Pro Exhibition – The Saturday Man – Keep off the Grass
Having seen Peter talking about the image in a TV interview, Harry Smith’s family got in touch to let him know that, sadly, he had died two years previously, but that his son had now taken on the same role and they were thrilled to discover the shot of him they never knew existed. Peter now plans to pay a personal visit to deliver a print.
Celebrating the alternative look
While peak of the action shots might be what the daily newspapers thrive on they tend to date very quickly, while Peter’s quirky take on the fringes of football have become ever more precious as time has gone by. Many of the scenes he’s captured over the past six decades have long disappeared, while clubs in the higher echelons of football have moved on to become multimillion-pound businesses, meaning that much of the camaraderie and character of the game is now only to be found down in the lower leagues.
The discovery of Peter’s work has really only taken place in earnest over the past few years, but recognition of the importance of his output is now fully confirmed. His work hangs in The National Portrait Gallery, London, the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin and the Museo Historico Nacional in Buenos Aires Argentina, while collections of his pictures have won ‘Illustrated Sports Book of The Year’ on two separate occasions. Earlier this year he was also honoured in the US with a prestigious Lucie Foundation award in recognition of his achievements in sport.
Currently he has a show, Keep off the Grass, taking place at the Gallery on Campus at the De Montfort University in his home town of Leicester, and this has brought together a wide selection of the images that reflect the essence of this photographer’s approach.
“I do tend to come at it sideways,” he reflects. “If it’s football, it’s usually a comment on football, rather than the football itself. I want every image to tell a story. A lot of sports photography is saying nothing beyond the particular moment in a game. That’s what newspapers want, but I’ve never been interested in that. I’ve been blessed: it’s been great fun, and in almost 60 years there’s very little I could complain about.”
More information:
www.thesaturdayman.com
Keep off the Grass is a free exhibition on show at The Gallery on Campus at the De Montfort University in Leicester, running until January 10, 2026, Opening times are Monday to Friday 10am-5pm, and Saturdays midday to 5pm.
Go here to watch Channel 4 News interview Peter about his exhibition in Leicester.
