This Is Your Life: Peter Shilton

Peter SHILTON (1949-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Peter Shilton, football goalkeeper, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at Waterloo Station while on his way to what he believed to be a business appointment in London.

Peter, who was born in Leicester, began his professional football career at his local club, Leicester City when he made his debut at the age of 16 in May 1966. His potential was spotted quickly, and he started playing for the first team regularly, replacing World Cup winner Gordon Banks as the club's goalkeeper. In 1974, Peter joined Stoke City FC for £340,000, a world record fee for a goalkeeper.

In 1977, he joined Nottingham Forest, where he helped the club win two European Cup finals, the League Championship and the League Cup. He won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award in 1978, and in 1982, he joined Southampton FC. Internationally, he made his debut for England in 1970 and had achieved a record 77 appearances for the team by March 1986.

"I don't believe it!"

programme details...

Edition No: 699
Subject No: 694
Broadcast date: Wed 19 Mar 1986
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 12 Mar 1986
Venue: Royalty Theatre
Series: 26
Edition: 21
Code name: Medal

on the guest list...

Glenn Hoddle
Kenny Sanson
Tony Woodcock
Viv Anderson
Chris Waddle
members of Southampton FC team
John Barnes
Terry Fenwick
Terry Butcher
Peter Beardsley
Kerry Dixon
David Armstrong
Sue - wife
Les - father
May - mother
Tony - brother
Pamela - sister-in-law
Graham - brother
Caroline - sister-in-law
Sam - son
Michael - son
Matt Gillies
Alan Birchenall
Chris Gamble
Jock Scott
Ray Wood
Reg Matthews
Alan Hodgkinson
Ron Springett
Peter Bonetti
Alex Stepney
Ray Clemence
Gordon Banks
George Dewis
Bobby Robson
Lawrie McMenemy

production team...

Researcher: Caroline Blackadder
Writer: Norman Giller
Directors: Terry Yarwood, Michael D Kent
Associate Producer: Brian Klein
Producer: Malcolm Morris

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

Match of the Day

tackling football's top names

Gordon Banks

John Barnes

Lawrie McMenemy

Screenshots of Peter Shilton This Is Your Life

Peter Shilton recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in his autobiography...

My career provided me with a number of very special memories outside the game, one of the most surprising being when I was the subject of This Is Your Life. I was playing for Southampton at the time and had no idea whatsoever what was going on. I had been asked to attend a business meeting, I think it was, in London. I'd noticed that several times when I arrived home from training, Sue would be on the phone. When I asked her whom she had been talking to she always said it was one of her friends. I never twigged the real source of or reason for these calls. With hindsight, I should have known something was up. A friend insisted on accompanying me to Southampton station and he stayed on the platform to wave me off. I remember at the time thinking this was curious behaviour on his part, but just thought he was being overly friendly. I didn't know he had been assigned to ensure I was on that particular train when it left Southampton bound for London. On arriving at Waterloo Station I was walking along the platform when a group of porters caught my eye. They were gathered around a suitcase with their backs to me. I thought, 'Blimey, how many porters does it take to carry a suitcase?' It was only when they turned to me as I approached them that I knew something fishy was going on. The 'porters' were Tony Woodcock, Chris Waddle, Kenny Samson, Glenn Hoddle and Viv Anderson. I was still gathering my thoughts when Eamonn Andrews appeared at my side, brandishing the famous red book. And uttered the immortal line.

I was whisked off to a theatre and spent the afternoon in a daze as my family, friends and people I hadn't seen for years paraded before me, offering personal anecdotes of my life. People have often asked if the subjects of This Is Your Life really have no clue what is going on. I can't speak for anyone else, but I was completely in the dark. It was only after the recording of the programme that I thought about those calls to Sue, and my pal at the railway station being so keen to see me off, and realised how odd their behaviour had been.

Series 26 subjects