These images of a football cap from 1924 appeared on the Isle of Man Football Association Facebook page last week.
The FA received the cap, awarded almost one century ago, from an unknown sender in the UK who had found it in the loft of their house.
The name inside is Joe Moore.
‘Joey Moore’ is mentioned in Eric Clague and Paul Hatton’s Soccer with Three Legs book, in a ‘Dream Team’ selected from players between 1919-1929.
The description reads as follows: ‘Joey Moore (Wanderers). Gentleman Joe, an outstanding forward, who was a real danger to any defence. Highly talented, he was always good for a goal.’
Local football statistician Colin Moore (no relation) responded to IoMFA’s own request on Facebook for more information.
Colin wrote: ‘This cap would have been awarded in connection with the Town v Country match played on Thursday, May 22, 1924 at Tromode (Park), the proceeds of which was given to the Maternity home.
‘Town won 2-0 thanks to goals from McKay (St George’s) and Walker (St Matthew’s Albion).
After the match players and officials were among 1,500 people who (at the invitation of the Mayor and Mayoress, Mr and Mrs A. B. Crookall) undertook high tea at the Villa Marina Cafe, where the caps we re-presented.’
The Mona’s Herald report of the game stated ‘Joe Moore played excellently and is a rare forager of the ball’, while the Examiner review of the match added: ‘Joey was quite comfortable in the outside berth and sent some accurate balls across goal.’
A master grocer by trade, he was president of the IoM Referees’ Society in 1952-53, having qualified as a referee back in 1926.
Following service on the town council he became Mayor of Douglas 1964-65 after previously holding the status of Alderman.
l Arthur Binns Crookall, JP MHK MLC, originally from Barrow, first became a painter and decorator and then a restaurant proprietor. He made his fortune during the First World War when his business won the contract for the daily feeding of some 25,000 prisoners and guards at the Knockaloe Alien Detention Camp.
A noted philanthropist, ‘AB’ was a great benefactor and amongst his many legacies was providing the funds for the founding in 1927 of the Jane Crookall Isle of Man Maternity Home in Douglas, named after his wife who died during childbirth.
He also donated the original Premier AB Crookall Trophy for the winner of the inaugural Manx Amateur Road Races over the Snaefell Mountain Course in 1923. The somewhat sizeable trophy continues to be presented to the winner of the Senior Manx Grand Prix on an annual basis.
Mr Crookall died in 1935 in Harrogate at the age of 62. A number of his descendents live in the island.
(Above and left) the cap presented to Joe Moore in 1924. (Right) a match report from the Green Final in 1925 mentioning Joey Moore and his merry men