So hard that even ‘Chopper’ Harris labelled him the ‘bastard’s bastard’
LESS than a year into his retirement, Peter Storey found himself in trouble with the law.
Anyone who saw him play will probably have been shocked it took him so long.
Originally a tough-tackling full-back who came through the ranks at Arsenal, Storey developed into a midfield hatchet man to rival Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris and Norman ‘Bites Yer Legs’ Hunter.
His displays of ultra-violence even prompted Harris to christen him “the bastard’s bastard”.
Towards the end of his playing days Storey’s pub, The Jolly Farmer in Islington, north London, became a magnet for notorious local villains.
He rubbed shoulders with Great Train Robber Tommy Wisbey and Howard ‘ Mr Nice’ Marks, one of Britain’s biggest drug smugglers.
Brothel
But the real fun started after he hung up his boots for good.
In 1979, less than 12 months after his final appearance for Fulham, where he spent his last season, Storey was found guilty of owning Calypso Massage Parlour, a brothel on Leyton High Street, east London.
He was fined £700 and given a six-month suspended prison sentence.
But when he was back in court a year later, he found the judge on that occasion to be in a much less forgiving mood and was jailed for THREE YEARS for funding a project to forge gold coins. He spent another 28 days locked up in Wormwood Scrubs in 1990, this time after being caught trying to import 20 hardcore porn films into the UK from Holland in his spare tyre.
Storey was a key member of the ultra-resilient Arsenal team that clinched the European Fairs Cup as well as the First Division and FA Cup double in the 1970-71 season.
Back then, he was known as a ladies’ man who liked a drink.
Now 67, he lives a much quieter, almost reclusive life in rural France with his fourth wife and a border collie, three cats and a goat – but he still follows his beloved Gunners.
Still showing the vicious bite for which he was famed, he has no problems laying into the present team.
Commenting
on
today’s footballers and reflecting on his career, he said: Hard men? They are virtually extinct in modern football.
“They have been replaced by a breed who can’t tackle.
“I got away with things which would get me locked up today. But I never broke anyone’s leg and I don’t recall doing any serious long-term damage to end anyone’s career.
“But players like Johnny Giles and myself would never last five minutes now.
“We would get a red card just for giving foreign strikers a stern look.”
According to Arsenal fans, Peter is “one Storey that belongs in the horror section”.