Paul Moulden


Paul Anthony Joseph Moulden is an English former footballer who played as a striker for Manchester City, A.F.C. Bournemouth, Oldham Athletic, Molde, Brighton & Hove Albion, Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town and Rochdale.

Playing career

Moulden was born in Farnworth, near Bolton, Lancashire. and attended Thornleigh Salesian School in Bolton As a youth he entered the Guinness Book of Records by scoring 340 goals in a single season for Bolton Lads Club under-15s. He subsequently joined Manchester City, where he was a part of the team which won the 1986 FA Youth Cup. He made his first team debut on 1 January 1986 against Aston Villa aged 18. He made only two further first team appearances that season, both as substitute, but finished the season as top scorer for the reserve team. His first extended run in the first team came in late 1986, and he scored his first goals for the club in a 3–1 win over Aston Villa on 8 November. A broken leg restricted him to three starts in the 1987–88 season. The following season Moulden started the majority of matches, finishing the season as top scorer with 13 goals in 36 league appearances as Manchester City gained promotion to the First Division. However, in the close season he was sold to A.F.C. Bournemouth as a makeweight in the deal which took Ian Bishop to Maine Road.
Moulden spent just seven months on the south coast, scoring 13 goals in 37 starts for the Cherries, before moving to Oldham Athletic on transfer deadline day. At Oldham he struggled with injuries, starting 19 matches in three years. In 1992, Moulden had loan spells at Norwegian club Molde and Brighton & Hove Albion. He then had short spells with a succession of clubs, playing for Birmingham City, Huddersfield and Rochdale before dropping out of League football in 1996.
After retiring from full-time football, he opened a fish and chip shop and played non-league football for Accrington Stanley and Bacup Borough. He went on to coach juniors at his old boys' club and at Manchester City's academy.