We’ve had many Posh greats come through the club’s Academy set-up like current youth team bossess Simon Davies and Matthew Etherington, but they were born in Wales and Cornwall respectively.
Here we are remembering those players who were born in the Peterborough Telegraph circulation area and who went on to play for their local professional club.
One went on to win an FA Cup winners medal, another moved to Manchester United for £500k after just two Posh appearances and another was snapped up by Arsenal after a handful of games for his hometown club.
Others had more modest careers in the lower divisions, but still proudly put Peterborough on the map.
We’ve listed our top 10 in no particular order and, thanks to the brilliant recall ability of our readers listed a whole bunch of other local boys who played for Posh.
Famous Posh fan TalkSPORT host Adrian Durham said: “Micky Gynn was the most successful, but Mark Heeley was the most talented local boy to play for Posh.”
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MICKY GYNN: Surely the greatest homegrown Posh player of them all? Gynn went to primary school at St Mark’s on Gladstone Street where a classmate was Trevor Quow who also went on to play for Posh. He moved to Whittlesey aged 11 and was offered a Posh apprenticeship as soon as he left school. He made his first-team debut aged 18 in the 1978-79 side relegated from Division Three, but soon became a classy, speedy midfield star of some of Peter Morris’s entertaining Posh sides. After a 21-goal season in 1982-83 Gynn was sold to Coventry for a mere £60k and among close to 300 appearances for the Sky Blues was an FA Cup Final win over Spurs at Wembley in 1987. Photo: Midlands
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DAVID GREGORY: This striker’s rise from park football to playing for Posh was the stuff of dreams. Gregory (22) was playing local football for Peterborough Rovers, Chatteris Town and Marshalls when manager Noel Cantwell signed him for Posh on a one-year deal in 1973. Gregory started just three games in the 1973-74 Fourth Division title season, but came to the fore in Division Three, top-scoring in the 1975-76 campaign with 17 goals, form that earned him a place in the PFA team of the year.Gregory was signed by Stoke City for a then Posh record of £55k in 1977, but after a short spell in the Potteries and just one goal he became Bury’s record signing before moving onto Wrexham and Pompey and then back to Posh where he ended his Football League career. Photo: Midlands
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MARK HEELEY: This gifted winger was raised in Stanground and was so good he was signed by Arsenal for a staggering £50k after just 12 starts for Posh. Heeley made his Posh debut as a substitute for Tommy Robson aged 16 on the final day of the 1975-76 season. The following season he scored his first Posh goals and much was expected of Heeley in the 1977-78 campaign, but when named as a sub for the opening match he refused to play leading to a suspension. Heeley openly admitted he was considering retirement at the age of 18, but Arsenal shocked us all by taking him on loan and then signing him permanently. He made 15 appearances for the Gunners alongside the likes of Liam Brady and Alan Hudson, but, after a brief spell at Northampton, Heeley retired aged 23! Photo: Midlands
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TREVOR QUOW: Terrible luck with injuries stopped this midfielder enjoying an even more productive playing career. One of several young players to come through the ranks in the late 1970s, Quow made his debut for Posh aged 17 in a game against Sheffield Wednesday on the first day of the 1978-79 season. Quow broke his leg later that season and broke it again in 1981 after carving out a reputation as a fine attacking player. Quow’s reputation was so strong he was named in the PFA Division Four rep team for the 1983-84 season despite starting just 24 matches. John Wile released Quow in 1986 and he went on to play well for Gillingham and Northampton before going to play in Hong Kong. Quow served as kitman during Steve Evans’ tenure as Posh manager. Photo: Midlands
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LUKE STEELE: This Arthur Mellows Village College, Glinton student progressed through the ranks at London Road, but after two first-team appearances in goal for Posh the 18 year-old was a Manchester United player. Sir Alex Ferguson paid £500k for the rookie and although he never played for United’s first team he went on to play for several good clubs in a career of over 375 appearances. Steele’s now at Forest. He made his two Posh starts late in the 2001-02 season, debuting in a 2-2 draw at Reading. | Johnston Press Photo: Midlands
