Non-League and Academy football writer

Peter McGillicuddy is a name that many long time supporters of Leatherhead (and also Enfield fans) will know, because of his goal against Leicester City in the fourth round of the FA Cup, during the 1974/75 season, a game which was shown on Match of the Day, at Filbert Street. However, the north Londoner’s footballing journey and achievements in the game are long, and one in which would see him go from Spurs in the late 1960’s, to becoming a club legend for the likes of Leatherhead and Enfield. Born and brought up in north London, Peter has always supported local side Arsenal, and his favourite player as a youngster was George Eastham. Peter, who represented the England Catholic Schoolboys side in his youth, actually started his footballing journey with Arsenal as a schoolboy footballer. Peter was released by Arsenal, but it didn’t take him long before he joined fellow north London side Tottenham Hotspur, after playing local football. A left winger/midfield player with real skill and a tremendous left foot, Peter was with Spurs as a youth player from 1967 until 1970. During which time he trained with and played with some great players who were around Spurs at that time, players such as Graeme Souness.

Peter would have had some good memories of his time at Spurs, and playing/training at their old Cheshunt training ground. Later times with Chelsea and then at Millwall as a youth/reserve team player, would follow for Peter, before he went into non-League/amateur football. However, at 22, Peter McGillicuddy was selected to represent a Great Britain select side, who went on a footballing tour of Japan and South Korea, something that I know was a wonderful experience for Peter at that part of his footballing journey. However, in non-League/amateur football, McGillicuddy also had some great times. Playing for teams such as Ilford, Enfield (Enfield had a really good team when Peter was there) and of course Leatherhead, where Peter had one of his greatest memories in football, in the FA Cup, the former Spurs youth team player would also manage/coach at Leytonstone, after he had finished his playing career. A very talented midfield player who was unlucky not to have made it in the professional game, McGillicuddy achieved some wonderful things in non-League football.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Peter McGillicuddy and his son (also called Peter) a couple of years ago, and I really enjoyed listening to some of Peter’s footballing memories, both in youth team football and in non-League/amateur football. Both Peter and his son are real footballing people, with a great knowledge of the game. And an interesting fact about Peter McGillicuddy’s son, is that he was an actor in the well known footballing drama series Dream Team. However, Peter McGillicuddy Senior, who is a really nice guy, is someone who can be very proud of his footballing achievements in the game, at various levels.