Peter O’Grady AKA the ultimate one club man. Certainly, the ultimate amateur footballer.
At 56 years old, he is about to play his 1000th game for Old Ignatian FC when the club host Fulham Compton Old Boys today.
Based in Enfield, north London, opposite Tottenham Hotspur’s training ground, the club play in the Amateur Football Combination – one of the biggest amateur leagues in the world with more than 90 clubs and three hundred sides playing every weekend.
Comprised mainly of boys who went St Ignatius College, in his storied career, Peter has been involved in seven of their eight Premier title wins, two as captain between 1998 and 2000.
In fact, he has been around so long he has played in the same side as three of his brothers and with six of his nephews.
“When I handed the team sheet in once, I think the ref thought I was winding him up when he saw how many times O’Grady had been written,” Dave his brother and team manager told talkSPORT.
“I think he needs drug testing,” he joked, before adding his brother is definitely there on merit.
“He’s 57 in September and in training he often puts the young lads to shame,” he continued, explaining the opposition are usually amazed by his fitness.
“Everytime we play, someone usually comes up and ask ‘how old is that guy’. They can’t get at him.”
Apart from never missing a training session, one story in particular highlights his dedication.
He once had to go to a wedding on Saturday, but he didn’t want to miss the match and was able to reach a compromise.
So, the wedding ceremony was attended, with Peter appearing for the second half – and it’s just as well he did. Arriving with the team 3-0 down at half time, Peter entered the fray to score a hat-trick in a fine victory.
The celebration? Naturally, that was at the evening do of the wedding.
Having made the decision to stop playing in the early 2000s, he answered an SOS plea from his former team.
“I asked him to come back and help us out and he just stayed,” Dave explained.
Only injury will stop Pete from playing – he missed an entire season when he broke his leg – or whenever Take That are on.
“Yeah, years ago he missed one game to go and see them,” Dave admitted. “Even now young lads who weren’t around take the piss out of him for it.”
This season he has scored twice in 14 games, with his most recent strike also being his 200th goal.
Ahead of Saturday’s game, he will be presented with a special club shirt with his landmark on the back.
He’ll be captain for the day with a more formal presentation coming at the club’s centenary dinner at the end of the season.
“He’s keen to just to play on Saturday and not make a big fuss about it,” Dave said.
What he doesn’t know, though, is that Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has penned a letter congratulating him on his achievement – a wonderful touch for a lifelong Spurs fan.
So here’s to Pete and to every other amateur player up and down the country playing for the love of the game.
Saturday should be a good night.