An Interview with Christchurch manager Pete Moore
December 2003 by Andy Starmore
Pete Moore has always been a colourful character in the local game, so why not catch up with him for a chat - and a very interesting one at that!

At the age of 14 Peter Moore played for Pokesdown youths, before moving to AFC Bournemouth youths, where he stayed until he was 21.

Moore played mainly for the reserves at the Cherries, and then moved on to Flight Refuelling, which was followed by a much longer stay when he moved to Bashley.

The stint with Bash lasted from the Hampshire League Division Three days, right the way through to their Southern League debut.

At the age of 28, Moore took over running the Bashley reserves side, which was his first proper stint at management and coaching.

Following a short spell as a player with Bournemouth Poppies, he then took over as the first team manager at Wessex League Brockenhurst, as a player manager.

During Moore’s playing days, the highlights have to be when he donned the gold and black shirt of Bashley, and Moore remembers it well.

“I’ve still got a soft spot for Bashley,” said Moore.

“They were great days. I recently went to a friends 40th birthday bash (pardon the pun!) and a lot of the old Bashley boys were there, which made it a fantastic evening.”

As an accomplished player in his day, Moore picked up three Wessex League winners medals in consecutive seasons with Bashley, among other honours, which included winners medals in the Hampshire Intermediate Cup, Hampshire Senior Cup, Bournemouth Senior Cup twice, Hampshire Division two and three champions, plus a whole host of Sunday league honours.

Since the charismatic new Christchurch boss moved into the managers chair, he has become top dog of a host of clubs, including Downton, Bournemouth Poppies, Poole Town, Bashley and Brockenhurst again.

Clearly Moore is one of the most experienced former players and current managers around at this level of football in this area, therefore I posed the question of who in his playing days was the best player around at the time?

Moore replied, “If you counted the veterans footballers I played with, the best player I would say that I’ve actually played in the same side with for one game, was someone who was coach at Everton and used to be assistant at Bournemouth.

“He went on to be a coach at Leeds I think (correct) and his name was Dave Williams. He was awesome, but the best non-league player at that time on a regular basis, I would have to say was Steve Slade.

“Steve was very strong, brilliant in the air, had a good football brain, very aggressive, scored lots of goals and he was actually quite a nice fellow as well. For a non-league player he was real quality.”

On the management side, Moore picked out his old Flight Refuelling boss as top dog where he was concerned.

He said, “The best manager I think for me was a bloke called Chris Croad. He was only my manager for a short period while I was at Flight Refuelling, but he spent a lot of time with me and he was very influential on a couple of decisions I made.

“The manager I learnt most from though was probably Trevor Parker.”

“The only player I thought probably would have gone on to become a manager when I was playing, and it’s surprised me that he hasn’t, was Mark Adams.

“Mark was a very good organiser and I suppose maybe for business reasons it didn’t give him the time to do it. I always thought he would go into management.”

Getting into management for Moore himself was always going to be the only option. From a very early age the qualities of leadership were there, and he was never in any doubt whatsoever that one day he would be calling all the shots from the dugout.

Moore said, “Even from a very young age, when I was 13 or 14 when we used to play, I was the one who organised football matches, and whenever I was at a club and someone couldn’t do the training for some reason, they used to say ‘Mooro will do it’.

“It was a natural progression really, although I probably went into it far too early.”

Moore became manager of the Bashley reserves side at the age of 28, but before that, at the tender age of just 19, he was in charge of Flight Dynamos under-15’s and then under-18’s.

The former full-back, who actually started out as a quick winger, and used to get his fair share of goals, went on to manage at many clubs in the area, but when asked which club holds the fondest memories, the answer came back with no hesitation whatsoever.

“Poole Town,” said Moore immediately.

“The people I worked with, like Chris Reeves and Dick Thomas, were great people to work with and they supported you in everything you did.

“They were absolute diamonds, and I’ve got to be honest and say that so far Christchurch is very similar to that.

“It was a fantastic club to work for and I’m so disappointed for them, now that things aren’t going that well for them.

“Also the problems they’ve had with the grounds and everything is so disappointing to see, and nothing would please me more than to see Poole Town win the Wessex League.”

Moore upped sticks when he was offered the joint managers position with Barry Blankley at Dr Martens Eastern Division Bashley, the club he served so well in his playing days, but things didn’t quite work out, and it wasn’t long before Moore departed the club.

“At the time I thought it was the right decision to make going to Bashley, but looking back on it now, I regret leaving Poole,” said Moore.

“You make decisions that you think are right for you at the time.

“I went from Poole where everything was really good, we were reasonably successful and I had the backing of everyone.

“I went to Bashley and the way I felt at that time was I went from really enjoying my football to almost not doing it ever again.

