Bert Mozley - born in Chester Green, Derby, he was one of the most cheerful and popular players ever to pull on a Rams shirt

BERT MOZLEY was one of the select group of men born in Derbyshire to play association football for England. Indeed he belonged to an even rarer breed - one of only a handful of England players born in Derby itself.

Bert was born at home at 33 Old Chester Road, Chester Green, Derby, on 23 September 1923, a twin to his sister Beryl. When he became a professional footballer - a stylish and dependable right-back - he was loyal to his roots, for he played for only one first-class club throughout his career - Derby County. He served them in exemplary fashion in the 1940s and 1950s, and after finishing playing in 1954 he emigrated to Canada. As at summer 2007 he lives there still, well into his eighties, and continues to follow the Rams from afar.

Bert represented Derby Boys as a youngster and won the Derby Schoolboys Cup as skipper of his St. Paul's School team of 1936-37. He left the school that same year, at the age of 14, to work at Rolls Royce.

He continued to enjoy succes at football, but without making a break into the big time. In May 1944, aged 20, he again landed some silverware when his Experimental Department team won the Rolls Royce Inter-Departmental Claude Johnson Cup.

He then joined the local side Shelton United - who played behind the Bridge Inn at Shelton Lock - was given a few games with Nottingham Forest as an amateur, and then spotted at last by Derby County. He signed professional forms for the Rams on 2 September 1945 and a day later married his wife Jean!

Bert Mozley played 321 League and Cup games for Derby County before he retired in 1954 and made the decision to settle in Canada - he left England for Calgary in January 1955. He won three England caps, all in 1949. He would undoubtedly have played more times for his country but for sustaining an injury which kept him out of the side in 1950 - his place was taken by another cool and collected right-back, Alf Ramsey, who later managed England to victory in the 1966 World Cup.

Unlike many players of his era, Bert Mozley retained a lively interest in football and kept in touch with those at the club. He has watched Derby County games when visiting from Canada, and before Derby County's 2007 Play-Off triumph against West Bromwich Albion at Wembley he sent the club a 'Good Luck' message by email.

The story of his life and times was entertainingly told in his book When Football Was Fun which was published by the Derby company Breedon Books in 1999.

• Three Lions On Their Shirt - England Footballers Born In Derbyshire

Return to Maskrey,_Harry_Mart_-_Derby_Publican_and_England_Goalkeeper

To post comments to this article, you need to register an account and Login