The desk hadn’t so much as been cleared and the farewells only just completed by the time Gary Peters was planning his return to Oteley Road, writes James Garrison.
“I will be back as a supporter once they have got a few games under their belts – I don’t see that as a problem,” said the 53-year-old Cockney.
“The most important thing for me is that they win a few games and I won’t come and watch until that happens because I would still be feeling the pressure.
“But there are a lot of lovely people at Shrewsbury and I would love to come back.”
Peters’ comments came after a dramatic day at Oteley Road when first he seemed destined to survive the 4-1 reverse at Barnet, only for the curtain to come down on his reign at lunchtime.
A brief 10-minute meeting with his players – or at least those he selected for his final game in charge against Barnet – proved his final act.
There was no clear indication of what was to follow during Peters’ regular morning conversations with this newspaper.
The then manager selected his words carefully when quizzed directly over his future, and half-jokingly said: “If I’m still here,” when asked what the reserve team line-up for last night’s game with Port Vale would be.
But the now former Town boss has revealed the final decision over his departure was made only after a morning meeting with chairman Roland Wycherley.
“I was thinking there might be a Board meeting but the chairman hadn’t been talking about it and he has nobody in mind (as a replacement) at this moment,” Peters said from his Cheshire home.
“I didn’t know what my reaction would be (yesterday morning) or what the chairman’s reaction would be and I could see he was hurting and I could not let him take all of the pressure.
“If it was up to him I think I would have been here until doomsday but we spoke about the game on Saturday and he was aware of the negativity.
“I said to him that you don’t have to take this and if you thought it was going to be benefit the club for me to step aside, I should do that.
“The fans would have been negative to me on Saturday (against Rotherham) and they will not be so negative with me not being there.
“The players have been magnificent, texting and ringing me since I broke the news to them and I still have great faith in them.”
So like Jake King and Jimmy Quinn before him, Peters’ final away match in charge culminated in a 4-1 defeat.
But a man who came to the helm with the club down on its knees in November 2004 reflects on his third stint at management happily.
“The aim in that first season was to keep us up and we finished 11 points clear.
“We got to 10th the season after and we changed the ethos of the club and had hard-working, hungry players.
“We over-achieved to get to Wembley (last season) but that day was my biggest disappointment.
“I think maybe you would say that the semi-final win at MK Dons was the highlight because that was the bit when the dream (of promotion) was still alive.
“If anything I got too many young players in this season.
“We already had two experienced players lined up to come in next season and I will keep those quiet because I don’t think the club’s philosophy on those signings will have changed.
“But everyone has been brilliant at the club and I couldn’t have asked for any more.
“The chairman has been magnificent and never turned me down for anything and even the supporters who got the hump with me on Saturday and over the last few weeks, I don’t have a problem with because they are the real supporters of the club.
“If we could have got to League One I would have stepped aside anyway and if we had not gone up next season I would have done the same.
“I might have even gone at the end of this season.”
It’s now all eyes on the post-football for Peters after admitting his time in the game is, in all probability, over after 38 years as player, coach, scout and manager.
“My lifestyle will be 10 times better than it was – I was stopping in a bed in my office three nights a week and was seeing the missus two days a week.
“I’m going to spend some time with my family and the wife (Jill) has been brilliant and so supportive.
“She has become a supporter as well and we will definitely be back. But I have got a life to lead and lots of things to do.
“I like speaking Spanish and going to little villages in Spain and I enjoy cooking and cooking Spanish food as well.
“I play golf and I’m an eight handicap, but I haven’t played in a competition for two years so I don’t think I will play to that until I start playing regularly again.”
So it will be paella and putts rather than points and performance which will become the priority for Peters.
See Also:
5 Comments
Well you’ll be welcome back whenever you like, Gary. Enjoy Spain!
Report abuse
gary you can come back immediately if i had my way
Report abuse
Another good manager leaves the town and retires from football. The meadow is a managerial graveyard. Good luck Gary.
Report abuse
It’s all about the negativity of the fans – absolute rubbish! The ‘boo boys’ didn’t drive him away or force his arm, it was the tactically inept week in, week out poor performances and results to match that cost him his job.The fans, and in particular the fans who travel all over the country no matter the distance,weather and cost have every right to vent their spleen at the manager, I know I did at Barnet and at Rotherham and Notts County and Darlington. Paying good money to watch some of the stuff served up over the last few months was rather like urinating into a very strong wind. Not pleasant and certainly not entertaining.
That and a never ending talent to open his mouth with ridiculous comments and spin combined with some rather derogatory words during the latter weeks.
Once again and even after his departure he’s spinning his words and trying to detract from some absolute dire managerial decisions, awful football and even worse performances by trying to place emphasis on certain sections of supporters and their negativity.
Football is all about results and ultimately the buck stops at the door of the manager – the latter part of 2007 and all of 2008 thus far speak volumes about the calibre of football Gary Peters had instiled this season.This is the same manager who felt it acceptable to label the supporters who travelled to Darlington on a cold Tuesday evening as failures after they had witnessed another unacceptable team display.
Thanks for the injection of professionalism and all the positives that GP brought to the club off the field of play, he brought STFC into the 20th/21st century but now he’s gone,thankfully I say and it’s time to move on.
Report abuse
Farewell GP. He did come across as an odd ball in the press and i think the pressure definately got to him. His loan signings didn’t often come off and he had lost it for me after the hereford game when he seemed to lack humility in defeat.
Now we have a better set up it’s time for a manager with more potential – how about Mr.Paul Simpson ? Up the Town
Report abuse