David Moyes
Hard defender, inspirational manager
| Full name: | David William Moyes |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | April 25, 1963 |
| Clubs played for: | Celtic, Cambridge, Bristol City, Shrewsbury, Dunfermline, Hamilton |
| Clubs managed: | Preston, Everton |
Club Career
David Moyes played more than 500 league games in England and Scotland after making his debut for Celtic in 1980. He made just 24 appearances in three years at Parkhead before moving south for spells with Cambridge, Bristol City and Shrewsbury.
He returned to Scotland with Dunfermline in 1990, spending three years there and then playing briefly for Hamilton. In 1993, he returned to England to sign for Preston where he played the remaining five years of his career, before becoming the club's manager in 1998.
Club Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980–1983 | Celtic | 40 | 0 |
| 1983–1985 | Cambridge | 79 | 1 |
| 1985–1987 | Bristol City | 83 | 6 |
| 1987–1990 | Shrewsbury | 96 | 11 |
| 1990–1993 | Dunfermline | 105 | 13 |
| 1993 | Hamilton | 5 | 0 |
| 1993–2002 | Preston | 143 | 15 |
Managerial Career
Moyes was just 34 when he took charge of Preston in January 1998, but in only four years he took the club from the relegation zone to the fringes of the Premier League. Having won the Second Division title in 1999-2000, he guided Preston to the play-off final the following year, losing out to Bolton at the Millennium Stadium. He left Deepdale in March 2002 to become manager of Everton.
Key Games
Preston 3-2 Milwall (Second Division, April 29, 2000)
Preston celebrated their Second Division title success in style as Deepdale staged an end of season knees-up. The game was all over as a contest by half-time thanks to goals from David Eyres, Michael Jackson and Brett Angel. Perhaps not surprisingly, with the players and fans in party mood, they allowed the visitors back into the game after the break and Millwall pulled two goals back though Paul Ifill and Lucas Neill. Preston held on to win, however, ensuring the champagne did not go flat.
Preston 0-3 Bolton (First Division play-off final, May 28, 2001)
Just a year after winning promotion from the Second Division, Preston were just one match away from the Premier League. Having finished fourth in the table, the Lilywhites beat Birmingham in the semi-finals to set up a final clash with Bolton, who had ended the season one place and nine points above Preston. They had also beaten Preston twice during the regular season, but Moyes' team were unable to make it third time lucky as Bolton's extra experience at the higher level was brought to bear in a 3-0 win with goals from Gareth Farrelly, Michael Ricketts and Ricardo Gardner.
Everton 1-0 Manchester United (Premier League, April 20, 2005)
David Moyes claimed his first ever victory over his managerial mentor, Sir Alex Ferguson, as Everton took a giant stride towards Champions League qualification. Duncan Ferguson's solitary goal was enough to beat United, who were down to nine men by the end following red cards for Gary Neville and Paul Scholes, and Everton confirmed their berth in Europe's top competition with a 2-0 win over Newcastle a fortnight later.
Honours
| Club | Competition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Celtic | Scottish League Championship | 1981–82 |
| Preston (as manager) | Second Division Championship | 1999-2000 |
Did You Know...?
Moyes has been named League Managers Association Manager of the Year on three occasions – in 2003, 2005 and 2009. He was the first man to win the award three times.
The Scot was already preparing for a career in management during his playing days, taking his coaching badges at the age of 22.
Moyes sued Wayne Rooney for libel after claims in the striker's autobiography that his former Everton boss had forced him out of the club. The pair settled out of court after Rooney apologised and agreed to pay damages. Moyes donated the money to the Everton Former Players' Foundation.
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