Cliff Moyo Explained

Cliff Moyo
Birth Date:6 April 1993
Birth Place:Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Height:[1]
Position:Defender
Currentclub:Kidderminster Harriers
Clubnumber:20
Youthyears1:2005–2007
Youthclubs1:Duffield Dynamos
Youthyears2:2007–?
Youthclubs2:Milton Express
Youthclubs3:Stone Dominoes
Years1:2011–2013
Clubs1:Barrow
Caps1:10
Goals1:0
Years2:2011
Clubs2:Northwich Victoria (loan)
Years3:2012
Clubs3:Droylsden (loan)
Caps3:10
Goals3:0
Years4:2012
Clubs4:Droylsden (loan)
Caps4:8
Goals4:0
Years5:2014
Clubs5:Witton Albion
Years6:2014–2015
Clubs6:Trafford
Caps6:7
Goals6:1
Years7:2015
Clubs7:Nantwich Town
Caps7:4
Goals7:0
Years8:2015–2016
Clubs8:Alfreton Town
Caps8:34
Goals8:0
Years9:2016–2018
Clubs9:FC Halifax Town
Caps9:47
Goals9:1
Years10:2018–2019
Clubs10:Guiseley
Caps10:6
Goals10:1
Years11:2019–2022
Clubs11:Kidderminster Harriers
Caps11:34
Goals11:2
Nationalyears1:2018
Nationalteam1:Zimbabwe
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Club-Update:17:42, 24 May 2018 (UTC)
Ntupdate:18:42, 21 March 2018 (UTC)

Cliff Moyo (born 6 April 1993) is a former Zimbabwean international footballer who last played for Kidderminster Harriers as a defender.

Early life

Moyo was born in Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. His father Olbern was a musician and eventually settled in England with Moyo's mother. Moyo chose to remain in Zimbabwe with his grandparents where he attended Robert Tredgold Primary School.[2] In 2002, at age nine, he moved to England to live with his parents in Stoke-on-Trent.[3] [4]

Club career

After moving to England, Moyo began playing football at the age of thirteen for local youth club Duffield Dynamos and later played for Milton Express and Stone Dominoes in the Stoke area, also spending time on trial with Stoke City.[2] He was chosen to represent the Staffordshire County team at the age of sixteen.[2] [3] He joined Barrow at the age of eighteen, signing a one-year deal, and began studying a sports science degree at Staffordshire University alongside playing football.[3] [5] His university commitments would eventually lead to his departure from Barrow in 2013 as he decided to take a three-year break from the game after struggling to make the three hour journey from his home for training and matches due to his studies.[6] [7]

Following his release from Barrow, he spent short spells with local sides Witton Albion, Trafford and Nantwich Town during his break.[8] [9] Following his graduation from university, Moyo joined Alfreton Town after featuring for the side in pre-season matches.[1] He spent one season at the club before joining FC Halifax Town in 2016. His departure from Alfreton drew criticism from manager Nicky Law who claimed that Moyo had verbally agreed to sign a new deal with the club and that the player did not inform him of the move.[10] In his first season with Halifax, he helped the club win promotion to the National League.[4] Moyo later moved on to play for Guiseley.

On 4 June 2019, Cliff Moyo signed for former Football League club Kidderminster Harriers.

On 12 July 2022, Moyo decided to step away from football to spend time with his family.[11]

International career

After playing for Staffordshire, he was called up to the England under-18 team.[4]

Moyo was called up by the Zimbabwe national team for the first time in March 2018.[12] He made his debut in the semi-final of the 2018 Four Nations Tournament, during a penalty shootout defeat against hosts Zambia on 21 March 2018.[13]

In May 2018 he was called up to the Matabeleland football team for the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup.[14] However he did not travel with the final squad.

Notes and References

  1. News: Cliff Moyo becomes Alfreton Town's sixth summer signing . Ripley and Heanor News . 15 July 2015 . 22 March 2018.
  2. Web site: Teenager makes England breakthrough . New Zimbabwe . 12 April 2011 . 21 March 2018 . 22 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180322081544/http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-4896-Teenager+makes+England+breakthrough/news.aspx . dead .
  3. News: FC Halifax Town: How Cliff Moyo went from Zimbabwe to The Shay . Halifax Courier . 5 August 2016 . 21 March 2018.
  4. News: Cliff Moyo signs contract extension with FC Halifax Town . The Telegraph and Argus . Kelly Gilchrist . 22 June 2017 . 21 March 2018.
  5. Web site: Barrow sign defenders Kelvin Lomax and Cliff Moyo . BBC Sport . 15 August 2011 . 21 March 2018.
  6. Web site: Shaymen bring in Moyo . National League . Steve Whitney . 22 March 2018.
  7. News: Moyo departs Barrow AFC over college commitments . North West Evening Mail . 21 March 2018.
  8. Web site: Cliff Moyo . Nantwich Town F.C. . 21 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180322081940/http://www.nantwichtownfc.co.uk/cliff-moyo/ . 22 March 2018 . dead .
  9. Web site: Nantwich Town sign defender Cliff Moyo from Trafford FC . Nantwich News . 20 January 2015 . 21 March 2018.
  10. News: FC Halifax Town: Alfreton boss unhappy at manner of Moyo's exit . Halifax Courier . 30 June 2016 . 22 March 2018.
  11. News: Former Kidderminster Harriers' defender Cliff Moyo off on a new adventure . Worcester News. 12 July 2022 . 12 July 2022.
  12. Web site: Alec Mudimu: Cefn Druids midfielder's Zimbabwe call-up. 15 March 2018. 16 March 2018. Aled Williams. BBC Sport.
  13. Web site: Result: Zambia vs Zimbabwe. 21 March 2018. 21 March 2018. Soccer 24.
  14. 997075650107330560. JustinWalley10. We are absolutely delighted to announce that Zimbabwean international and former England Schoolboys Under-18s inter… . 17 May 2018.