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

Cliff Moyo
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-04-06) 6 April 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
Kidderminster Harriers
Number 20
Youth career
2005–2007 Duffield Dynamos
2007–? Milton Express
Stone Dominoes
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2013 Barrow 10 (0)
2011Northwich Victoria (loan)
2012Droylsden (loan) 10 (0)
2012Droylsden (loan) 8 (0)
2014 Witton Albion
2014–2015 Trafford 7 (1)
2015 Nantwich Town 4 (0)
2015–2016 Alfreton Town 34 (0)
2016–2018 FC Halifax Town 47 (1)
2018–2019 Guiseley 6 (1)
2019–2022 Kidderminster Harriers 34 (2)
International career
2018 Zimbabwe 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:42, 24 May 2018 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:42, 21 March 2018 (UTC)

Early life

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Moyo was born in Bulawayo in Zimbabwe.[2] 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.[3] In 2002, at age nine, he moved to England to live with his parents in Stoke-on-Trent.[4][5]

Club career

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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.[3] He was chosen to represent the Staffordshire County team at the age of sixteen.[3][4] 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.[4][6] 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.[7][8]

Following his release from Barrow, he spent short spells with local sides Witton Albion, Trafford and Nantwich Town during his break.[9][10] 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.[11] In his first season with Halifax, he helped the club win promotion to the National League.[5] 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.[12]

International career

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After playing for Staffordshire, he was called up to the England under-18 team.[5]

Moyo was called up by the Zimbabwe national team for the first time in March 2018.[13] 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.[14]

In May 2018 he was called up to the Matabeleland football team for the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup.[15] However he did not travel with the final squad.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Cliff Moyo becomes Alfreton Town's sixth summer signing". Ripley and Heanor News. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  2. ^ Cliff Moyo at Soccerway. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Teenager makes England breakthrough". New Zimbabwe. 12 April 2011. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  4. ^ a b c "FC Halifax Town: How Cliff Moyo went from Zimbabwe to The Shay". Halifax Courier. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  5. ^ a b c Kelly Gilchrist (22 June 2017). "Cliff Moyo signs contract extension with FC Halifax Town". The Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Barrow sign defenders Kelvin Lomax and Cliff Moyo". BBC Sport. 15 August 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  7. ^ Steve Whitney. "Shaymen bring in Moyo". National League. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  8. ^ "Moyo departs Barrow AFC over college commitments". North West Evening Mail. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Cliff Moyo". Nantwich Town F.C. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  10. ^ "Nantwich Town sign defender Cliff Moyo from Trafford FC". Nantwich News. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  11. ^ "FC Halifax Town: Alfreton boss unhappy at manner of Moyo's exit". Halifax Courier. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  12. ^ "Former Kidderminster Harriers' defender Cliff Moyo off on a new adventure". Worcester News. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  13. ^ Aled Williams (15 March 2018). "Alec Mudimu: Cefn Druids midfielder's Zimbabwe call-up". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  14. ^ "Result: Zambia vs Zimbabwe". Soccer 24. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  15. ^ @JustinWalley10 (17 May 2018). "We are absolutely delighted to announce that Zimbabwean international and former England Schoolboys Under-18s inter…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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