Tara Murray
Henry “Harry” Moakes OAM quickly made his mark in the St Albans community after arriving in the country from Malta in 1955.
He was only in the country a month when he formed a soccer team which was registered the following year under the banner of Ajax Soccer Club.
The club would later change its name to Green Gully Soccer Club.
It was fitting that the club would be the location for the final farewell for Mr Moakes, who died on July 7, aged 91.
Mr Moakes’ daughter, Sandra Bradbury, said her father just wanted to help as many people as he could despite having a tough childhood and debilitating illnesses which left him unable to drive among other things.
“He has really humble beginnings given up during the Second World War, in and out of bomb shelters trying to keep safe,” she said.
“He came from a background of wanting to help people and that was his main goal. He would say he was never clever or never rich, but what he could give you, he would give you.
“He had a lot of compassion and didn’t want people to be alone.”
As well as founding the soccer club, Mr Moakes also founded the St Albans Ethnic Association and the Floriana Senior Citizens Association. Both associations raised money for charities.
He was involved in the Combined Pensioners Association for 30 years.
Ms Bradbury said her father was so loving and thought anything that his kids and grandkids did was just great.
“He loved his grandchildren and his children,” she said.
“He was a generous man. He was really honest and wore his heart on his sleeve.”
Mr Moakes was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 1996 for his service to the communityt hrough Green Gully Soccer Club, the St Albans Ethnic Association and organisations assisting the aged.
Ms Bradbury said the soccer club was one of his great loves.
“He landed in 1955 and within a month, he founded the soccer club,” she said.
“A couple of his nephew, who he coached in Malta, asked him to coach them and their friends.
“They played a few friendly matches and formally registered the next year. The club grew from there.”
Green Gully operations manager Ray Mamo said it was only because of people like Mr Moakes that the club is where it is today.
“His dream and vision to dream up a football club is amazing. They didn’t have anything to wear so Mrs Moakes had the first strip hand sewn.”
Mr Moakes coached the club for five years and was president of the club in 1957.
He resigned from the committee in 1964 due to family commitments, but would remain involved for a long time.
Mr Mamo said Mr Moakes was remained involved with the club until recently.
“He had a lot of stories to tell,” he said.
“Only once COVID-19 hit in 2020 when we had to isolate and stop going to games. Before that he was at every single home game.
“A lot of the old members still called him coach.”
