TRIBUTE TO UNCLE PETER By Paul Dean (nephew) Peter was 15 years and 4 day older than me and lived with us at Midgley before he got married to Janet, so he was always to me a very cool older brother. His long and full head of hair in his early twenties as I realised when I got to that age was quite an achievement and set him apart as a very special Dean. Sport and especially football was something we shared a great passion for. Pete would take me too watch him play football in his green mini and us kids would set a little game of our own up behind the goal. Pete was a good footballer could play most positions on the pitch but mostly midfield or centre half and I couldn’t wait to be old enough to play on his team which I was lucky enough to do for over ten years. He set the example of playing hard but fair and never be afraid to let your teammates and particularly the Referee know if they were not performing quite as well as they could be. But it was up at Hindsclough the Dean family home that Pete would challenge his nephews and nieces to an array of sports, snooker, football, darts and tennis and cricket in the summer there was never a Sunday Afternoon or evening after Chapel that some form of competitive sport would be taking place with Pete at the centre of it and he would always be challenging you to be the best you could be. He had 9 nephews and 6 nieces, and he took great interest in all our lives and was very proud of us all. He would be constantly teasing you and was always great company. He would love going on holiday with us young ones and was always entertaining us and it gave Janet a chance to get some quality sunbathing in. Pete and Janet took me on my first holiday abroad to Nerja in Spain with my cousin Angela when I was seventeen. It most have gone well because the following Year they took me again and my Friend Paul Carbutt. They were Great holidays and always great fun and full of memories. The football team went on tour to Spain in the early 90’s to play 2 games over 4 days Pete was the senior player and setting a good example he was first too bed and up early ready to get a good mornings sunbathing in. On the first morning on his way down for breakfast he was surprised to see one of his teammates ‘morning Ken is it a good breakfast?’ Pete enquired. ‘Haven’t got a clue Pete I’m only just going to bed’ came Ken’s reply. You can imagine the wry smile on Pete’s face and a disbelieving shake of the head. Pete and Janet would take me too the Crucible in Sheffield to watch the snooker and we would go and watch Stoke City together in the dizzy heights of the Premiership. Looking back if we weren’t playing it or watching it, we were talking about sport. ALL MY MEMORIES OF PETE WILL ALWAYS BE GREAT ONES YOU WERE SIMPLY THE BEST.