Historical Football Kits

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Peterborough United

Formed 1934

Elected to Division Four 1960

Kit History

Background

In 1932 the original Peterborough & Fletton United collapsed after being suspended by the FA. On 17th May 1934 Peterborough United was formed as a professional club to fill the void. Councillor Jack Swain, who was acting chairman, told the public meeting that, “Peterborough will ultimately find a place in the Football League.”

Peterborough’s peculiar nickname, “The Posh,” is inherited from the older club. Player manager Pat Tirrel once remarked that he was looking “for posh players for a posh club” to play in the Northamptonshire League and the name stuck.

The brand new club was welcomed into the Midland League although, to the embarrassment of club officials, they had to borrow £35 for the security deposit, subscriptions and entry fees. In no time at all, a share issue was made to raise funds, the London Ground was leased from Peterborough City Council and a team of professional players was signed up. Local gentlemen’s outfitters EB Jackson donated the first set of shirts, which happened to be green with a white V.

The team struggled both on the pitch and financially. A change to a blue and white kit bought by the Supporters’ Club did not improve their fortunes and in 1939 they had to seek re-election.

After the war, Peterborough’s performances in the Midlands League improved and they began to make an impression in the FA Cup. Over the next 15 years they were to knock out eight League clubs. Every year they applied for membership of the Football League without success. Finally, in 1960, the Posh were elected to the Fourth Division at the expense of Gateshead.

The Posh made an immediate impact, winning the Fourth Division title in their first season with a record 134 goals, 52 of which were scored by Terry Bly. For the next two seasons Peterborough challenged for promotion again but in 1968 disaster struck. Having found the club guilty of various irregularities, the Football League ordered that they be relegated at the end of the season. They won the Division Four championship for a second time in 1974 but five years later they were back in the basement.

After an undistinguished decade, Peterborough were promoted again and the following season, having finished in sixth place, they won the play-offs to reach what now became Division One (previously Division Two). The following season they hammered Kingstonian 9-1 in the FA Cup only for the match to be declared void because the visitors’ goalkeeper was struck by a coin thrown by someone in the crowd. The replay behind closed doors was won by a more modest 1-0.

United were in Division One for only two seasons and by 1997 they were back in the lowest division (now Nationwide Division Three). In 2000 they won through the play-offs to return to Nationwide Division Two but in 2001 they were relegated again to what was now Coca Cola League Two. Recovery followed and in May 2009 they clinched promotion back into the second tier.

Sources

• (a) Peterborough United Official Website
• (b) Club Colours (Bob Bickerton 1998)
• (c) empics
• (d) Crewe Alexandra FC - Images of Sport (Harold Finch 2001)
• (e) Football Focus
• (f) Luton Town Official Website
• (g) Classic Kits
• (h) Mark Haley
• (i) The Warrick Collection - Nick Warrick's fine collection of Posh replica tops
• (j) Pete's Picture Palace
• (k) David King
• (o) Your Grandad's Football
• (p) Gary Moore
• (q) Nick Warrick - HFK Research Associate
• (r) Keith Ellis