Pete made his debut for Banbury Spencer in the first game of the 1961/62 season playing at right half in a Birmingham League game at Redditch. He had joined the club in the summer of 1961 from Oxford United where he had a season playing regularly for their reserve side. Prior to joining Oxford at 18, Pete had played for local village side Souldern. Pete already had Spencer club connections as his father Stan had played a game for the Gay Puritans in the Birmingham Combination in season 1945/46.

Pete played a key role in his first season at Spencer, helping the side reach the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for only the second time in their history. He was the only regular local player in the side that season, as manager Norman Rees was based in Birmingham from where he sourced most of the first team players. In fact, when Spencer organised a special train to take players and supporters to Shrewsbury for that FA Cup First Round game, Pete was the only player to get on at Banbury, the rest of the players got on at Snow Hill in Birmingham!

Playing usually either at inside right or right half, after joining the club he was a regular in the side for the remaining four years of their existence as Banbury Spencer, making a total of 149 first team appearances, scoring 30 goals.

There are only a handful of players to have played for both Banbury Spencer and Banbury United, Pete being the most well-known, going on to play for United from 1965/66 to 1969/70 and from 1972/73 to 1976/77. He played for Corby Town and Rugby Town between his spells with United.

In total, Pete would make an incredible 583 appearances for Banbury (149 for Spencer and 434 for United), meaning he is in second place in the list of all-time appearances for the club as a whole, United and Spencer together. In total Pete scored 77 goals for the club (30 for Spencer and 47 for United).

Pete was not only known for his football prowess though, but he was also an all-round sportsman and was well known as an excellent cricketer in local circles, playing that game as well as football at a local level well into his 50s.

Pete would always look back fondly at his time with both Spencer and United and we were delighted he was able to attend one of our “Past Players Days” back in 2016. Sadly, Pete was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease a few years ago which prevented him from attending more recent similar events.

The club would like to send their sincere condolences to daughter Anna and the whole of the wider Svenson family in this most difficult of times.

There will, of course, be a minute’s silence ahead of our next home game, against Hednesford Town on Saturday 19th March which we are sure will be a fitting tribute to an outstanding club legend.

Below is a photo of the Banbury Spencer team that played in FA Cup First Round away to Shrewsbury Town in November 1961. Pete is third from left on the back row. The full listing of players follows:

Back Row (Left to Right): Jack Ballinger (Trainer), Alan Bury, Pete Svenson, Dave Dann, Bob Williams, Roy Warhurst, Alan Rees, Unknown (ordinary clothes)

Front Row: (Left to Right): Harry Ironmonger, Trevor Thomas, John Redding, Norman Rees (manager), Kevin Cornwell, Johnny Hicks.

Below is a squad photo from season 1972/73 – Pete Svenson is third from right on back row. Full list of players:

Back Row (Left to Right): Des Anderson, Paul Duester, Dave Matthews, Tony Jacques, David Munslow, Bob Haynes, Pete Svenson, Stewart Rennie, Colin Moulsdale.

Front Row (Left to Right): Tony Foster, Michael Hickey, Mick Sherrell, Ken Butler, Phil Lines, Gino Crognale, Eamon Kearns.

Photo below is of Pete in action for United in the late 1960s

Photo below is of Pete at club’s Former Players Day January 2016