GARY'S BIG HEART WAS SO TRUE TO LILYWHITES

TRIBUTES have been paid to Gary Pierce, the goalkeeper who began and ended an illustrious playing career at Step 4 Mossley AFC, who died aged 74 after battling prostate cancer.

- By Tony Bugby

And Lilywhites’ legend Jimmy O’Connor, who brought Pierce back to Seel Park in 1986 at the end of his professional career, has been speaking about the loss of his friend who played for Huddersfield Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Barnsley and Blackpool.

O’Connor, who was Mossley player-manager, said: “Gary was not only a tremendous keeper but a great lad. He was always joking and was the life and soul of the party.

“I knew Gary before I signed him as we both lived in Bury, and in recent times we have met up at reunions of former players at Mossley though, sadly, he wasn’t well enough to attend the last one.”

Of the many clubs which Pierce was associated with, Mossley was the one closest to his heart as he often said he owed a lot to them because that is where he got his big break.

The highlight of Pierce’s career was winning the League Cup in 1974 when Wolves beat Manchester City, and he was named man-of-the-match.