fuss and without wanting anything special, with substantial amounts of his success coming in the town he was born in and has always lived in.

“Super-Legend? Nah. Mega-Legend? Nah. It’s just Ernie, everyone in Chesterfield knows exactly what that means and exactly what status that man holds. In football Top Trumps, Ernie tops them all.”

In fact, it isn’t easy to add something more to these words, especially when one lifelong Spireite describes another. I think every fan of Chesterfield can say something similar. I asked some Spireites about their thoughts and that’s what they told me:

“Ernie is my first Spireite hero from my childhood, he’s a brilliant person to know and he’s one of the best Chesterfield players ever. Ernie and his family have been great friends of ours for many, many years.” (Zoe Edge)

“Ernie is a legend of the club and a true gentleman on and off the field. I recall meeting Ernie at the Pomegranate Theatre for The End of an Era celebrations and talking about when my dad and Ernie played for the club at Saltergate.” (Andrew Sears)

“Ernie means a lot. He is my first football hero, he used to play in the same team as my dad before signing for Chesterfield. He is a local man who played for his hometown, so fans always have that special bond. And he’s a lovely, friendly man.” (Chris Hough)

“A model professional and true gentleman; a boyhood hero who always played his heart out for his hometown club. I remember being taken aback just how modest and nice he was when I went to buy some football gear from his shop.” (Mark Barton)

“For me personally, Ernie was the player I always looked forward to seeing, Ernie to me WAS Chesterfield FC. I always got a feeling of excitement when I saw Big Ern. If the ball came anywhere near him during the game, I’d immediately think ‘goal’ and nine times out of ten, that was what happened. Ernie to me... My Football Legend, Mr. Chesterfield, My Football Hero. I think my favourite moment would be Ernie’s hat-trick against Walsall away, in 1981. Even though we lost 4-3, the three Ernie’s goals were typical of him, a swivel and shot, a header and a poachers slide in. There were many memories of him, but those three goals summed him up, plus the ‘never say die’ attitude of Ernie and the whole team.” (Stuart Widdowson)

This wholehearted love of fans is something you need to fight for. You need to work tirelessly and give everything for the badge. That is what Ernie Moss did the best. He wasn’t Pele or Maradona. He wasn’t Ronaldo or Messi (even though he scored many goals). He was just Ernie Moss - the man who always will be known as the unique, unrepeatable Chesterfield hero. And no one, not even the biggest stars, can replace Big Ernie in our hearts.

Finally, I’ll leave you with these warm Christmas messages to Ernie Moss from Chesterfield fans:

“Have a great Christmas Ernie, I love you loads, you will always be one of my greatest heroes”

“To Ernie and all the family… Happy Christmas, thinking of you all xxx”

“Stay safe Ernie and never forget all Spireites love you”

“I would like to wish him a good Christmas with many more to come and tell him how loved and respected he is around the town”

“Thank You, Ernie, for all the happy times you gave me growing up and watching you play. Thank You, Ernie, for all the happy memories you’ve given me to keep and share with my Children and Grandchildren. Thank you, Ernie, for being My Hero”