“I can definitely manage at a higher level, and I think it’s easier to do so. That’s what I was looking forward to at Bash, because when you’ve got players on contract you’ve got more control over them.

“I mean control in the sense that you lay the rules down and they have to abide by them, and I was really disappointed that at Bash I couldn’t get to grips with it. A lot of the decisions at Bash were made early and not by myself.

“I felt that I was pushed out of the club, and it’s ironic that the same thing happened to Barry in the end. They don’t turn round and say they don’t want you, they just make it difficult for you to stay. They didn’t want Barry there anymore, so they got rid of Fraser Quirke, knowing Barry would follow.

“I’ve still got a soft spot for Bash because the days I had when I was playing there were absolutely brilliant.

“I had so many good times with the club and the people behind the scenes were superb. They were in it not just for the success but they were enjoying it as well.

“They were good times and I will never forget those times.

“Even today I’m sure if ever I was in trouble, I know I could ring any of those people who were around in those days and ask if they could help me out and I’m sure they would, that’s the kind of people they were.”

Moore has managed probably far too many players he would care to mention, given the years now that he has spent in management, and picks out an unlikely player as the most enjoyable player to work with.

“One of the most easiest players I’ve had to manage and he’s been with me at a few clubs is Dave Knighton,” said Moore.

“When I refer to him now I call him the seasoned pro, even though he’s not actually a professional.

“He never misses training, he does exactly what you ask of him and he’s just a pleasure to work with.

“I left him out recently for the Andover game in the FA Vase, and he just accepted it and said that’s fine, if that’s what you think’s right.

“He doesn’t sulk or anything, and if you put him on, he’ll do a good job for you.

“You could ask him to start training four times a week and he would do it.

“As for the most outstanding talent I’ve had the pleasure to manage, it’s got to be a fellow called Colin White, who played for me at Brockenhurst years ago.

“He won games on his own for me and he was just awesome. He had a bit of a troubled back-ground, he was in and out of prison, but what a talent.

“I think he was one that could easily have gone on to play at a top level.”

When Moore parted company with Bashley as joint manager, he spent a little time out of the game, before taking up the position as manager of Brockenhurst, the club he started his managerial role back in 1990.

It wasn’t long though before things turned sour at Grigg Lane and Moore took the long walk off the short managerial plank once more.

The New Forest club is another club that holds good memories for Moore, but as he explained, things may not have been quite what they seemed when Moore departed.

“I went to a meeting in front of all their committee and they offered me the job,” said Moore.

“They asked me what sort of budget I would need to run the club, and said to them it’s not what I want, it’s what you can afford.

“I said to them they’ve got to work out what they can afford to pay without any sponsorship or anyone putting their hands in their pockets.

“I said to them if you come back to me and tell me I’ve got £500 a week to spend or £10 a week, then we all know where we stand.

“They came back to me and showed me how much they would have spare and asked if I could run a side on that, and I said I could.

“Early doors that season, I had seven players that had all played Southern League football, and it was a very strong side.

“Each week I was getting told that we can’t pay this and we can’t pay that, and basically what I told them not to do they did.

“They cut the players wages, then we had a horrific injury list, then they tried cutting the players wages again.

“They were telling me that all they were worried about was staying in the league, and that the following season the finances would be better. As long as we fulfilled our fixtures and stayed up that’s all that mattered.

“A lot of things were going on behind the scenes and they weren’t telling me the truth.

“They offloaded me and they asked me to tell people it was a mutual agreement, which I said I wouldn’t say.

“Everyone praised Tina and Ray Colverson, for a great job they were doing, but little did everyone know that they were running the club on their own because everyone left because of them.

“All the people who were working behind the scenes at the club left because of those two, and if they’d left, although it was really just Tina, everyone would have come back.

“I think Kempy is doing a great job their now, and they’re paying him all sorts of money for doing it, but knowing the club that it is that will start to fester about Christmas when they’ve got no more money. They’re not very honest.”

Moore almost quit the game for good following his departure from Grigg Lane, but the enthusiasm for the game he clearly loves was too strong to hold back and a few months later he took over at Hurn Bridge to become the new manager of Christchurch.

Since his arrival to the club, the Wessex League outfit have enjoyed some excellent wins and have tightened up what was a fairly leaky defence, and Moore is loving every minute of it.

“The future at this club looks fantastic,” said Moore.

“Whether it’s with me or anyone else, the future at this club is in really good hands. Everything about the place is spot on.

“I think the support that people behind the scenes give is as good as it is at Poole Town.

“There’s things that need improving which is the same at every club, but they’re definitely going in the right direction.

“Maybe the only thing is that one day they perhaps should restructure their ideas regarding paying players. If they got to the stage where they could pay players, they would take off big time.

