‘Moneyfields is the only club I’d have left US Portsmouth for’ – Lee Mould on ‘going home’ to Dover Road

The 44-year-old - a prolific scorer for the club in the first few years of the 21st century - has been officially appointed Moneys reserve team boss for 2021/22.

It was hardly a shock announcement - Glenn Turnbull last week revealed he would be taking Mould with him when he leaves US at the end of May to make his own Dover Road return.

That news was followed by Paul O’Rielly, who has managed Moneys reserves for the past two pandemic-scarred campaigns, being relieved of his duties a few days later despite having not lost a Hampshire Premier League game during his time at the club.

Mould has been part of the US success story since Turnbull - a friend since the 1990s - asked him to help out with the reserves in 2017. After Turnbull was promoted to first team boss ahead of the 2019/20 season, Mould took on the reserve manager’s role with Simon Hayes assisting him. Hayes is also joining Moneyfields.

Under Mould, US’ second string dropped only four points in 17 Wyvern East Division games in his debut season, scoring 103 goals in the process.

Though the pandemic ended the campaign early, US were still promoted to the top flight. And when the 2020/21 season resumes next month, Mould’s side will be targeting the Hampshire Combination Premier title - they are currently top, having won five and drawn one of their six games.

They are also through to the quarter-finals of two cups - the John Stimpson Memorial and the Hampshire Combination.

‘I’m absolutely buzzing, it will be like going home,’ Mould told The News regarding his new appointment.

‘I saw (Moneys chairman) Pete Seiden and (director) Pete Shires the other day and they were talking about the development plans they’ve got, it’s really exciting.

‘I can’t wait, but I’m going to have to because I’ve still got a job to do at US.

‘I’m going to have to take off my Moneyfields cap, park that bus, and stay as professional as I can.’

Mould first joined Moneyfields as a 16-year-old in the early 1990s when the club was known as Portsmouth Civil Service and played home games at the current Roko health club site on Copnor Road.

He spent two years in the first team before moving to Southern Leaguers Waterlooville. From there, following their merger with Havant Town in 1998, Mould was one of several Ville players to decamp to Sussex Leaguers Sidlesham.

Another was Calvin Hore, who in 2001 was appointed player-manager of a club now known as Moneyfields and playing at Dover Road. Hore quickly brought in a host of ex-Ville players including Mould - ‘it was a no brainer to go back’ - Mark Stewart and Dave Milkins.

Mould became a prolific striker in his second spell at the club, setting a new record for most goals in a season which was only eclipsed when Warren Hunt bagged 35 in 2010/11.

He was to finish his Moneys career in 2006 when 86 goals in 141 first team games, spread across his two spells.

‘I did alright,’ Mould recalled. ‘I scored a few here and there. I must have averaged not far off a goal every other game.

‘That first spell was just about finding my feet, cutting my teeth in men’s football.

‘We were in the Hampshire League then. It was a high standard, you had sides like Blackfield & Langley and Whitchurch.’

When Mould returned to Portsea Island to play, he found the Wessex League was a seriously tough division.

‘I would say seven or eight sides had teams full of players who could play in the Southern League,’ he remarked.

‘The standard then was a country mile better than it is now, in terms of the strength in depth.

‘The problem we had was that Moneyfields didn’t pay any money, apart from a win bonus, and because of that we had a thin squad.

‘We were coming up against teams like Andover and Eastleigh who were spending big money. Then you had Fleet, Thatcham, Newbury - they were all pretty good.

‘Our first XI could give anyone a game, but come March and April, when the games came thick and fast, our squad would become stretched.

‘I remember one season we went into March third and finished up 10th. We never had the strength in depth.

‘Most of the sides at the top had a striker who could score 30-40 goals a season. At Andover they had strikers (Andy Forbes, Justin Bennett) who could score 60-70.’

On leaving Dover Road on 2005, Mould’s work commitments saw him drop out of the local football scene for the best part of a decade. That was ended when Turnbull offered him a route back at USP.

Mould has never lost his affection for Moneyfields.

‘Some of the people who coached the youth team I played in - Micky Gee, Pete Shires - they’re still at the club,’ he said.

‘It’s great that some of the volunteers from 30 years ago are still involved.

‘That, to me, is what makes Moneyfields unique and kind of special.

‘This is where I grew up, both as a footballer and as a person really.

‘When they came knocking at Glenn’s door, it was another no brainer when he asked me if I wanted to be part of his backroom staff.

‘We have had some good times at US over the last few years, and the only club I would have left them for is Moneyfields.

‘I understand the club, which is a big thing.

‘Being in charge of a reserve team can be a thankless task, but I know the ethos at Moneyfields and that should make things easier.

‘I’ve known Glenn for 25 years or so and a few years ago he asked me if I wanted to help him out with the reserves at US.

‘I dipped my toe back in, and fell in love with the game all over again.

‘I’d never done any coaching at another club, but now I’ve got a thirst for it.’

Mould added: ‘It’s been a real journey at US.

‘We sort of tore up the blueprint of what they had there before, and ran it as we thought a reserve team should be.

‘That’s giving minutes to first team squad players, those coming back from injury, and also bringing youngsters through.

‘We want to provide a pathway so youngsters can step up into the first team and into men’s football.

‘It will be the same at Moneyfields. If I can give Glenn three/four/five of my team he can integrate into the first team, that will be success. If that happens, you can see there is a clear pathway.

‘That is the sort of pathway there was at Moneyfields, and I was a by-product of it. I was part of that journey, and it worked. I lived it, they made me into a better player who went on to the Southern League.

‘I don’t want Glenn going out and buying players, or going to other clubs and offering money to players.

‘I want him knocking on my door asking what players have I got that are good enough to step up.

‘Moneyfields is the biggest non-league club in the city and they should be able to attract the best young players, and we want to give them that platform to deliver.’

Turnbull has already said he will look to take the cream of his USP first team squad with him to Moneyfields.

Mould has no such plans to do the same.

‘The last thing I want is a mass exodus of players from the existing (Moneyfields Reserves) team. It would be a shame if they all upped sticks and moved on,’ he remarked.

‘I do understand that players have loyalty to a manager. I think Paul O’Rielly was at Baffins before and brought most of the players to Moneyfields with him.

‘I get that, players do trust certain managers.

‘We will see how pre-season is and then we will decide what to do.’

Moneys Reserves dominated Division 1 of the Hampshire Premier League during O’Rielly’s time in charge, winning 22 and drawing two of their 24 league games.

They must now wait to see if they will be rewarded with promotion if and when the FA embark on a close-season restructure of the lower end of the non-league pyramid.

‘I don’t want to upset the apple cart,’ said Mould. ‘The (Moneyfields Reserves) team have run away with their league for the last two seasons, it would be foolish of me to try and bring my own side in.