Motherwell new face Moult driven by tragedy
INSPIRATION can be found in the darkest of places. It is a theory that Louis Moult, Motherwell’s new striker, can testify to as one of the most traumatic periods of his life still serves as motivation on a path of selfbetterment and success.
Eight years ago, the then 15-yearold’s life was plunged into despair when his mum, Victoria, succumbed to alcoholism and passed away suddenly. It was a nightmare that shook his life and could have seen a promising career in football crumble away from the Stoke City trainee.
Instead, the memory of his beloved mum is one of the many reasons that Moult has been determined to succeed. It is this drive that brought him to Lanarkshire on a three-year deal a matter of days ago following a goalladen spell at Wrexham.
“It’s unusual for someone so young but I’m quite experienced as a person and I think football experiences and life experiences made me grow up really quickly,” said the articulate Englishman. “My mum passed away when I was 15 so that was tough at the time. It still is, but it makes you grow as a person. It makes you go one way or another and thankfully I’ve gone the right way. It’s made me stronger.
“It was more my dad that took me to games but she was really supportive. She had great love for me, as I did for her. It was unfortunate what happened but you can’t dwell on things.
“It’s always going to be in the back of my mind but it’s made me a stronger person who is really driven. It makes me want to improve.
“She suffered from alcoholism. I think she went through a little bit of a rough time when I was young. I think her lung collapsed, basically. I want to make her proud and the rest of my family proud, too.”
Having at one stage dropped out of full-time football after signing for Nuneaton Town, Moult sought to back up his experience with something more long-term in case his playing career was to fall short. At the age of just 23 he already has his B Licence in coaching.
“I was coaching when I went parttime at Nuneaton. I had a little panic when I thought ‘I need to get something behind me for the future’,” said Moult, who played six minutes of Barclays Premier League football at the age of 17 for Stoke.
“I ended up approaching Stoke City to become a part-time coach. I did it on a Monday and a Wednesday and at the weekends whenever I could fit it around football. I worked with the young lads which was fantastic.
“I have passed my B Licence but obviously I don’t want to go into it too young. I want to still be playing. But when I hang my boots up, if I can have my qualifications and everything ready then that will be great.”