Whatever happened to Peterborough United’s local lads apart from winning the FA Cup, signing for Manchester United and Arsenal, and becoming a coach at Manchester City?
There is nothing more satisfying than seeing Peterborough lads play for Peterborough United.
By Alan Swann
Published 14th May 2020, 07:29 BST
Updated 14th May 2020, 13:05 BST
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.”
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.
5.
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. Photo: Midlands
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
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
TREVOR SLACK: This commanding centre-half was a student at Stanground School. Slack won an England youth cap before turning pro with Posh aged 17 in 1980. Days later he made his Football League debut on the opening day of the season at Lincoln City. He kept his place in the side and helped Posh reach the FA Cup fifth round where they lost at home to Manchester City. Slack was good enough to share the Posh player-of-the-season award for 1982-83 with club star Micky Gynn. After 239 appearances for his hometown club, Slack went on to represent a handful of other lower division clubs with distinction before linking up with his old Posh boss Peter Morris at Kettering. Photo: Midlands