Bert Mozley was a one-club man, spending his entire decade-long career at Derby County, as well as winning three caps for England.
Derby County’s Baseball Ground
It was a Wednesday night game at Goodison Park between England and Ireland. The English went into the game full of confidence. They had just recorded convincing wins away in Oslo and Paris, and were formidable on home soil. In fact, since playing their first international match in 1872, England hadn’t lost a game to a foreign (not Scotland or Wales) team.
The second time England lost to foreign opposition on home soil, against the Magical Magyars of Hungary in 1953, has become a thing of legend, but their first defeat that night at Goodison Park is relatively unknown. It is far from unknown to one man though. Bert Mozley, a stalwart of the Derby County side from 1945 to 1955, made his England debut that night, two days after his 26th birthday.
The match took place at Goodison Park
The game started in typical fashion, with wave after wave of England attack giving Ireland all kinds of problems. The Irish had two teams in those days, much like they do today, one led by the Northern Irish-based FA and one led by the FA on the Republic side. However, back in 1949, both sides claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland, and as such, it was a regular occurrence for players to turn out for both Irish teams.
England were without a few of their stars that day, notably Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortensen and a recognised international centre-forward, but they still had key men like Neil Franklin, Wilf Mannion and Tom Finney to call upon. However, with Tommy Godwin in inspired form in goal for the Irish, the managed to withstand England’s early barrage, and just after the half hour mark, they launched a dangerous attack of their own.
Preston and England great Sir Tom Finney
A pass from Tommy O’Connor found it’s way to then Middlesbrough forward Peter Desmond. In his first major involvement for the Three Lions, Mozley slid in and challenged Desmond, seemingly taking the ball but also sending the player to ground. Referee John Mowat, who went on to referee at the 1958 World Cup and early European Cup games, pointed immediately to the spot.
Shocked an incensed, Mozley began pleading with the Scotsman, before being pulled away by Billy Wright. Con Martin converted the spot kick and England went on to lose their first home game to foreign opposition in Mozley’s debut. Now aged 93 and living in the Canadian province of British Columbia, the memories of that 33rd minute incident are just as vivid in the mind of Bert Mozley. Was it a penalty? Watch the video below and drew your own conclusions.
Bert is now the second oldest living England international, after Ivor Broadis, but you wouldn’t know it to talk to him. Few players from his era have lived to such an age, but those who have or did have all too often suffered from mental health problems in their later years, most commonly dementia, recently attributed to the repeated heading of the ball.
The Derby-born right-back, who made 297 league appearances for the Rams, played just two further games for England, against Wales and the other side from Ireland, winning both (4-1 and 9-2). He was due to win a fourth cap against Italy but for an injury, and he was subsequently dropped in place of Alf Ramsey. Mozley was one of three back-up players for England at the 1950 World Cup, and retired from football for good in 1955.
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