Twenty-seven years in management with one club and still going strong.

John Moss has managed local Sunday league team Vale Hoppers for the past twenty-seven years. The Hoppers are an 11-a-side team based in Congleton, Cheshire, competing in the Leek & District league. Vale have started the season strong and are currently top of the league, losing only three games this season.

John said: “The reason why I do it is for the pleasure and I enjoy the social side as well as the football. They are a cracking set of lads, we have a drink after the game and also go on day’s outs. The players have a fantastic team spirit and camaraderie, both on and off the pitch and after a good win, (even if we lose) they often celebrate until late in the day! I much prefer football at this level, I can get more involved and the players are more passionate.”

“If I wasn’t doing this on a Sunday I would be spending time with my family, walking with my wife and playing golf. My wife has now got use to me being out on a Sunday morning, as over the past 50 years I have either been playing or managing football.”

“On match days, I meet up with the squad about 1 hour before kick-off to confirm the team selection with the captain and to discuss our team tactics and use of substitutes.

Planning and preparing for a match day is an on going thing throughout the week. My right-hand man Bob “Poppa” Walker liaises with the players and myself during the week and he will let me know towards the end of the week which players are available and other snippets of team news. I can then work on the team selection. Bob is the hub of the Hoppers set up, he ensures that everything is put in place for match days.”

“In 1989 my son Patrick (pictured left) and his friends were playing for a local pub team. I was having a break from football at this time and they asked me if I could help manage a new team, which they were forming. This was the start of Vale Hoppers.”

John spoke of the Hoppers many achievements and successes over the past 27 years, the highlight of which was probably the winning of the Macclesfield Sunday League Cup at the Macclesfield Town ground, Moss Road in the year 2000. We were trailing 2–1 against Wilmslow and the ribbons were being prepared on the silverware. In the 93rd minute we scored a late equaliser taking us to extra time where we scored the winning goal”.

On the 25th anniversary of the formation of the Hoppers, an all day (and night) event was held at the Vale Club in Canal Street. Proceeded by a football match at Back Lane, Congleton between Hoppers old and new. John was surprised and pleased when at this event, he and secretary Bob Walker were presented with a long service awards by the league officials.

“Managing at this level there isn’t the same pressure as professional managers, when the results aren’t going well, we just keep going. I will carry on managing Vale Hoppers as long as I enjoy it, I can’t see any end to it yet”.