On 17 May 1934, at the Angel Hotel in Peterborough, a meeting voted to give the city a professional team again. Peterborough United turns 93 on 17 May 2027. Its fans simply call it "The Posh".

A fresh start at the Angel Hotel

The city had been left without a team when Peterborough & Fletton United folded two years earlier. The Angel meeting was chaired by councillor Jack Swain, who went on to head the first ten-strong board.

It started on borrowed money: neighbours Grantham Town lent the Midland League entry fee, and the club also sold shares. In its first league match, in front of 4,033 fans, the team beat Gainsborough Trinity 4-0.

The first staff was small and close-knit. Fred Taylor was both trainer and groundsman, Jock Porter was the unpaid manager and Harry "Bowie" Willis was the first player to sign.

Why "Posh"?

The nickname is older than the club itself. According to tradition, in 1921 Pat Tirrell, manager of Fletton United, said he was looking for "posh" players for a "posh" new team, meaning good, classy ones.

The word stuck and passed on to the new United. The press sometimes used it mockingly, but the fans turned it into a trademark.

From green to royal blue

Few people know it, but Peterborough's first shirt was green with a white V, donated by a local outfitter. In the 1937-38 season the Supporters' Club bought the team a blue and white kit, and royal blue and white have stayed ever since.

In 1977 the team tried light blue and white stripes, but they were dropped after relegation in 1979. In 2020-21 Puma revived a 1990-91 shirt to celebrate promotion to the Championship.

The badge has gone from the arms of the Soke and of the city to simple monograms. Since 2008 the club has had a round crest inspired by the city's coat of arms, with the motto "Upon This Rock".

Entering the Football League and the 134 goals

In the Midland League the Posh became dominant, with five consecutive titles in the late 1950s. In 1960 they were finally elected to the Football League.

Their first season was an explosion. They won the Fourth Division with 134 goals, a Football League record, while Terry Bly alone scored 52 league goals.

Giant-killers at London Road

The team has always played at London Road, now called the Weston Homes Stadium. In 1965 it reached the FA Cup quarter-finals after knocking out Arsenal, and that run also set the record attendance of more than 30,000. The following season it also reached the League Cup semi-finals, its best run in the competition.

In 1992 it beat Stockport 2-1 in the play-off final at Wembley. The same season had also brought a 1-0 League Cup win over Liverpool, with a goal from Garry Kimble.

In 2014 it won the EFL Trophy for the first time, and later became the first team to retain it, in 2024 and 2025. Derek Dougan, record appearance maker Tommy Robson and Ivan Toney have all played here.

Celebrate with us

From a hotel meeting and a green shirt to Football League records, the Posh have written their own "classy" story. Happy 93rd birthday, Posh!

See our collectible jerseys at sportarena.gr.

Photo: Peterborough United's London Road – Richard Humphrey, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.