A programme for Peter Aitken’s Testimonial match this Saturday, against West Bromwich Albion, consisting of 32 pages and costing £2.00.
As you would expect, the programme is all about Peter and his career with articles by Stephen Byrne, Mike Jay and Bernard Brain, together with tributes from many of Pete’s former colleagues.
Lavishly illustrated with photos from different stages of Pete’s career, please pick up your copy from around the ground.
A bargain for only £2.00!
In compiling Peter’s Testimonial programme, we made contact with a number of his former colleagues/team mates and would like to share these with you on the day before his special match.
They are from Rovers manager Darrell Clarke, West Brom boss Tony Pulis and from Graham Day, former Rovers central defender.
"I am delighted that the club has awarded Peter Aitken a Testimonial Match and pleased that Peter’s great friend, Tony Pulis, has agreed to bring his West Bromwich Albion side to the Memorial Stadium this afternoon.
Tony and Peter go back a long way, to the time when both were Bristol Rovers players and I think it’s fantastic that they have remained friends for the best part of 50 years.
Peter has been fortunate to have had three careers in the game, as a player, coach/assistant manager and Community Officer and although I didn’t work with him for very long, I know how highly regarded he was in all of the posts he filled.
I have read the superb tributes to him that have been prepared for this programme and taken time out to read of his career.
What comes through is that Peter is a very honest, caring and trustworthy individual who has served this club well, as a player and as a Community Officer.
On behalf of the club, I would like to thank Peter for all he has done for Bristol Rovers and hope he enjoys a great day and a long and happy retirement." Darrell Clarke
"I've known Peter for a long time, he was a really, really good player - someone who I looked up to as a young lad.
He's had a great career and been a great servant at Bristol Rovers over the years in lots of different capacities.
I just hope he gets a great crowd on Saturday and it's a game that is enjoyed by all.
It's a great honour for us to go there and play in Peter's testimonial.
I know him really well, his family, his wife and two girls - he's a great lad and a good friend." Tony Pullis
"My experience of Peter, having known him for the last 43 years, is one of admiration and great respect as a player and a friend.
I have been involved in a great deal of fund raising since my time as a player, ranging from players’ testimonials to many varied charity events and pro footballers are always a big attraction to get people at events.
Unfortunately for Peter, he was one of the more popular and famous players and was always asked to attend these events and if humanly possible he would be first on the list and hasn’t changed to this day. Pete was one of the better players I had the pleasure of playing with in the good old days. I played at centre half whilst Peter cleared up my mistakes, playing in a sweepers role. He never went for many balls in the air, as that was my job. I think it was this that made his face free from elbows etc, thus his nick name ‘Pretty Boy’
One of my most memorable stories about Peter was that he was a modest chap and confirmed this with his choice of car when we were young. Our income was pretty good in the 1970’s and, like present day players, we all stretched our money to own a nice motor and show off a little. Not Peter. He owned a nice lime green Lada. I think it was almost 1 litre cc.
There are many more stories I would like to share, but have ran out of words.
I would just like to finish my tribute to Peter, a very good friend, in saying that, I hope you have a great testimonial year. You deserve it mate." Graham Day