The secrets behind Peterborough United's club record winning streak

Steve Welsh is in the middle of the back row with his arms raised as Posh celebrate their success in the Third Division play-off final at Wembley in 1992.

That’s the opinion of former Posh centre-back Steve Welsh who played in every game in the best winning run in the club’s Football League history.

From February, 1, 1992 to March 14, 1992 Posh played nine Third Division games and won the lot. It was an historic season that ended with victory in a play-off final at Wembley (it was a first Posh appearance at the national stadium), a second successive promotion and a place in the second tier of English football for the first time in the club’s history.

“We’d been on a bit of a sketchy run,” Welsh, the head of coaching at Doncaster Academy, recalled. “We were transitioning from players like Peter Costello, Pat Gavin and David Riley to Tony Adcock and Bobby Barnes.

Key players in a 9-game Posh winning streak Tony Adcock (right) and Bobby Barnes (centre) with club mascot Marc Tracy.

"But what we always had, and what the gaffer Chris Turner swore by, was a defence that could keep clean sheets.

"It didn’t happen by accident either. Every Thursday morning the back four of me, Dave Robinson, Noel Luke and Ronnie Robinson would be drilled to death by Chris.

"The back four used to play against a full youth team and we had to stop them getting into the penalty area and scoring. They weren’t allowed to shoot from outside.

"It was repetitive and it was bloody hard work as it was non-stop for 20 minutes or so, but we reaped the benefits on the field.

Gary Cooper scored three goals for Posh in the 9-game winning streak.

"We knew if we kept clean sheets we had the quality to score a goal with Adcock, Ken Charlery, Barnes, Riley and Worrell Sterling.

"I remember winning against Fulham at Craven Cottage towards the start of that run and we just kept going. Confidence inevitably grew and once we got going Chris cleverly just concentrated on keeping things ticking over rather than pushing us too hard.

"He knew he’d built a good side and he had us playing in a simple yet effective style that the whole team just bought into.

"We were so relaxed and so confident. I remember sitting in a jacuzzi next to Noel Luke at the old Swallow Hotel and saying ‘this is the life’ and Noel said ‘enjoy it as these times don’t come around very often,’ and he was right.

"I doubt a team will win nine games in a row in League One these days. Teams are much better prepared with the video analysis and stuff.

"I wish Posh all the best though. It would be an achievement to finish above some of the big teams in League One.”

THE RUN

(H) Reading 5-3 (Halsall 2, Kimble, Charlery, og).

(A) Hartlepool 1-0 (Charlery).

(H) Stockport 3-2 (Adcock 2, G. Cooper, pen).

(A) Fulham 1-0 (Adcock).

(H) Bolton 1-0 (Adcock).

(H) Huddersfield 2-0 (Riley, Barnes).

(A) Bournemouth 2-1 (Barnes, Riley)

(A) Chester 4-2 (G. Cooper 2, 1 pen, Adcock, Barnes).

(H) Shrewsbury 1-0 (Halsall).

Posh were 10th at the start of the winning streak and third when it finished. They eventually finished sixth before winning the play-offs.