Local lad Watty Moore made his debut for Pools as a centre forward in 1948, shortly after Fred Richardson's transfer to Chelsea, and scored in a 2-2 draw with Wrexham. Despite this impressive goalscoring start, it would be at centre half where Moore made the vast majority of his club record 472 appearances for the club. After getting his chance on New Year's Eve 1949, Moore hardly missed a game in the next decade and he captained the side during the successful period in the mid-50s.