Club stalwarts who have passed away

[Patrick Thistle]

I don't know if many people outside the Shrewsbury fanbase will remember Steve Perks. He was a Shropshire lad who played in goal for Town for a decade (1982-1992) during Town's second division heyday. I remember him quite well. I even have a football sticker of him.

He passed away aged 58 today. I don't know the cause but it seems to have been sudden. It's a sad day.

I wondered about maybe starting a thread where we can log these sad events and pay tribute to players that probably aren't that well known in the wider world but are known to us.

RIP Steve. You were our number 1 in some of the glory years. Floreat Salopia.

[Hot Pepsi]

Bummer. That's too young. But that is a good idea so we can at least note these losses and say a few words.


P.S. I thought this was going to be about Koln's goat Hennes, who passed recently.

[Giggler]

I thought of you when I saw the news on a Facebook group. RIP Steve.

[Patrick Thistle]

I thought of you when I saw the news on a Facebook group. RIP Steve.

Pretty sure he would have played a lot of games with your uncle.

[Giggler]

Pretty sure he would have played a lot of games with your uncle.

He did, yeah. His is one of the names I always remember.

[NickSTFU]

First Steve Jagielka and now Steve Perks.

Fuck me.

I remember Steve Perks losing a tooth in a match at the GM. I was right next to the action, as any one who stood on the Wakeman Terrace will you, that could be close.

His tooth came flying out and got lost amongst the mud and is probably still there now under the foundations of an apartment no one can really afford.

Once he recovered and got on the with the game, a wag shouted "Give us a smile Steve", he laughed and did.

He also produced one of the best saves I've ever seen at live football, pretty much point blank, flying to his left to palm the ball away for a corner. There was a stunned silence, before we all applauded including the players.

I met him once, he was a very nice bloke and all who had an dealings with him say the same.

He was still very active in 5-a-side, and, by all accounts, a decent cricketer, playing for Much Wenlock CC.

Last I heard he was working as an Estate Agent.

Anyway, fucking hell, eh.

[jameswba]

I remember him well. Fine keeper and gave great service to Shrewsbury. His contemporary at Telford, Kevin Charlton, passed away in November last year, which was also sad news.

[Greenlander]

Steve Perks along with Michael Brown always seemed to have worldies against us in our late 80s second division days.

A fine keeper and gone way too young.

[ChrisJ]

Nothing much to add except to say he was a first rate keeper and by all accounts a very decent bloke.

RIP Steve.

[Greenlander]

Not a stalwart by any stretch as he only played the thirteen games in goal for us and was on loan from Arsenal. However he was without doubt the best loan player we've ever had in my time supporting Argyle.

51 - same age as me.

RIP Alan Miller.

[Sunderporinostesta]

RIP Steve Perks.
Its always sad when a long term player dies. They’re a small part of a lot of peoples lives as well as a big part of fewer peoples. Ten years at a club is an indicator they were doing something right. Gonna be happening less and less now.
I’m ashamed to say I wouldn’t have known him from Adam but I’ve checked and he was in goal on my only visit to Shrewsbury. McMenemys first points via a Nick Pickering brace.

[Capybara]

Not a stalwart by any stretch as he only played the thirteen games in goal for us and was on loan from Arsenal. However he was without doubt the best loan player we've ever had in my time supporting Argyle.

51 - same age as me.

RIP Alan Miller.

I'm not sure he would count as a stalwart at Boro either - the record shows he made 57 appearances - but he was there at a significant time. He was one of three signings - Nigel Pearson and Neil Cox were the others - who were brought in by Bryan Robson to help Boro push for promotion to the Premier League in the last season at Ayresome. As such he played in the last game at the old stadium and the first at the new one. He was a popular figure but following injuries and loss of form he lost his regular place and moved on to West Brom in 1997. It's really sad to hear of his death at such a young age.

