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Obituary: Pip Pip Pony-tailed Pete, you did your home town of Barnet proud
Ben Hamilton, Ian Quintana, John White & Martin O’Rourke
March 1st, 2020
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Expat football club left devastated by premature death of much-loved member playing the sport he loved
Pete was a formidable player that everyone wanted on their team (all photos: private)
The sad news that the expat football club Copenhagen Celtic had lost one of its own spread across social media last week.
Peter Streader, 56, a well-loved and greatly admired amateur footballer, administrator and referee who worked as an English teacher at the Cambridge Institute, collapsed whilst playing the game he loved in Valby on January 7.
He had just moments earlier scored a brilliant goal.
Dedicated scribe
At CPH POST we are proud to say he worked here from 2012 to 2016 as a freelancer specialising in history and culture with a strong love of witty repartee and language.
The dedicated husband and father often took the opportunity to treat his children to various events around town, but wisely chose not to bring them along to our Christmas parties.
The outpouring of grief that followed his death is testament to how universally respected he was.
Peter joined editor Ben Hamilton (centre) and film writer Mark Walker (left) to boost England’s chances at Euro 2012
Genuine gentleman
As one player present on Tuesday put it, he was “a genuinely decent, intelligent, humorous gentleman”. And club founder Coogan paid him the ultimate compliment, calling him a “clubman through and through”.
But as all his team-mates, past and present, will no doubt agree as they take stock, Pete will want us to celebrate his life with happiness not sadness.
He was, recall long-time Celtics team-mates Ian Quintana and John White below, one of a kind. (BH)
Pete was popular throughout the entire club, which he served for many years as secretary, and he was always at hand to play … sometimes for age groups 20 years his junior
Tribute: Peter was my role model
They say ‘the good die young’, and Pete was one of the very best.
The first time I encountered Pete he was playing for Osborne’s against Celtic 21 years ago in Ryparken. He was quick and cheeky.
The next time we played he was representing Bloomsdays in Valby. He caught me with a crunching tackle. It hurt, but it was a good tackle, and he gave me a hand up, a wink and we got on with a cracking game.
Made a difference
In the old days when there were a few pub teams flying around, the British/Irish lads always seemed to raise their game against the famous Copenhagen Celtic. But Pete always had a good level and he impressed everyone in Celtic who crossed his path.
It was with great happiness, and relief, when Pete decided to join Celtics. You always wanted Peter Streader on your team – it made life a little bit easier.
The first time I had the pleasure of playing on the same team as Pete was for the Old Boys A team. Pete became an integral part of a very good team that would go on to win the league and make two cup finals in three years – often as the captain.
Like author John, and his son, Pete was a dedicated Gunner
All-round role model
From the first match Pete impressed with his positioning, determination, technical abilities and winning mentality. But the biggest compliment I can pay is that he became my role model.
His friendly nature, his winning, tough-tackling attitude, his empathy, his fairness, the way he was gracious in defeat and always kept his team-mates grounded after an impressive victory, and the way he conducted himself with the referees and opposing players – it all inspired me.
I became a better player, leader and person because I played football with Pete.
Always admirable
Pete was club secretary for a few years and always conducted himself in an admirable manner, solving problems and ensuring that lots of guys got to play their football.
I never met Pete’s wife or kids. but I know how proud he was of his family. He loved his football, but his family always came first.
It’s so hard to understand why a fit, healthy, happy young man had to leave us.
Pete, you were a gentleman and a Gooner. You made the world a better place. My condolences go out to his family first and to all the people’s lives that he touched.
Rest in peace my friend. (JW)
A dedicated family man
Tribute: Celtic’s Corinthian: Jigsaw to his friends
My first impression of Peter, back when we first met in 1997, was does this man get dressed in the dark? But after getting to know him, I realised he should only be let out in the dark and never on his own!
Pleasure to play with
Over the past 23 years I’ve had the pleasure of playing for three different football clubs with Peter.
The first was at Osborne where he earned the nickname ‘Jigsaw’ as he would run rings around the opposition and then go to pieces in the box.
And then at Bloomsday’s he took great delight in rechristening us Atletico Bloomsday – a tag we did not always live up to.
Well known for his Corinthian attitude, he even went as far as wanting to kick a penalty over the bar as it had been unfairly awarded to us.
A popular club member for 15 years
Top marksman
He started at Celtic in around 2004, and he won quite a few awards over the years for different teams – the last, but not least, being top scorer for the Super Masters last season.
He also did some refereeing as well as a lengthy spell as club secretary, and I know many people were grateful for the help and guidance he gave them – especially those new to Denmark.
He was a credit to the Celtic organisation.
Mark of the man
As selfish as Peter could be on the pitch – I could have strangled him on many occasions for not releasing the ball – he was one of the most unselfish people I‘ve ever met.
He was always ready to lend a helping hand, and while many people’s first impression might have been that he was a public schoolboy type, he was the complete opposite: a Corbynista in fact.
He was also a die-hard Gooner, which he delighted in letting us know during their winning period, and also a supporter of his home town club Barnet, whose games he went to whenever he could.
Peter’s humour was a bit like his dress sense: off the wall. And he was always ready with a quip or two. But I think the thing that best sums him up is that over the years we’ve been playing against the same teams, and you can see the look of dread when they see some of us walking onto the pitch.
With Peter, they were always glad to see him. That was the mark of the man. (IQ)
Ian (top, centre) was always proud to line up alongside Pete
Final match report: His final goal was an absolute screamer
Peter had come close to scoring in the first half. Latching on to a long ball, he outpaced the defence before only a last-ditch tackle thwarted him inside the penalty box.
But he was just warming up. When Celtic cut through the Valby defence in the second half, it culminated in the ball flashing across the six-yard box at such pace that it looked like it would fly out harmlessly for a throw.
But cometh the hour as they say. Flying in at the back post stretching full length to divert the ball over the line with his right boot came Peter as he had done for Celtics so many times for so many years.
Like many of Peter’s goals, it mattered: the equaliser, a game changer. He just had the habit: the ability to be in the right place at the right time.
Some player. Some man. (MOR)
Famous for his zany shirts, he brought colour into so many people’s lives
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