20 Questions: Peterborough United

The club with a 100% record at Wembley

Jun 01, 2025

Sunday 1 June 2025

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THE SCARF MY FATHER WORE 2025-26 CALENDAR: Having been to all 56 County games this season, I’ve taken thousands of photos. I’ve put together calendars for next season, featuring some of my favourite photos from the last year, plus some other County bits and bobs. £10 each. Get in touch if you’d like one.

Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Peterborough supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Sunday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.

We’re having a right old posh weekend at The Scarf My Father Wore HQ. Yesterday’s edition was Posh; today’s edition is Posh. Lifelong Peterborough fan Tony Maloney is the latest contributor to submit a piece for our ‘20 Questions’ series. He also runs his own business, TH Private Hire, providing a first class airport transfer service for customers across Peterborough and South Lincolnshire, serving all UK airports and cruise terminals. If you’ve got a trip coming up, give Tony a call on 07702 835217 or email hello@southlincsairporttransfers.co.uk.

Today’s edition is sponsored by SAW Contracts Ltd. A big thank you to Steve.

Finally, I’m currently walking every street in Stockport to raise money for mental health charity Mentell. If you’d like to make a donation to help me reach my target, please click here.

Total distance so far: 253.75 miles

Total steps so far: 418,084

Total raised so far: £2,312

Total completed streets so far: 474 (Click here for the full list, which includes reports and photos from every day of the walk.)

Further information on the walk can be found by clicking here.

Des Junior

Peterborough have won five out of five at Wembley, the first of which came against County in the 1991-92 Third Division play-off final

Peterborough currently play in League One, which is the third tier of English football. What’s that like as a division?

League One is a right old mix. There’s a handful of big clubs that have fallen on hard times – most of which hang around a year or two and then outspend the rest of us to get back into the Championship – combined with the usual lower league suspects (and I include Posh in this) who aren’t really good enough to get any higher. There’s also a group of clubs who punch above their weight for a couple of seasons and then either struggle or go back down: the Fleetwoods and Crawleys of this world.

Describe a typical matchday for yourself in Peterborough.

I live 18 miles outside the city which means a 20-minute train ride in. These days the football is the caveat to get together with old mates and have a few beers, a day out, or just a general release from the working week. Gone are the days when the result dictated your mood – otherwise I’d be on Valium constantly.

We’ve got a group of around 10 of us who meet up most home games and select away days – many of us have been friends since school and we’re now in our mid-50s. We’ll have a couple of pints before the game, maybe more depending on kick-off time. The city is busy with pubs so there’s plenty of options, but when the weather is good we aim to be outdoors at Charters, which most away fans recognise as the boat on the river.

We always have a debrief after the game, usually over another beer or two, and depending on what’s on at home or plans for the following day, we might stay out a little longer. My last train on a Saturday is 9pm, so having been out since 1, I’m usually ready to call it a day by then!

Who are your club’s biggest rivals?

Northampton are the real ‘enemy’ for us older lads, but we share a county with Cambridge and those games have become lively to say the least. There’s also quite a nasty edge whenever we play Lincoln.

MK Dons tried to claim a rivalry with us a decade or so back when we inevitably fought them for play-offs or promotion, but you can’t have a franchise as a rival can you?

When we’re in the same league as Leicester there’s always some banter and rivalry due to proximity and them being a much bigger club, so beating them is always special.

What’s your best memory following Peterborough?

Wembley. Sunday 24 May 1992. (Sorry.)

The club’s (and mine) first ever Wembley visit. County were the favourites to win, but we sealed promotion with Ken Charlery’s dramatic late winner, taking us into the second tier for the first time. That memory will never be beaten.

What’s your worst memory following Peterborough?

Without doubt going to Sheffield Wednesday in the play-offs two seasons ago, losing 5-1 on the night and subsequently on penalties after winning the first leg 4-0. We were superb at our place, but right from the off at Hillsborough we were as bad as we were good in the first leg. The huge home crowd were immense and it was horribly intimidating. A night to forget.

If Peterborough United was a TV show, which one would it be?

We’ve had our own show: Big Ron Manager. An absolute embarrassment to the club with Barry Fry effing and jeffing at the players. But it’s the show our chairman watched before deciding to buy us, which instigated the best period of our history.

What’s your ground called, and how would you describe it for someone who’s never visited before?

It’s London Road. Any other temporary or sponsors name just isn’t right. Officially it’s the Weston Homes Stadium, but that’ll change in time.

It’s one of the better lower league grounds, with a couple of newer stands and still has standing in the home end. It’s got a dreadful roof on the home end which suppresses the atmosphere. That’s why away fans tend to think it’s a quiet ground sometimes.

What’s your thoughts on Stockport County?

Friday night games because of the Manchester clubs.

Old fashioned ground tucked away in rows of houses.

It’s not a place I’ve been many times and you seem to be a club that’s fallen on tough times in the last decade or so, but now back on the up.

Have you ever visited the town of Stockport before?

Bypassing the M60 to avoid queues on the way to the airport! Either that or heading to the peaks for some road cycling.

What colours do you play in, and what’s the best ever kit Peterborough have had?

Blue and white, always has been.

My favourite was our all blue kit with red socks. No white. We also had a cracking all blue Adidas strip a few years ago. Classic look.

If Peterborough were playing in the next FA Cup final, who’d be at Wembley as your celebrity fan?

Adrian Durham from talkSPORT. Massive Posh fan.

What’s the most interesting fact about Peterborough United we might not know?

I can give you a couple. Posh are the only English club with a 100% win record against Liverpool. And we’re also the only club to have ever retained the EFL Trophy.

Who’s your all time Peterborough hero?

