Kevin Moore: your memories and tributes

Cod Almighty | Article

by Various

30 April 2013

Kevin Moore, the classiest and most reliable Town defender of his generation, and a Grimsby-born member of the successful sides of the late 1970s and early 1980s, has died on his 55th birthday after a battle against Pick's disease, a rare form of dementia. Kev made 477 appearances for the Mariners in all competitions, before going on to play for Oldham Athletic, Southampton, Bristol Rovers (on loan) and Fulham. In his mid-30s he was still playing for Southampton in the Premier League.

On this page supporters share their memories of, and tributes to, a Grimsby Town great.
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Immense happiness
I remember watching Kevin Moore through most of his long Grimsby Town career. He was one of the best players I ever saw in the Mariners' colours and, though I never knew him personally, he always struck me as being a thoroughly decent human being. Frankly, it was a privilege to watch him and his young team-mates, many of whom were also young local lads, go from Division Four in 1978-79 to Division Three to Division Two, and almost all the way to Division One (now the Premier) in consecutive seasons but for a mere handful of points.

The fact that Kevin was from a Grimsby footballing dynasty, and his brothers also played a big part in the story, made it even more incredible. You couldn't have made it up, and if we had been talking about American football they would have made a Hollywood movie about it years ago. Kevin Moore was a huge part of what was undoubtedly my favourite Grimsby Town team and he brought immense happiness to me and many thousands of fellow Town fans. I will never forget him or that team. Thank you Kevin Moore. You were one of the best. RIP.
John England

A great bloke
Bloody awful news, even though we knew he'd had really hard times in the past years...

Like others who have written here, I was at school with Kev and he was always great fun to be around, even in economics class where the teacher was clearly very fond of him! While still living in the UK I took what chances there were to see him play and have followed his career ever since. He was always so impressive, reading the game, usually in the right place at the right time. Magic. If you haven't done so, then read the piece in the GET about him – that practice header was already in evidence in house football matches!
Mark Taylor

Always a team player
What tragic news. I played with Kev in our house football team at school. Despite being light years in class better than me and the rest of the carthorses, he never hogged the ball or criticised other players. He always played for the rest of the team, no matter their ability, and used his outstanding skills to make the rest of us feel we were really playing football. As a Town supporter I admired his obvious class and respected his decision to learn his craft with the hometown team rather than take up the more glamorous offers I am sure he received. His progress to the top flight was inevitable and his longevity as a player is a testament to the discipline he showed throughout his career.
Steve Johnson

A challenge for the club
Kevin Moore was a couple of years younger than me. I well remember him making the first team. It was a season of real struggle and I guess he learnt a lot from it as after that he never looked back being able to move up through the leagues to the highest level. For Town he became one of the greats in an exceptional team, either as an outstanding defender or as a goalscorer who made the difference in so many games. Now he is gone at such a relatively young age to an awful disease. Indeed, it seems quite ironic to be talking about memories at the moment.

So let's hope that something good can come out of this and, rather than spending the close season examining its own navel, the club takes this opportunity to show itself as a caring community-based organisation that can find appropriate ways to honour its past players that benefit others where they can. A fantastic example can be found through the work AFC Telford are undertaking.

Best wishes to Kev's family and friends at this difficult time.
Michael Hubbert

A privileged teammate
I had the privilege to come through junior and senior school mainly in the same classes as Kev, and played with and against him in the playground and house matches. A great player for Town and what I would call a good school mate. I did play for Wintringham second eleven and could only watch the excellent footballers in the first team of which Kev was one, and he went on to prove himself both for Town and at the top level. God bless you and my condolences to his family.
John Noton

Poise, intelligence, humour
I knew a couple of his friends in the early 80s and met him a handful of times. I was a student at the time and on one occasion I told him I was going to try and hitch to a game at Swindon. "I'll make sure there's a ticket on the gate for you." I hadn't even asked. A few years later I was with a group of people in the Notts when he came in with some other Town players after returning from a game at Sunderland. He gave us a really intelligent account of the game and always seemed to have time for people.

