A MEDAL won by a Mossley footballer more than a century ago has been found in a Cheshire field.
Now, metal detectorist Keith Pay hopes to discover more about Jackie Darley and re-unite the medal with any descendants of the one-time Lilywhites’ winger’s family.
George V was on the throne and Seel Park opened only three years earlier when Jackie, described as a “very tricky winger” earned the honour.
He was part of a Mossley side that finished runners-up in division one of the Ashton and District League in 1913-14.
Despite his career interrupted by World War One, Jackie played a total of 216 times and scored 35 times before a back injury forced his retirement in 1925.
“He was quite a player by all accounts,” said Keith after contacting the Correspondent in the hope our readers can unearth more information about a star from a bygone age.
“I actually found the medal some time ago while I was detecting in a field in Lower Withington in Cheshire.
“I don’t have any interest in football even though my son, Phillip, played professionally at Gillingham,” added Keith.
“But as you get older you get more sentimental. And I started to think about Jackie’s family and whether he had any direct descendants who would like this medal as a family heirloom.
“I contacted a few papers but haven’t had any interest. So, it is great the Correspondent is trying to help.”
Mossley’s club website says Jackie signed in 1911 from Mossley Methodists.
He was said to be “tall and lanky” whose favourite trick was to knock the ball one side of his marker and quickly run around the other side.
Jackie returned to the club after the Great War and signed professional forms in 1919 when Mossley joined the Cheshire League as founder members and helped the club to runners up spot in the League.
The following season, he scored in a 2-1 replay win over Sandbach Ramblers in the League Cup Final replay at Winsford.
A big fans favourite and something of a local celebrity in his day, he was considered by many to be the best winger in the county, refusing offers on several occasions to join bigger clubs, preferring to play for his home-town team.
He remained a regular in the team until his retirement through injury in 1925, making his final appearance and scoring against Manchester North End on December 20, 1924.
I have 6 medals from between 1910 and 1914 All won by T (Tommy) Ousey and presumably all with Mossley as one is inscribed Mosley FC. Most are from The Ashton & District Football League but one is for The Gylchrist Cup, which I know is a Manchester Football League competition. I actually ran the line in one such Final in the early 80s.