When Gary Peters travelled to the Amex stadium to watch Brighton take on the Premier League class of Tottenham Hotspur, he had reason to be more excited than most

As Chief Executive of the Albion’s new club sponsor BrightonandHoveJobs.com, the chance to see his boyhood club take on top Premier League opposition with the name of his company emblazoned on their new shirts was thrilling enough. However, little did he know that was about to complete a quite remarkable story that had been 19 years in the making as he came face to face with an old acquaintance.

After playing at the Brighton and Hove Albion FC for a number of years as a schoolboy, Gary was released at the end of the 1991-92 season and was quickly on the lookout for a new club. The left-back tried his luck with a Bournemouth side managed then by a youthful looking Harry Redknapp, who was on the lookout for a few new players ahead of the coming season.  Unfortunately, with Redknapp in the final weeks of his tenure with the Cherries, Gary’s spell with Bournemouth was short-lived and he was not offered a contract as Tony Pulis came in and took over first team affairs later that summer.

That ought to have been the end of the story, however fast forward three years to the summer of 1995 and Gary, having not given up on his dream, was playing his trade for Palm Beach Sharks on the Gold Coast of Australia. A beach front kick about with some friends drew to a close, Gary’s attention was drawn to two figures making their way through the sand towards him.  Recognising one as the man who had offered him a trial at Bournemouth three years earlier, Gary strolled over to Redknapp to ask him if he remembered the brief time the youngster had spent at Dean Court.

The now West Ham manager recalled the period perfectly and the pair, alongside former England international Frank Lampard Senior, sat down to catch up and reminisce.  Since his schoolboy days as a full-back, Gary had reinvented himself as a striker and relayed this to his new companions. Redknapp admitted that he was in Australia on a pre-season tour with the Hammers and suggested that his former trialist provide cover for the squad as the team were short of a striker with Tony Cottee having gone home early with an injury.  The tour placed Gary in some highly-esteemed company. Amongst some of the West Ham players involved in that Australian trip were future England stars Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick. As a youngster trying to make his way in the game, the chance was far too good to turn down.

After returning from Australia a little later, Gary eventually hung his boots up and went into recruitment. After founding ICP Search in 2001 and BrightonandHoveJobs.com in September 2010, the chance to provide shirt sponsorship for Gary’s boyhood club Brighton seemed poetic enough.

It was not until it was announced that the very first game of the new deal would match the Seagulls against Redknapp’s Tottenham side that Gary realised that a chance to meet again with an old friend may be in the offing.  The two men were reunited in the tunnel as both laughed at the incredible nature of the whole tale. The Tottenham coach was full of praise for his former charge and totally amazed at how the whole string of events had led to a third meeting nearly 20 years on from their first encounter.  ‘It’s a terrific story.  It really is a small world and Gary’s story of extraordinary good luck bodes well for his time with the team sponsoring the Albion’s kit. I hope his good fortune rubs off on the club this season and maybe we’ll see Brighton in the top flight this time next year.’