The last time I saw him, with many other Town fans, was making some announcements on the pitch at Craven Cottage, where he was stadium manager. He spoke with poise, intelligence and humour and did not forget to include the Town fans as part of his speech. In short, he came across as a classy footballer and a classy man, to boot. Thanks for the memories Kevin. RIP.
Paul

The best days we can ever have wished for
It seems a long time ago now that I played in the same team as Kevin. I was never quite good enough to make the Wintringham first XI but got the chance to play in some house matches when we were both in the sixth form (me upper and him lower) so consider myself privileged to have had him as a team-mate (albeit for Raynor house and not anything better... mind you, the competition back then was pretty tough!).

A year later, though, Kev showed his true potential when starting off with Town and what a star he was for us in the glory years of the late 70s and early 80s. I swapped my place alongside him for just supporting from the terraces but could appreciate soon enough that he was soon destined to go on to bigger and better things in his career.

This is such a sad loss at a relatively young age and in terrible circumstances... when a contemporary passes on, it brings home how short a time we have to enjoy our days, but Kev, I take my hat off to you (and your other local Town compatriots) as you in the black and white stripes gave me and thousands of others some of the best days we can ever have wished for watching the club we love.

My sincere condolences go to wife Mandy and the rest of his family... all in all a true club legend, a scholar and a gentleman has left us with just some great memories. RIP Kevin Moore.
Tim Hubbard

Effortless class
I'm too young to remember Kev in a Mariners shirt personally. However I have listened to many a story about his class, and the effortless way he played the game, from my dad. The Mariners have lost a true legend to a truly horrendous illness. My thoughts are with the Moore brothers and all of his friends and family.
Ben Robinson

Derby spectacular
Lots of great memories of Kevin but remember him lashing in a great 30-yarder in the last minute at the Baseball Ground against Derby County to draw 1-1. I jumped up to celebrate and skinned my shins on the seat in front. I still have the marks to this day.
Tony Boundry

Top-flight quality
Kevin is remembered at Saints as a quality player who was not out of place in the first division and Premier League. Sad to hear of his passing not far from me here in Bitterne, Soton. RIP Kevin.
Paul Brassington

His name is forever
His name is forever shown in the stash of red/black Town programmes from my first season watching Town: '79-80 season. He scored thumping headers from corners. In my all-time Town 11. RIP Kev – a Town legend.
Robbo

One of the lads
Very sad to hear about Kevin. A true Mariner legend. A friend of one of my mates, he attended a pool match and quiz at our local pub and fitted in like one  of the lads. I can always remember him hitting the bar in the first game against Wolves before Gary Liddell became a hero. RIP big fella. 
Dave the Engineer

No histrionics
I have a few memories of Kev Moore, the most obvious the crossbar incident v Wolves. The one that says most about him, however, was when he got sent off in a vital game at Chesterfield in 1980. We were three up at the time. Everyone looked bemused including Kev. There was, however, no spittle-inflected rant at the ref, no histrionics. He just walked away calmly whilst no doubt seething inside as the 5000 behind the goal went mental. He probably realised that had he reacted it could have turned very ugly. That's what marks him out as above the ordinary.

We won 3-2 and of course a laughing Kev being borne shoulder-high off BP was a great pic at the end of the season. RIP Mr Moore and thoughts to all those who knew you.
Baz Whittleton

Getting stuck in
I remember those halcyon days when the Barrett stand creaked in the wind and the Pontoon end chants drowned out the cry of the gulls wheeling over Meggies sands. I remember Kev and co getting stuck in as I sipped hot Bovril from a thin plastic cup. RIP fella.
Keith

Linked with Liverpool
One of my abiding memories is seeing him at Anfield on that wonderful day, despite the drubbing, being brought out on to the pitch in his sheepskin coat and applauded in anticipation by the Kop as an imminent arrival. Mixed emotions for us as we were intensely proud of him being thought of worthy of joining such a club yet dismayed at the thought of losing him. Such a loss now in every respect.
Malcolm Carson

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