[Greenlander]

RIP Dave Smith

Responsible for my first ever Argyle promotion and the mastermind behind some of my greatest memories. I was also his paperboy for a few years and he was never less than generous. Always gave me his old copies of Match, away spares when he had some free, and the best tipper on my route, once memorably asking if I was heading to the cup match at Arsenal which I obviously was then turning to Stewart Houston, who happened to be round for breakfast and saying 'go on Stewart, give the boy a fiver'. And until he moved back up country a few years back would always ask after me when he bumped into my mum when out walking the cliffs.

Now this is a passing that has brought a tear to my eye. A true Argyle legend.

[DPDPDPDP]

Patrick, Great idea for a message thread. RIP, Steve Perks. 58 (my age) is very young.

The club stalwart that I thought of was Teddy Scott at Aberdeen. Teddy only played 1 senior game for Aberdeen, yet was the first person inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame for giving 50 years’ service to Aberdeen in a variety of roles - trainer, youth coach, reserve coach, kitman etc. He gave great guidance to all the young players and was revered by every player at Aberdeen. One time when Fergie was manager, he went nuts at Teddy and threatened to sack him after Aberdeen turned up for a match with the wrong shorts. Gordon Strachan, ever the smart arse piped up, “and where are you going to find 10 men to do all the work that Teddy does”. He was awarded a testimonial in 1999 and Fergie took a full strength Man United team north to play Aberdeen. Perhaps his greatest achievement was, as reserve team coach, to convert Willie Miller (Aberdeen’s greatest ever player and in my opinion Scotland’s greatest defender) from striker to sweeper.

[Mockswing]

Steve Perks along with Michael Brown always seemed to have worldies against us in our late 80s second division days.

A fine keeper and gone way too young.

I remember him as well, made one fantastic save against Carlisle & played against Carlisle a few times. He seemed to be an ever-present for the Shrews for a few seasons in the mid-80s, when they were continually referred to as, “punching above their weight”.

RIP Dave Smith as well. He also got promotion at Mansfield & Southend United (twice) as well as Plymouth. After leading Mansfield to promotion in 1976, he was mysteriously sacked & as far as I’m aware, never talked about the real reason(s) for his dismissal. The team he built went on to get another promotion in 1977.

Wasn’t he also close to taking Argyle straight through from Division 3 to Division 1? I definitely remember them making a great start by going unbeaten from the beginning of their 2nd Division season for quite a few games & Argyle were up there near the top of the table for a long time. But just like at Mansfield, he left not long after.

However, someone should have told him about being bald on top & having long hair at the back!

[ale]

Dave Smith was also at NUFC as a coach 1967-1974 which included the Fairs Cup win of 1969.

[Greenlander]

I remember him as well, made one fantastic save against Carlisle & played against Carlisle a few times. He seemed to be an ever-present for the Shrews for a few seasons in the mid-80s, when they were continually referred to as, “punching above their weight”.

RIP Dave Smith as well. He also got promotion at Mansfield & Southend United (twice) as well as Plymouth. After leading Mansfield to promotion in 1976, he was mysteriously sacked & as far as I’m aware, never talked about the real reason(s) for his dismissal. The team he built went on to get another promotion in 1977.

Wasn’t he also close to taking Argyle straight through from Division 3 to Division 1? I definitely remember them making a great start by going unbeaten from the beginning of their 2nd Division season for quite a few games & Argyle were up there near the top of the table for a long time. But just like at Mansfield, he left not long after.

However, someone should have told him about being bald on top & having long hair at the back!

The following season was the first season to finish with the playoffs. I don't recall us being unbeaten for ages mainly because we lost 5-4 at Cardiff in a wind affected league cup game having been 4-1 up at half time, but yes we went nine league games before that first defeat though many of those games were drawn. We stayed around the top all season but one win in the last eight saw us drop to seventh. There were so many great moments that year and amazingly Argyle were one of the best supported teams in the league. It remains one of our highest league finishes ever.

One more Dave Smith story. Early the following season we won an away at Reading thanks to an own goal pretty much right on half time. At the end of the game the Ciderman started his post match chat with the players 'plenty of chances to win that boys, but we'll take the point', 'err boss, what do you mean we won', Smith had gone down early to the changing room to give his half time talk and hadn't heard the cheers for the goal. And for 45 minutes no one had indicated otherwise.