Ronnie Moore

In 1985, Ronnie Moore was just a pro coming to the end of his career. He’d spent much of that career at Tranmere and Rotherham but had moved to Charlton to see out his playing days. After Colin Murphy left in the summer of 1985, Moore wanted his chance to manage, and he applied for the job at City.

He was interviewed and didn’t get it, but in a move that embarrassed the club, the news broke before they appointed a new boss. John Reames later admitted they ‘dallied’ that summer, and Pickering didn’t last six months.

As for Moore, he kept playing with Rochdale and Tranmere. He was part of the Tranmere side that avoided relegation from the Football League in 1987 and stepped up to the role of assistant for nine years. He got his first break as a boss at Southport and later took Rotherham from the Fourth Division to the Second in consecutive seasons. He also had spells with Oldham, Tranmere and Eastleigh, but was sacked by Tranmere in a betting-related incident.