-
The article notes he collaborated on a book with Alan Comfort (who also was a one-time QPR winger).
The Times/Tom Dart May 27, 2008 - Gavin Peacock departs for religious journey
The end of Euro 2008 will mark the beginning of a new life for Gavin Peacock. The BBC pundit and former Chelsea and Newcastle United midfield player is moving to Canada to study religion in preparation for a career in the church.
After finishing work at the tournament in Austria and Switzerland next month, the 40-year-old will emigrate with his wife and two children to Calgary in July to begin a three-year Masters course in Divinity at Ambrose Seminary, a leading theological college. Peacock will become a pastor, vicar or minister, depending on which denomination he chooses to follow.
Peacock is a frequent visitor to Canada and has said that he finds the Rocky Mountains to be a deeply spiritual place. Since last September, he has studied for a BA in Theology at Ridley Hall, a college in Cambridge that trains future ministers.
The pundit has been a Christian since the age of 19, when he was with Queens Park Rangers, and hosted a Bible study group for footballers. A frequent speaker at church events, he has preached at his Anglican church in Kent and this year he has combined his football broadcasting duties with presenting Songs of Praise.
Peacock’s faith is far from unusual in football — a number of prominent players are Christians, such as Jermain Defoe and Linvoy Primus, of Portsmouth. Kaká, the AC Milan playmaker, has made no secret of his beliefs. After Milan’s Champions League final victory over Liverpool last year, he unveiled a vest emblazoned with the words “I belong to Jesus”.
In 1994, the year that Peacock famously hit the bar as Chelsea lost to Manchester United in the FA Cup Final, he collaborated on a book — Never Walk Alone — with Alan Comfort, a winger-turned-reverend who is club chaplain at Leyton Orient. The Times
Telegraph - Gavin Peacock departs for religious journey
Gavin Peacock will quit his role as a football pundit with the BBC to pursue a career in the church at the conclusion to this summer's Euro 2008 finals.
The former Chelsea and Newcastle midfielder is emigrating to Canada later this year to begin a three-year Masters course in Divinity at Ambrose Seminary.
The 40-year-old will then decide whether to become a pastor, vicar or minister at the end of his studies.
Since last September Peacock has been studying for a BA in Theology at a college in Cambridge.
The TV pundit, who is a regular on Football Focus and Match of the Day 2, has been a Christian since he was 19 and has combined his religious studies during his footballing career.
While at QPR, Peacock hosted a Bible study group for footballers. More recently he combined his punditry duties with hosting Songs of Praise.
Peacock, however, has decided to begin a new life away from football at the end of Euro 2008 to dedicate more of his time to the church.
After working on the championship in Austria and Switzerland, Peacock, his wife and two children will move to Calgary in July.
Peacock's dedication to his faith is nothing unusual in football. There are plenty of Premier League players who have said that faith has played a part in their careers, including Middlesbrough's George Boateng and Portsmouth's Jermain Defoe.
AC Milan playmaker Kaka, meanwhile, has openly admitted he wants to become a priest when he retires.
After Milan's Champions League final success over Liverpool last year, he unveiled a vest will the words "I belong to Jesus".
Kaka said he become deeply religious when he was 12 and it was strengthened in October 2000 when he slipped on a swimming pool slide and broke a vertebrae.
"The doctors said that I was lucky to be able to walk normally," he said.
"They were talking about luck and my family was talking about God. We knew that it was His hand that had saved me." Telegraph
TRANSFER GOSSIP
BBC Gossip - Norwich are leading the race to sign Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford but Ipswich, QPR and Reading are also interested. (Daily Star)" BBC
Various rumours about QPR/Crystal Palace's Clint Morrison:
From a couple of days ago: Ealing Times - Simon Mail - Morrison linked with QPR switch
Clinton Morrison could be set for a move to Queens Park Rangers after turning down a new contract.
The Crystal Palace striker can leave on a free transfer this summer and would be tempted by a move across London to link up with old boss Iain Dowie again.
Dowie brought Morrison back to Selhurst Park in 2005 and a striker is likely to be at the top of his shopping list this summer.
Reading are also thought to be leading the chase for the Republic of Ireland striker. Ealing Times
Welcome to QPR REPORT - A completely unofficial and unaffiliated fan site focusing on G-d's Chosen Team, Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) FC. (Visit also QPR Report Messageboard and Follow on Twitter.) QPR Report accepts no sponsorship, advertising or financial contributions. In 2008, QPR Report was named as one of the top two blogs in the Football League
QPR Report Twitter Feed
Blog Archive
-
▼
2008
(1621)
-
▼
May
(142)
- Not Coming to QPR? - Middlesbrough's Adam Johnson
- QPR Fan/Club Meeting and Ex-QPR Snippets
- Season Tickets Selling Well
- QPR Reportedly Bid for Crystal Palace Ben Watson -...
- QPR Fans Condemn QPR Ticket Price Increases
- QPR International Snippets: Delaney....Rehman...Le...
- Simon Walton Disappointed...Ex-QPR (sort of) Mark ...
- Key QPR Summer Dates - Updated Schedule
- QPR's Quartet of Promotions
- QPR1st's Report on Its AGM Meeting and Season Tick...
