Pete Chase - A Tribute

It was with great sadness that the T-Ender heard of the sudden death of Pete Chase at his home on Monday 15th December 2003. Pete had been a regular supporter of Gloucester City since childhood and a member of the Supporters Club committee since it was reconstituted in 2001, a process that he played an important part in.

Pete had spent many years working hard for other people and helping his community in a long career with Gloucestershire Police, and on retirement he put much of that same energy towards Gloucester City AFC. As many fans will appreciate the fact that Pete stuck with the club despite its difficulties and disappointments says much about his character and loyalty. 
Pete did more though. He was not happy to see the club locked in a spiral of decline and was determined to do what he could to make things change. His passion, commitment and energy helped spread the belief that the fans could make things change - and helped the rebirth of the Supporters Club in 2001, playing a key role in creating the effective organisation it has now become. I can well remember a dark winter afternoon in Cinderford as City fans faced further despair and talk of financial ruin with little communication or apparent sign of positive moves from the then board of directors. Pete cheered me up with his absolute determination that City would continue no matter what - and made me and others start to do a little more than just grumbling into our beer. I hope that in a few years time when City's recovery has continued a few steps further and we look back at the recent history of our club we will realise what an important period those few months were when everyone could have just given up and walked away. At that point I think we will know what the club owed to Pete. 

Pete was a familiar and friendly face at Meadow Park who always took time to make people feel welcome. He was as willing to badger large companies for sponsorship as he was to pick up a paintbrush in order to help the club. His regular contributions on the City Open Forum under the guise of Caped Crusader always helped inject a little realism and fire into a debate. His enthusiasm will be greatly missed and his many, many friends at the football club feel privileged to have had the opportunity to know him and share some of the joy he felt at seeing the club begin to turn the corner. Everyone associated with Meadow Park is thinking and praying for his wife Sandra, their son Steve and the rest of the family at this difficult time.

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