Chris Turner. A tough no nonsense centre-half in the first Posh side to win a league championship, who went on to become a legendary manager, leading the club to their first ever Wembley appearance and first ever promotion to the second tier.

A true gentleman, he had time for anyone and everyone, sadly no longer with us after a long battle with dementia.

What sort of attendances do you get, and how would you describe Peterborough’s fanbase?

That’s a tough question. The fanbase has grown a little in recent seasons. We’ve averaged just over 9,000 in League One the last three seasons, and before that we had bigger crowds in the Championship.

Not so long ago pre-Covid we averaged 7,300. Going further back, I can remember the early 80s when we regularly got under 5,000 in the bottom division, and several games where only 2,500 turned up!

Photo credit: Peterborough United FC

What’s your manager like?

Ferguson Jnr. An absolute legend. By far the most decorated manager the club has had. He has an amazing relationship with the chairman, now in his fourth stint at the club.

He speaks well and has got the team playing attractive exciting football over the years, as well as developing some great players along the way. We got the best out of young talent like Dwight Gayle, Ivan Toney, Sammie Szmodics, Jack Taylor, Ronnie Edwards and Harrison Burrows over the last decade – and before them Craig Mackail-Smith, George Boyd, Aaron McLean and Britt Assombalonga. All from relative obscurity, sold on to keep the club’s finances in good shape.

What’s your owner like?

Darragh MacAnthony is like Marmite. People either love him or hate him. He’s very outspoken and opinionated but is fiercely loyal to what has been his club for a long time now. I fear his time may be up before long, but he’s been amazing.

There’s times when fans question his motives, but he’s got the vast majority trusting the process. He’s well regarded by the media and is often on Sky or talkSPORT for his straight talking. His podcast The Hard Truth is popular with fans of all clubs.

What’s it like for a night out in Peterborough?

City centre pubs are great during the day but nights out are dreadful. Aggressive and edgy: best avoided. Stamford nearby is a much better place.

What’s the best thing about being a Peterborough fan?

Knowing that we cast a shadow over Cambridge United, and always will.

And the fact that we generally seem to be challenging for something. The fact we’ve had five Wembley visits and never lost isn’t a bad thing either.

What’s the worst thing about being a Peterborough fan?

Not being good enough to survive in the Championship, and the small fanbase which doesn’t give the club the financial support it needs to get there and stay there.

What are your hopes for next season?

A total rebuild after a dreadful 2024-25 season. After selling three of our back four, the defence this season was a disaster until we brought in Sam Hughes from, ahem, Stockport. He steadied the ship and there’s signs of improvement going forward.

We’ve just sold our two best players as always, Poku and Kyprianou, who in my opinion are going to be very good players at a higher level.

We always unearth some lower league talent, and we’ve also got a huge product in Harley Mills at left-back – in the mould of Harrison Burrows – so with some new signings and a step up from those who are retained, we should be fancied for the play-offs as usual.

My main hope is a continuation of the attractive football style, but less reliance on playing out from the back as at this level with youngsters, you make mistakes, and they cost you goals as we’ve found out too many times.

➡️ Enjoyed today’s article? Click here for all of the other ‘20 Questions’ features we’ve published.

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Photo(s) of the day

Here’s 10 of my favourite photos from February!

Having been to all 56 County games this season, I’ve taken thousands of photos. I’ve put together The Scarf My Father Wore calendars for next season, featuring some of my favourite photos from the last year, plus some other County bits and bobs. £10 each. Get in touch if you’d like one.

5 questions with Tony from TH Private Hire

What’s been the best moment with your business so far?

I guess the fact that I set it back up again after five years.

I initially started trading in 2010 when I got fed up of working for other people and just went to my bank with a business plan and they loaned me the money to buy my first car to use for airport transfers. I quickly got up and running and landed a major corporate client, through someone I knew who worked there, which kept me busy.

My previous partner wanted me to spend more time with her and get what she called a normal job, so in 2019 I went back into the world of PAYE – three months before all the Covid madness.

Five years later, and a lot of changes in my personal life, I’d once again had enough of working for someone else, so at the end of 2024 I decided to set back up again.

I knew a group of drivers who worked in a group together. They helped me get started and now, only six months later, I’m pretty much flat out. So I guess the best thing was how quickly I was able to get back into it and become busy enough to run it as a business.

What’s your plans for the business in the future?

I reckon I’ve got 10 years left before I’ll want to stop driving 100,000 miles a year!

My plans are really just to remain busy all the time and keep providing the level of income I need. I’ll change cars a few times no doubt, but I don’t want to expand too much so that it impacts my tax situation. I lead a fairly modest lifestyle!

What would you like to promote to The Scarf My Father Wore readers?

My business provides first class airport transfers from Peterborough and the surrounding areas. For any readers based in my location who travel on business or like to start their holiday in a relaxing mood, TH Private Hire will provide an excellent service for you.

What’s your favourite airport in the UK?

Personally to fly from, East Midlands. It’s small and efficient, and also my closest geographically.

I tend to use Stansted a lot when I fly because it’s easy to get to and offers a wider range of airlines and destinations. From a business point of view it’s usually well organised in the drop off and pick up areas.

Much of my life on the road is spent at Heathrow, but the journey there or back can be painful at the wrong time. Gatwick is the one to avoid for sure!

What’s the best thing living/working in Peterborough?

Proximity to London and access to the rest of the UK make it a good place to live, although I live in a small town in South Lincolnshire now, half an hour out of the city.

And of course, it’s the home of the team I’ve followed since I was six, so all of 50 years now, the mighty Posh!

➡️ Visit southlincsairporttransfers.co.uk for further details.