- QPR's New Crest: Different Perspectives
- "Season Tickets Hike at Rangers Sparks Outrage"
- The Players QPR Supposedly Chasing - Updated
- Fans Everywhere Unhappy at Clubs' Price Increases ...
- Gary Waddock Talking About Aldershot and QPR
- Fanzine Awards: Winners in The Various Categories ...
- Rowlands Injury Update....Ex-QPR Players News
- QPR Jumped The Gun?
- Further QPR Transfer Gossip
- Two Forthcoming Club-Fan Meetings
- Flasback: On This Day - Out of Administration and ...
- Snippets: Gavin Peacock Pursuing Very Different Po...
- Flavio Briatore and Vijay Mallya Compared and Cont...
- QPR Promotion Favourite?
- Another Billionaire Linking Up With QPR?
- Snippets: Dichio's Brace...Delaney's Debut...Waddo...
- A Kick Up The Rs (AKUTRs) Wins Fanzine Award
- Snippets: More TV Money...Bosnich Comeback?
- Five Years Ago Tonight...Fire Alarms Rang Over Car...
- Former QPR Manager Ian Holloway Exits Leicester
- Buzsaky Staying at QPR
- Photos from Loftus Road For The Computer
- Season Ticket Sales: Gareth Ainsworth Urges Fans G...
- Rowlands Injury....Why Oxford-QPR Cancelled...Huds...
- QPR's Recent Loanee Joins Oldham...Flashback: On T...
- Iain Dowie's Press Conference
- Shabbaz Baidoo Again Looking for a Club
- QPR Season Tickets: "Unprecedented Demand"
- Fun, Opportunities, Networking and Making Money
- QPR Defend Season Ticket Prices
- Walton Returning....Pre-Season Change: Oxford Out....
- Gareth Ainsworth to Be Player/Coach Under Dowie
- Snippets: Ex-QPR Birthday...Italian Buzsaky Rumour
- QPR's First Championship
- A Crack in the American QPR Connection?
- Another Pre-Season Friendly for QPR
- QPR Appoint Assistant Manager and Performance Manager
- QPR Captain Gareth Ainsworth Welcomes Dowie Appoin...
- Ian Dowie Talks About His Plans for QPR
- QPR's Pre-Season Schedule
- QPR Birthdays for Two QPR Forwards: One Present; O...
- Snippets: Former QPR Marcus Bean Signs for Brentfo...
- Dowie and Paladini's Involvement in QPR Transfers
- Flavio Briatore's Plans for QPR: What Briatore Has...
- Phillips/Eastwood Interest?....Footballer as Journ...
- Ex-QPRs Update
- Sad Times: Club Remember Kiyan Prince....Happy Tim...
- Supposed QPR Interest in Wolves' Phillips and East...
- QPR's Post-Season Starts With a Bang: Two Eventful...
- QPR Fans Groups Issue Joint Appeal to Club Over Pr...
- Dowie to be In Charge of Player Signings
- "Le Roi est mort. Vive le Roi"
- Snippets: QPR for England U-21s....Nardiello for W...
- Championship Attendances Down...QPR Attendances In...
- Season Ticket Price Increases Evoke Messageboard U...
- Ramage on Leaving Newcastle....Blackstock on De Ca...
- Departed: QPR's Two Italian Coaches
- QPR Confirm Italian Signing...August Loftus Road F...
- Fan Unhappiness With Season Ticket Prices...April'...
- QPR's 2008-2009 Season Tickets Pricing Announced
- Snippets: Keegan Praise for Ramage....Cranie Happy...
- Gerry Francis: Dowie Needs Instant Promotion and O...
- QPR Chairman Flavio Briatore Outlines His Plans fo...
- Awards: Lee Camp Near Runner Up....Two Ex-QPR Goal...
- Reportedly: Only Two Candidates Interviewed....De ...
- Confirmation: Gianni Paladini is Now QPR's "Sporti...
- Iain Dowie Confirmed as QPR's New Manager - New Ti...
- Commemorating QPR's Last Title
- Another "Dowie Taking Over at QPR" Story
- Unwanted Nardiello Returned to QPR....Two Rs in Re...
- Two New QPR Signings Confirmed
- Iain Dowie Remembered and Questioned
- "Dowie Heads to QPR"
- Rangers Future/Rangers Past: Briatore on QPR....M...
- Supposedly a Chelsea Place for "QPR's" Michael Man...
- Gerry Francis Speaking About the New QPR...The New...
- "Dowie Looks Set to Take Over at Loftus Road"
- Newcastle's Ramage Having QPR Fitness Test Today
- QPR's 2008-2009 Fixtures: Five Weeks to Go
- QPR Snippets
- Sunday Tabloid Reportedly Says Dowie is a Done Deal
- The Greatest Day in QPR History
- QPR's New Crest: Reactions Vary
- QPR's Managerial History
- Snippets: QPR's Gareth Ainsworth Turns 35...Ex-QPR...
- Newcastle's Ramage Supposedly Set for QPR....Anoth...
- QPR Reportedly Signing Non-League Defender
- De Canio Reportedly Was Homesick
- Flashback: Thirty-Five Years Ago Today - QPR and E...
- Flashback: "De Canio to Stay at QPR"
-
▼
May
(142)