‘I’ve had an incredible career, but I think there’s a moment to move away, and this is the time.’ Dave Moore, Grimsby Town’s first-term physio, will leave the club at the conclusion of the season, capping up a 48-year tenure.
The 65-year-old, who was born and raised in Grimsby, started out as a Mariners supporter before going on to play for the club he loved as a kid. He signed as a teenager in 1976 and appeared 165 times, helping his team win back-to-back promotions in 1978 and 1980. Moore made nearly 300 Football League appearances in all, including stints with Carlisle United and Blackpool after leaving Grimsby. He returned to Blundell Park as a youth team coach in 1986 before joining Scunthorpe United, where he served as manager in the mid-1990s. He eventually earned a degree in physiotherapy and returned to the Mariners in 2004 as the head physio, a position he has retained to this day. Moore stated that he has been considering his decision to step away for some time.
“It’s probably been coming for two or three years,” Moore stated in the club’s official statement. “I’ve had an incredible run, but I believe there is a moment to step back, and this is the time – plus I have a few other things I’d want to do.
“What is the expression?” Find a profession you enjoy, and you’ll never work a day in your life. People pay to do what I’ve been doing for 20 years. I have some fantastic memories from the Wembley trips, particularly the one in 2016, and I’ve worked with hundreds of wonderful people. “I was watching the Mariners long before I became a player. I recall coming down Cleethorpes Road with 20,000 other people to watch us under McMenemy in the early 1970s, so I’ll surely come returning as a supporter.” Moore has been absent from the Grimsby dugout while recovering from recent surgery, but he will undoubtedly return at some stage to complete his final season with the club before retiring. Polly Bancroft, club CEO, added: “Everyone will be very sad when Dave steps down at the end of the season.” He’s been with us for decades, and it’s tough to measure the impact he’s had on the club over that time—first as a player, later as
a youth coach, and most recently as a physiotherapist.
“He’s a genuine club legend and a fantastic guy, and I hope to see him at Blundell Park long after the season is over. We wish you a pleasant retirement, Mooro. “You’ve certainly earned it!”
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