Lincoln City legend Peter Grotier choked up as he appears on BBC’s The Repair Shop
He brought in a match programme signed by Pelé
A former Lincoln City goalkeeper was left choked up as he appeared on BBC’s The Repair Shop with a special piece of memorabilia. Peter Grotier, who made 233 appearances for the Imps between 1974 and 1980, featured on Wednesday night’s show, September 13, which sees expert restorers bring people’s beloved items back to life.
The 72 year old brought in an old match day programme from his time at West Ham United, when the team travelled to Brazil to play against Santos in 1970. Peter described how the match, which he played in alongside the likes of Bobby Moore and Pelé, ended in a 2-2 draw.
What made his match day programme even more special was that it was signed by Pelé himself, a player who Peter says was one of his heroes. The programme was in a bad state when Peter brought it into the repair shop, and he wanted it repairing so he could hand it down to his grandson, Joseph.
Speaking to the restorers, Peter said: “I would love Joseph to have it, he’s a West Ham supporter and he also captains a local club. He was born after I’d finished playing and I’ve got lots of programmes for him, but this one is something special.
“It’s for him to see it and look back and remember my career perhaps when I’m not here.” Paper and paintings conservator, Angelina Bakalarou, got to work on Peter’s programme, fixed all the rips, and restored it to a high quality for his grandson to cherish.
When he returned later in the show, Peter was choked up after seeing the finished product. Unable to keep his eyes off the restored programme, Peter said: “Wow, that’s unbelievable. I actually feel like I can open it now. It was a big thing in my life to play in that game and it all came flooding back then.”
Peter and his family lived in Washingborough when he played for Lincoln City and he says they still keep in touch with their old neighbours now. His favourite memory at the club was winning the fourth division championship with a record number of points.
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