#9 John Lawless 1982-1986
Playing Participant in the Legends of Peterborough event March 16th 2008

John Lawless flew into the UK in September 1982, initially with plans to sign for Nottingham Panthers along with his colleague Rob Carnegie. However, thanks to the generosity of Pirates team sponsors, Hereward Video Library, Pirates were able to snatch the Canadian duo and bring them to Peterborough instead.

John’s Pirates debut was in front of 300 fans on 3rd October 1982 in the first ever league fixture at home to Streatham Bruins. Pirates won the game 12-4 and John bagged himself a debut hat-trick. More important to the fledgling Pirates side were the shockwaves that subsequently rippled around the city as the local media pronounced the arrival of a top draw talent.

By Christmas of that debut season, Pirates crowds swelled from the curious 300 to a fervent 1,000 plus as fans queued for hours to watch the diminutive Canadian terrorise opposition defences, racking up an average points per game return that has never been surpassed since and most certainly will never be surpassed in the future. His debut season saw John rack up 158+109 for 267 points from just 37 games ….. an average return of  more than 7 points per game !

In his second season, John spearheaded Pirates championship winning 1983/84 side and although the promoted Pirates proved no match for the elite clubs in the Premier Division, John still proved his class by appearing amongst the league’s top scorers despite Pirates finishing well adrift at the foot of the table.

Lightning leg speed, mesmerizing fast hands and the lowest of centres of gravity, nobody seemed able to touch John if he drove in on goal. The familiar whistle as he called for the puck and his trademark goal celebration of shooting down the rink clock made John the first Peterborough hockey legend and, in the eyes of many, still Peterborough’s greatest hockey legend to this day.