cheltonian column
would undertake hisALevels in Geography, German, English Literature and Psychology. In seeking other options, Pete spent the next two years playing for Forest Green Rovers U18’s whilst also undertaking hisA-Levels and spending asmuchtime as he could back at CheltenhamTown.Outside of studying and playing football, Pete spentmuchof those two years in what he andmaybe nobody else realisedwas the start of his alternative apprenticeship in the game.Observing, shadowing, helping and absorbing everything he could frombeing in the environment of a professional club, Pete developed his knowledge and understanding of the game, learning fromcoaches, ex- players, current players and all of the surrounding support teams that go in to making a football club tick. “I was then about to head out
around the world to go travelling. It wassummer2013 and I was going to head off around the world withmy mates andwewere going to go to theWorld Cup in 2014 as part of our adventure and doing that thing of discovering yourself. But, and this is where it all changed, Cheltenham askedmeif Iwanted an admin role that was going to be based around helping out withsomeof the background operations of the academy and also helping with
“I remember feeling totally elated and there was an element of ‘are you serious’? But, then you know that it is for real and that I had the backing of the gaffer, the coaches and the staff...”
someof the audit and paperwork elements that needed to be taken care of for the Football League and the Football Association. First chance of a lifetime, so I took it and I never went travelling”. Whilst going travelling is often the
dreamofmany young people, Pete had set the wheels in motion of developing his dreams of a future in the professional game. Frominjured player to club administrator, Pete then rapidly progressed through the world of coaching fromhaving worked with U9’s to then becoming to Lead Foundation PhaseCoach (U8’s – U12’s) in 2014. The 2015 / 2016 season saw Pete progress to becomethe Lead Youth Development PhaseCoach (U13’s – U16’s) before stepping in as the Interim U18’s Manager in the 16/17 season. In thesummerof July 2017, the former academy player that had got so close to the gamegot his break, when the club that he engineered his opportunity with officially appointed him as the Lead ProfessionalDevelopment Phase
Coach and U18’sAcademy Manager. “I rememberfeeling totally elated
and there was an element of ‘are you serious’? But, then you knowthat it is for real and that I had the backing of the gaffer, the coaches and the staff that I had been working with for quite a number of years now. I felt recognised and valued by everyone and that was justamazing”. The opportunist artful dodger is
now, at 23, one of the youngest prospects in professional coaching and has not onlymadea career for himself in the game, but is now guiding and supporting other players trying to do the same. Pete talks of developing people and then players, which is part of the philosophy that he and his colleagues at Cheltenham Townhave been creating over the past fewyears, “balancing real life, without quashing the dream”. Pete’s story is a lovely example of not being able to change the cards you’ve been dealt, just howyou play the hand. To you sir,we say,well played!.
By LloydJGParsons THECHELTONIAN FEBRUARY /MARCH2018 39
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
