Getting To Know You: Richard Pepper - Eagles Match Statistician

24/06/2020

In the latet 'Getting To Know You', we speak to Richard Pepper - the club's match day statistician who has been involved with the club since 1983 (a year before we played our first game!)

Role at the Club and what it entails?

I've had a lot of roles over the years, such as managing the Alliance team and timekeeping, but, at present, I compile match statistics in real time during the game. 

I pass information on to Tubbs about completion rates and penalty counts as he asks for it.  Occasionally, I'll volunteer information. 

It's not difficult but it takes practice because of the pace of the game.  You can't just put the game on pause while you catch up.

On the morning after the game, I summarise the information in a table and email it to the coaching staff.

When did you become involved?

1983.  At that time, we were set to play at Bramall Lane but United backed out.  We had to re-apply for a belated start in September 1984.

Favourite Memories from the Role?

Probably convincing an Alliance AGM that, actually, 19 teams can play 28 games each and you don't need to play out the whole 36. 

This was a few minutes after everyone else in the room had agreed it was impossible. Within a couple of years, we were doing this at first team level. 

There was a nasty moment in 2001, when York dropped out mid-season and it looked like we'd be deciding league positions on some ghastly percentage basis but we stuck a plaster over the gap by inventing five extra fixtures between the ten teams who had had two games against York in their fixture list.

Job Outside Rugby League?

I'm a Chartered Accountant. For the time being.

If you could trust one player with your role, who would it be and why?

I reckon Ryan Millar would soon pick up the job.  Cool head and attention to detail.