Peter Hannah

Hannah warming up 2016

Peter Hannah (b. 1983) is a footballer who currently plays for Beercelona in Division 2 of Northeast Regional Parks' Leisure League. Originally a midfielder Hannah is a malleable footballer, decent with both feet and in the air who can slot into a number of positions on the pitch. Recently he has been playing in the Matthaus/Gullit cultured sweeper role. Presently he is the most capped player in Beercelona history.

## **Early Life**

Peter Hannah was born and raised in Liverpool, England. From his early years standing on the Kop with his father watching his beloved Liverpool FC it was clear the beautiful game ran deep in his veins.

He started playing at St Andrews C of E schoolyards, which led to starting berths for their school team and the cubs team.

**Early Career, the USA, the Pitts and Soccerdome**

Hannah played football almost daily for the next decade. If he wasn't playing he was at the match or talking about the game with his mates or his Dad and Uncles. He learned the ugly side of the game playing in at Wigan's Soccerdome and The Pitt's in Everton. League's comprised of ex-academy players and hard-knocks from the surrounding areas.

At 21 he moved to Orlando for a summer where he competed in eleven a side fixtures at Mickey's Retreat. In a game against Real Salt Lake on their pre-season training Hannah impressed and was offered a full trial, but the timing was off, Hannah couldn't stump up the airfare and the chance went begging.

**The South Coast**

Hannah moved to Brighton upon returning to the UK and became player manager of an Amex Five a Side team that went on to lift two South Coast Leisure League Championships.

**Japan**

At 27 years old Hannah moved to Japan where he turned out for Kanto Celts a few times before transferring to Swiss Kickers. Sadly his time their was halted by a serious ankle ligament tear, leaving his career in the balance.

**Moving to America**

Hannah moved to Georgia, USA and attempted to get his career back on track with Savannah Celtics. He completed pre-season training but looked a shadow of his former box-to-box self. Two games into the season his ankle flared up again and he was forced to take time out of the game and consider his career for good.

## **Beercelona**

After three years without kicking a ball Hannah completed rehabilitation on his ankle and began a long journey back towards fitness. When his old competition, Leisure Leagues, announced a league in his Orlando neighborhood he felt the chance to play again was worth the attempt. So, at 33 he registered a team, without knowing if he could even field a side, and began scouting players. Hannah picked up niggling injuries in the first few seasons, but has become a mainstay of the side since the third season. He scored his first goal, a consolation goal in a 2-1 loss to PSG Mex on February 10th 2016. Though not a striker he is versatile and is, along with David Slocum, is the only player to have scored goals with his left foot, right foot and his head. Typically deployed as a center back he has, on occasion, been deployed as a target man when the team needs a plan B.

In the year or so since he's been back on the field he's grown stronger, faster and leaner and a bit of the old touch and fitness has returned. On 18th on January Hannah played his 50th game for Beercelona against Farfrom Athletic, a game they won by a career equaling 7-0. At 34 he's not getting any younger, but there seems to be plenty of life in Hannah yet, who has vowed to bring silverware to the Beercelona trophy cabinet before too long.