PETER RILEY RIP

Printed in the Berks and Bucks Quarter Final v Wycombe Wanderers Tuesday 5th November 2013  We lost 3-0 in front of 366 people. 

Years ago an article appeared in a Bishop Stortford programme asking for a collective noun to describe opposition fans. For the Rebels they came up with "a misery of Slough supporters".

Fast forward a few years and not a lot has changed. Our football club is awash with some right old miserable gits. But its fair to see that Peter Riley definetly wasn't one of them.

Sure Pete's forum jokes were poor and his eyesight was definitely going as he kept mistaking clubshop Sue for Cheryl Cole; but Peter was one of those people you wanted to be around. And one who I shared many a beer before and after a game. He was always considered and could see the best in things and was ready to praise. I think it speaks volumes of the man, when ex players like Jacko and our ex manager Steve Bateman come on to the forum not only offer their condolences but in Steve's case, recall that Peter was always willing to look him in the eye and talk tactics after a game.

When I heard the terrible news I couldn't help thinking just how unfair life is. He had just retired and finally got the grandchild him and Margaret had been waiting so long for. But the flip side of that, is that he had a good life. He had one of the closet families I've ever seen and he never thought anything of taking them out. The last time I saw him he was treating them to a trip to Egham Town. Poor old Margaret has had to put up with us in exotic locations such as our legendary away weekend in St.Neots where she must have been fascinated by our drunken reliving of a famous 1-0 victory in the curry house afterwards.

He loved to keep himself fit and told me about his little black book where he keep up to date details of his weight. He had walked to the recent away game to Maidenhead and up till recently was taking part in the Black Park 5 mile runs, encouraging Mark Bailey to come along and get fit, I think on the advice of Margaret. He was one of the Rebels that walked all the way to Woodford Town in Northamptonshire, as part of clubs tradition of walking to the last game of the season. Shame the game was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch when they got there. But he was always making sure people were ok and geeing them up with encouragement no doubt warning them that if they didn't hurry up he would unleash his joke book on them. He even cycled to a few games with Ian Lathey and his team on an old borrowed bike.

I know Glen has said how hard it will be to go to football now he wont be sharing that experience with his dad. But I hope we can see on the forum and today, that whether he likes it or not that Slough Town is his extended family. Not the sort you would like to invite round for Christmas dinner but one where we look out for each other and can have a good old moan but also raise a pint or two for Peter who served our club with honour.