Mick Pamment was without doubt one of the best players in Emley’s history, our record goal scorer, but he was also an important person in the development of the Club through the seventies, eighties and into the nineties.
Mick was born in Huddersfield in 1945 and made a name for himself playing for Kirkburton as a junior scoring over 100 goals in each of the 1960-61 and 61-62 seasons in the Red Triangle league. He played for Huddersfield schools and the league representative side. This brought him to the attention of professional clubs and the England youth selectors. In March 1963 he earned a cap for the England youth team against Wales, and signed on amateur terms with Bradford City, playing a league match against Torquay United.
Though it didn’t work out for him at Bradford, Mick returned to local football, playing for Kirkburton and joining Emley for the 1965-66 season. There he found his home, scoring an amazing 56 goals i n 33 games in his first season in a team that was to go on and dominate the Huddersfield League, wining it 4 seasons in succession, hardly dropping a point in that time.
For the 1968-69 season Emley entered the FA Amateur Cup for the first time and had an incredible run for a team that was still playing local football. In getting to the third round (last 16) Mick scored 9 goals, including the all-important winner against Dulwich Hamlet.
Barking proved too strong for Emley but the team was to go on and repeat their great run the following season. This time Emley played Dagenham, Pamment had a shot cleared off the line in the 0-0 draw at Emley, and earned himself a reputation as a hard man in the replay at Dagenham where he was booked and came in for a lot of abuse by the home supporters.
Mick was indeed a hard man on the pitch. He was known for standing on goalkeeper’s toes at corners and for the use of any trick that would gain him an advantage over his
opponents. Against both Evenwood Town and Dulwich Hamlet Mick punched the ball into the net trying to fool the ref that he’d headed it, but in both cases was caught out! However, was common in the game of the late sixties and early seventies and any decent centre-forward had to compete with defenders, who would adopt the same tactics and worse to stop them, if they were to be successful. Off the pitch Mick was affable, though he didn’t bear fools gladly!
Emley had joined the Yorkshire League in 1969-70 in the second division and with Mick leading the line they competed well, Mick scored 36 goals in 41 games and the Club won the Yorkshire League Cup and finished second in the league but were denied promotion due to a league reorganisation. Mick’s achievements with Emley had attracted the attention of higher placed clubs in the non-league game and he now decided he needed to challenge himself at a more competitive level. Mick joined Mossley for the 1970-71 season where he scored 16 goals in 40 appearances, finishing fourth in the Cheshire League – then a higher standard than it is now.
Mick moved on to Bradford (Park Avenue) in the Northern Premier League, and then Buxton back in the Cheshire League, which they won in 1972-73, Mick was the league’s leading scorer with 39 goals, and were promoted to the NPL. In October 1973 Emley were drawn against Buxton in the FA Cup 2nd qualifying round, and Mick played for Buxton, captaining the side.
Mick returned to Emley for the 1974-75 season and he was to stay committed to the Club for the rest of his life. His return gave the club a boost and after finishing fifth in his first season back Emley won their first Yorkshire League title and the Sheffield Cup the following season, Mick scored 17 goals in 41 appearances. He remained a fixture in the team, again winning the Yorkshire League in 1977-78 and the Yorkshire League Cup in the following season. Mick had taken over as the Club Coach (Manager) in November 1977 to lead the team to the title and the subsequent cup win and he was to hold on to that job until 1985 with many more successes. In 1979-80, Mick won the Yorkshire League and Sheffield Cup as player-coach. Though by now his goal-scoring proficiency had dropped off (7 goals in 42) he was still an influential player, playing deeper and providing assists for new star striker, John Wilkinson.
1980-81 was Mick’s last as a player but he led the team as the Coach to win the Sheffield Cup and the following season the Yorkshire League and Cup double. Emley now moved into the Northern Counties East Premier Division following the merger of the Yorkshire and Midland Leagues. Mick continued as Coach through a difficult few seasons as Emley got used to the higher standard of football. The Club won the Sheffield Cup again in 1983-84 and Mick continued for a further season as Coach before handing over the reigns to Gerry Quinn who was to take the Club onto even greater heights.
Mick stuck with the Club as a fan and later as a member of the Committee, stepping up as Caretaker Manager early in the 1994-95 season when Steve Codd departed and prior to the appointment of Ronnie Glavin.
Outside of football, Mick was a family man and contributed greatly to the life of Emley village. He coached the junior cricket team and was an excellent cricketer himself, playing many seasons for Lascelles Hall, probably the premier cricket club in the Huddersfield area. His son James was also a fine cricketer, playing professionally in New Zealand.
Mick died on 16th July 2006, aged 61. He was one of the most successful and influential people in Emley’s history and without him it is unlikely the Club would have achieved everything it has nor been the club it is today. At Emley, he won 4 Huddersfield League titles, 4 Yorkshire League titles (one as player-coach and 1 as coach), 3 Yorkshire League Cups (one as player-coach and 1 as coach) and 4 Sheffield Cups (1 as player-coach and 2 as coach). He made 424 appearances for Emley, scoring a Club record 305 goals. He is fondly remembered by all of us who supported the Club through his time with us.
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