2003-04… A Season in the sun.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of probably the best season in the modern era, for the first and only time since 1949-50 Moulton FC won the Northamptonshire Combination Premier League and Cup Double, matching the feat of the legendary side of 54 years previous. Manager Mark White had kept the nucleus of the side from the previous season but made a few additions and one in particular a young nippy striker by the name of Nick Worley was a masterstroke. The season started with 3 straight wins but then a dodgy spell of 3 wins and 3 losses including an early exit in the NFA Junior Cup (probably not a bad thing ) saw the league take shape with ourselves Roade, Harpole and Kettering Nomads setting the early pace.
In mid- November Justin Ayre a left sided midfielder joined the club and he proved to be another stellar signing and from that time onwards we started to look like serious title contenders. As the Christmas break approached we remained unbeaten in the league since an away defeat at Kettering Nomads in early October, and had progressed through 2 rounds of the League Cup beating Harborough Spencer and Potterspury on the way. The first 3 games of January saw us pitched up against all of our title rivals in the space of 14 days, firstly drawing against Harpole, losing to Kettering Nomads again but crucially winning 3-2 at Roade a result that would prove pivotal in the end. The next 9 league games saw us win 7 and draw 2 and during that spell we also progressed to the League Cup final defeating Harpole 2-0 in the Semi Final. Tragedy struck during this period however when influential skipper Craig Linnell sustained a season ending injured in a 5-1 win against Weedon in mid-March. The league season was put on hold on Saturday April 10th when all roads led to Sixfields for a third meeting with Kettering Nomads this time in the Cup Final, but not before a pre match meal at the Whyte Melville in Boughton followed by a coach trip from Brunting Rd. A remarkable game ensued with Nomads taking the lead only for Steve Martin to equalise from 35 yards, Marc Cross another crucial signing in early February grabbed 2 goals and Nomads 1 as the game entered the last 5 mins, with us leading 3-2. A left wing corner 2 mins from time saw Nick Worley stoop to head in to give us a 2 goal cushion but remarkably Nomads grabbed another during injury time but we held on for the win, and stand in skipper Dan McCamley and Craig Linnell lifted the trophy in unison.
With 3 league games left Nomads and Harpole had dropped off the pace somewhat leaving us and Roade to fight it out till the end , firstly a narrow 2-1 win at home to Crick was followed by a 7-0 away demolition of Stanwick and then 1 game left at home to mid table Weldon. Saturday May 1st 2004, 29 league games gone so far 20 wins 6 draws and only 3 defeats and 2 points in front of Roade and with a far superior goal difference just a draw would suffice but none the less it was a very nervous pre match build up for all concerned. All the tension melted away however as within 15 minutes Moulton were 3-0 up through Cross, Worley and Ayre, and went on to win comfortably 6-0 in the end and pip Roade to the title. Steve Alibone club secretary accepted the trophy as a fitting tribute to his late father Nev who was a member of the 49-50 team and was watched by the skipper of that side Tom Whiting.
A number of notable achievements along the way, Chris Dickins played all 35 league and cup games and no fewer than 14 players played 20 games or more and on the goal scoring front Ayre 10 from 22 games, Cuthbert 11 from 28, Cross 14 from 13 but as mentioned earlier Worley 33 from 26 proved crucial in that season in the sun.

Editor - Steve Alibone