COVERED 2024 Spring

43 @TRENTBRIDGE MICHAEL PECK Name: Michael Peck Job: PA Announcer/Ground Steward Tenure: 15 years Michael Peck is a staple of the Notting- hamshire matchday experience, his dulcet tones familiar with those frequenting Trent Bridge in the summer months, his friendly presence on the gates a regular sight. His journey toTrent Bridge is one less travelled, though, with a curriculum vitae boasting spells as a former Football League referee and a deputy headmaster. For how long have you worked at Trent Bridge? I arrived here as a steward in 2009 ahead of theWorld Cup, having been a Notts fan since the 1950s. I used to find any excuse to come toTrent Bridge, so working here is a bit of a dream come true. I have held various roles besides PA announcing and stewarding – at one point I had a stint in Restaurant Six, meeting and greeting guests. Before that, I was a teacher for 14 years at a school in Kendal, had a sales role at British Midland Airlines and worked in customer services for a Nottinghamshire-based housing association. What are your memories of the first game in which you took to the microphone? The first time I was asked to step up was during a 50-over game. I was in the crowd watching the game when, ironically, an announcement came over the PA asking for me to go to the control room. It was a TV game where Sky hadn’t booked an announcer, so I was thrown in at the deep end having had no preparation. It was Notts vs Hampshire, which we won, and they asked me back for a game two weeks down the line. I must have done something right as I’m now in my tenth season! Tell us about your time as a referee? It started when I was at school. I fell out with a girlfriend who was a massive Forest fan and so I didn’t feel like I could go again! I started refereeing in the NottsYouth League, before continuing whilst at university in Lancaster – that’s where my refereeing career took off. I started in theWest Lancashire league then the Central League, which is now the reserves. My first game when in the Central League was Everton versus Liverpool. I joined the official list of referees in 1976 and was compulsorily retired in 1994 when I reached the age threshold for the Premier League. And all this was when you were teaching during the week? Yes – it was a part time role.The edu- cation authorities were very supportive – especially when travelling abroad to Milan, Barcelona, Oslo for European fixtures. I refereed a few schoolboy fixtures for the school and think they were grateful of the publicity. I remem- ber doing a night game at Plough Lane, Wimbledon versus Crystal Palace, and I got the sleepover train home. Unfor- tunately, it broke down and I arrived home at 5am, then was in school for 7.30am. Of course, back in those days there were no mobile phones to let friends and family know where I was. BEHIND THE SIGHT SCREEN STORY BY Joe Sharphouse