As the new SCEFL season kicked off over the weekend, it’s been met with the sad news of the passing of John Moules, the Vice Chairman of the League.

John “enjoyed” an illustrious career refereeing career and was a National List Referee between 1979 to 1994 until he unfortunately retired early due to injury. What proved to be his final topflight middle came in April 1983 at St Andrews where Norwich City beat Birmingham City 4-0. After retiring, John joined the Football Conference in 1994 became Chief Executive until 2007. 

He was Vice Chair of the Kent County Football League and became General Secretary of the Kent Invicta League when it formed in 2011. When the league merged with the Southern Counties East Football League, he was elected Vice Chair of the newly formed League. 

Since then, his focus aside from helping and supporting anyone who asked him, he kept his interest and responsibilities around ground grading and discipline issues, that he kept going forward with despite failing health! 

Away from football, John had been ill for a number of months, but remained very positive throughout, fighting hard to get better. Sadly, this weekend, it was a fight that he lost! 

In a moving tribute posted on Sunday afternoon, the SCEFL website, Denise Richmond the League (and Kent FA) chair said, “John will be very much missed by everyone in the league. He was still an active member of the Board of Directors of the League, as well as supporting Clubs and the league with Ground-grading, discipline and respect until a few weeks ago… 

Personally, John has given me so much support over the past few years of our working together, football in this region has benefitted so much from his dedication and hard work and is poorer for his passing.” 

KSN Chief Football writer Mike Green added his own tribute. “I first met John when I was secretary of Thamesmead Town. I remember enjoying a very entertaining lunch with him near his home – it was two hours that opened my eyes to football administration. It was also the start of a great friendship which sadly only seemed to come together at various Cup Finals we both attended around the county. Even through his own illness, he was always there for me during the personal struggles that I’ve had in recent years – he was only ever a social media message away, and just reading his words hearing his voice whilst doing so was such a release! 

“Kent football todays says goodbye to a wonderful man and one that I was honoured to call my friend! RIP John!”