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.
8 Comments
We will miss you Gary, all the best.
Please come back Gary
All the very best Gary, You worked hard and did your best, we have no right to ask for more than that, certain sections of the crowd have treated you badly and have let you, the club and our true supporters down.
Most Shropshire people are not hostile and do recognise your efforts. I hope the few are proud of themselves.
What is this sanctimonious rubbish - we have let Peters down?? hope the few are proud of themselves!! Martinshrew - you even wrote yesterday that it was time for a change. Only difference is, the more astute were calling for this 4-5 weeks ago, as it clearly wasn’t going to get better.
I personally will be very proud that we are getting rid of him, and can now move the club forward with a manager who doesn’t show his tactical niaivity on the pitch, lack of motivational ability in the dressing room and stupidity in the media room.
Please stop assuming you speak for the majority and that you are the only “true fans”. It’s very pretentious, and arrogant. All fans have the right to speak their minds and have an opinion for the best of the club. If their opinion is different from yours, their motive is the same, and opinion equally valid. Taking the “i’m a true fan” and everyone else is “hostile” smacks of arrogance.
The most sense GP has spoken in weeks.
“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.”
I have great concerns that whilst yes a new manager needs to be appointed asap, a lot of supporters have lost sight that we desparetly need a good result on Saturday to stop us dropping deeper into trouble and making the job for the new manager that much harder.
Look I know John McMahon will probably not get the job but if we care about the clubs future it is in all our interests to get 100% behind him and the team on Saturday to try and get something from the game. Anyone who thinks different is clearly not supporting the club but more interested in character assination.
I know we all have different views on who should be appointed and the Board will know doubt make a considered decision which will not please everyone. Meanwhile we are in deep trouble and excuse the pun but we are in danger of “taking our eye off the ball”.
We should be putting our differences behind us on Saturday and turning out in our thousands to rally the team on. After all those critics have got what they wanted so now it is up to the Board to make the right decision. In the meantime the matches keep comming up and have to be played.
Andy, Yes time for a change 6pts from 36 is not good.
I employ people and I have never felt proud of putting anyone out of a job. GP is a genuine person who has worked very hard for Towns cause and as such deserved to be treated with respect.
He did not deserve the hatchet job that the few were so keen to inflict on him.
Yes all supporters deserve their say but please lets use the Queens English and speak with constructive criticism. That way we can all help take the town forward.
The hostility and negativity against any manager does not do the club any good, it is counter productive that is the point I am making.
I just hope the new guy is treated with greater compassion and we find ourselves in a better position this time next year.
In reference to comment two, please don’t !