“The pitch is fantastic, the set up is fantastic and they’ve got everything there. There’s all sorts of things going on behind the scenes, which is going to improve the place even more.”

The Wessex League has been in existence now since 1986 and some would say that it has improved with age, but Moore is not quite so convinced, suggesting that in fact the league has taken a step backwards.

He said, “The early days, you had RS Southampton, Bashley, Newport Isle of Wight and Havant Town, and those sort of teams have never been replaced.

“I think the money that is going round now has spoilt the game a bit. You’ve always had money floating round in professional football, but in non-league, people say that we’re all playing on a level playing field, but I don’t actually think teams are.

“Having said that I don’t blame teams who do pay it for the right reasons. Winchester City are paying it for all the right reasons because they want to progress, and I think Eastleigh are paying it for all the right reasons as well.

“Sometimes you have to do that to get success, because money does talk and if you’re paying good money you’re going to attract the best players.

“I don’t mean this disrespectfully, but I question people like Lymington & New Milton though. They pay out good wages on players, but they’ve got no ambition to go any further.

“Teams like Bashley, Havant, Eastleigh and now Winchester have all got their house in order and are able to progress.

“Look at Andover, they’ve paid out lots of money and they haven’t been that successful either and their pitch is an absolute disgrace. They won the Wessex League twice, but where did they go?"

Moore’s playing days are surely over now, although last season he did turn out for Brockenhurst during an injury hit phase, and scored a goal as well.

There’s no immediate plans for a return to the field, but there’s nothing he would like more than to put those boots back on.

“If I didn’t have a bad back and the union allowed me to play, I’d be back playing tomorrow,” he said.

“The last time I played someone videod it and by all accounts to see me move you had to put it on fast forward.

“If my playing days were now though, not being big headed, I would be in the top bracket price-wise.”

Since his switch from player to player-manager to now simply manager, over the years Moore has been involved with many stories, often controversial, and this he shares a common bond with Alex Pike, who like Moore, with his charismatic approach to the game, has on many occasions got people talking, whether it’s favourably or unfavourably.

And Moore acknowledges the need for this and seems to hold Pike in high regard.

“Alex and I get on great now, and people like myself and Alex get criticised because we’re passionate and this, that and the other.

“People who criticise us though, don’t know us. I very seldom get criticised by people who know me, it’s always the people who don’t know me and it’s the same with Alex.

“Since I’ve got to know Alex better I understand him more. You need a bit more of that tongue in cheek rivalry and I’ve got no problem with Alex, because I understand where he’s coming from.”

Moore is not tipping Pike’s Hamworthy United for a jump to the Wessex League next season though (ah, more tongues wagging I suspect!…andy).

He said, “Hamworthy won the league last year and if they really wanted to go up they would have gone up then.”

The experience of Pike of course takes him back to 1992 when he and Nick Jennings guided Wimborne Town to FA Vase glory on a memorable April afternoon at Wembley Stadium, a day Moore remembers well.

“That was a brilliant day,” said Moore.

“I remember saying then that it wouldn’t be long before another Wessex League side wins it, and I think this season Winchester City will go all the way.

“It would be nice for another side to win, just to shut Alex up. He’s lived on that for years. You’ve only got to mention the Vase and his name’s in the papers.

“But fair play to him, because not many people have achieved that and he has. The only thing I would question on that is that if you look at all the teams that have won the Vase in the past ten years or so, look where they are now, and then look where Wimborne are.

“Wimborne have stayed still and everyone else has progressed. You’ve got to ask, why is that?”

The next chapter in the footballing career of Pete Moore has got under way at Hurn Bridge, and no doubt more stories will unfold in the coming months involving the outspoken boss, but before I concluded this interview I threw a few quickfire questions to Moore, and here’s the answers:

Andy: Name your first five England players on the team sheet?

Pete: Campbell, Terry, Bridge, Beckham, Rooney

Andy: Who would be your England goalkeeper?

Pete: That’s a difficult one, but I would go for Paul Robinson

Andy: Can England emulate the rugby feel-good factor and win Euro 2004?

Pete: Yes, and it would be nice if it was an England v France final

Andy: The final questions are a series of two choices. Which do you prefer, Cameron Diaz or Kylie Minogue?

Pete: Kylie Minogue

Andy: Al Pacino or Roger Moore?

Pete: Al Pacino

Andy: Kevin Keegan or Roy Keane?

Pete: Roy Keane

Andy: Later with Jools Holland or Pop Idle?

Pete: Pop Idle

Andy: Fish and Chips or Lamb Madras?

Pete: Lamb Madras

Andy: Jonathan Ross or Graham Norton?

Pete: Jonathan Ross