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ANDY ROGERS: This dashing winger enjoyed his best professional moments after he’d left Posh. Rogers was plucked from his hometown club Chatteris by Posh boss Noel Cantwell in 1975, but never held down a regular place and was released three years later after one goal in 32 appearances. Rogers dropped back into non-league football before he suddenly returned to the big-time, firstly with Southampton (five sub appearances) and then with Plymouth and Reading. Rogers scored a winning goal direct from a corner in an FA Cup quarter-final for Third Division Plymouth against Derby in 1984 and played in the semi-final defeat to Watford. He won a Third Division Championship medal with Reading in the 1985-86 season . Photo: Midlands
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STEVE COLLINS: Another local lad to emerge in the late 1970s, Collins was a committed and consistent left-back in two spells with Posh. It took a while for Collins to break into the first-team and after appearing in every Division Four game in the 1982-83 season he was promptly sold to Southend for a small fee. Collins also appeared briefly for Lincoln City before returning to Posh on a free transfer in 1985. His all-action style earned him the endearing nickname of ‘Psycho’ from Posh fans and his career wasn’t without incident. In 1987 Posh physio Bill Harvey saved Collins’ life after the full-back had swallowed his tongue following a collision in a game against Northampton at London Road. Collins finished his playing days at hometown club Stamford. Photo: Midlands
1.
MICKY GYNN: Surely the greatest homegrown Posh player of them all? Gynn went to primary school at St Mark’s on Gladstone Street where a classmate was Trevor Quow who also went on to play for Posh. He moved to Whittlesey aged 11 and was offered a Posh apprenticeship as soon as he left school. He made his first-team debut aged 18 in the 1978-79 side relegated from Division Three, but soon became a classy, speedy midfield star of some of Peter Morris’s entertaining Posh sides. After a 21-goal season in 1982-83 Gynn was sold to Coventry for a mere £60k and among close to 300 appearances for the Sky Blues was an FA Cup Final win over Spurs at Wembley in 1987. Photo: Midlands
2.
DAVID GREGORY: This striker’s rise from park football to playing for Posh was the stuff of dreams. Gregory (22) was playing local football for Peterborough Rovers, Chatteris Town and Marshalls when manager Noel Cantwell signed him for Posh on a one-year deal in 1973. Gregory started just three games in the 1973-74 Fourth Division title season, but came to the fore in Division Three, top-scoring in the 1975-76 campaign with 17 goals, form that earned him a place in the PFA team of the year.Gregory was signed by Stoke City for a then Posh record of £55k in 1977, but after a short spell in the Potteries and just one goal he became Bury’s record signing before moving onto Wrexham and Pompey and then back to Posh where he ended his Football League career. Photo: Midlands
3.
MARK HEELEY: This gifted winger was raised in Stanground and was so good he was signed by Arsenal for a staggering £50k after just 12 starts for Posh. Heeley made his Posh debut as a substitute for Tommy Robson aged 16 on the final day of the 1975-76 season. The following season he scored his first Posh goals and much was expected of Heeley in the 1977-78 campaign, but when named as a sub for the opening match he refused to play leading to a suspension. Heeley openly admitted he was considering retirement at the age of 18, but Arsenal shocked us all by taking him on loan and then signing him permanently. He made 15 appearances for the Gunners alongside the likes of Liam Brady and Alan Hudson, but, after a brief spell at Northampton, Heeley retired aged 23! Photo: Midlands
4.
TREVOR QUOW: Terrible luck with injuries stopped this midfielder enjoying an even more productive playing career. One of several young players to come through the ranks in the late 1970s, Quow made his debut for Posh aged 17 in a game against Sheffield Wednesday on the first day of the 1978-79 season. Quow broke his leg later that season and broke it again in 1981 after carving out a reputation as a fine attacking player. Quow’s reputation was so strong he was named in the PFA Division Four rep team for the 1983-84 season despite starting just 24 matches. John Wile released Quow in 1986 and he went on to play well for Gillingham and Northampton before going to play in Hong Kong. Quow served as kitman during Steve Evans’ tenure as Posh manager. Photo: Midlands