Focus On…..Peter Denyer

A series on players who have spent some of their careers as a player or manager in the Southern League.

Midfielder Peter Denyer (pictured third from the left on the back row in Portsmouth team of apprentice's photo) started his career with Portsmouth and went on to make almost 150 League appearances for the Fratton Park outfit, scoring 15 goals – including a memorable late winner at the Fratton End from long-range against Hereford United in October 1978.

In 1979 he was released by Pompey and joined Northampton Town, for whom he appeared a further 170 times, contributing 34 goals.

In 1983 he signed for Conference neighbours Kettering Town as the new Poppies boss Don Masson embarked on signing a plethora of ex-professionals such as Les Bradd, David Needham and Arthur Mann.

It didn`t work – the age of the squad was too big, and Masson had obviously underestimated the standard of the league.

After Masson was sacked just a few months into the campaign, former Nottingham Forest European Cup winner Needham was put in temporary charge along with Peter Denyer.

One of the rather less memorable games came in the FA Cup First Round when Denyer was in the side that suffered a 7-0 hammering by Swindon Town at Rockingham Road!

At the end of that season, Denyer left the Poppies, along with many others, as Needham and his new assistant, Jon Nixon, brought in several younger players from lower league sides.

Peter, along with Dougie Keast, moved the relatively short distance to Nuneaton Borough in the summer of 1985.

He was released by Boro in December 1985 as he had indicated that he was going `down under `to Australia at Christmas to play.

However, he was signed by Boston United for the few weeks leading up to his move and, ironically, one of his four games for the Pilgrims was against Nuneaton at Manor Park!

Boston won 1-0 with a goal set up by…Peter Denyer!

Peter moved to Sydney in early 1986 and played 50 matches for Blacktown City.

He returned to England in October 1986 and re-joined Boston before returning to Australia where he has been virtually ever since as you can read below.

An ‘A licenced’ coach since 2008, he held coaching courses in New South Wales before taking on his current post.

Clubs Played For:

Portsmouth, Northampton Town, Kettering Town, Nuneaton Borough, Boston United, Blacktown City.

Best Game Played In?

Playing for Boston United against my former team Kettering Town at York Road in 1986/87. I scored from inside the centre circle and was playing left-back!

Best 11 Played With?

1 Alan Knight (Portsmouth)

2 Chris Lawler (Portsmouth)

3 Steve Bryant (Portsmouth & Northampton)

4 Paul Went (Portsmouth)

5 Alan Stephenson (Portsmouth)

6 Norman Piper (Portsmouth)

7 Eddie McGoldrick (Kettering & Nuneaton) pictured

8 Godfrey Ingram (Northampton)

9 George Reilly (Northampton)

10 Steve Massey (Northampton)

11 Mark Heeley (Portsmouth)

Subs:

Billy Jeffrey (Kettering)

Leigh Barnard (Portsmouth)

Adam Sandy (Northampton)

Best Captain?

Richard Dixey

Funniest Team-Mate?

Frankie Murphy

Best Manager?

Ray O’Brien

Best mate in Football

Two of them - Adam Sandy and Billy Jeffrey (pictured)

Are You Still Involved in Football?

Yes, I am master in charge of football at The Kings School, Sydney. And I also coach the under-17 girls at Hills United, Sydney.

Words of Advice?

Never forget why you first started playing football.