Remembering Peter Rush

Rochdale Hornets are greatly saddened to learn of the passing of club ambassador and former chairman and director Peter Rush.

Peter Rush’s association with Rochdale Hornets covered over six decades. Having been a founder member of Spotland Rangers in the early 1950s, he began his relationship with the Hornets when he played for the club while still an amateur.

Later in life, he moved from the playing field to the boardroom, serving first as a director and then as chairman between 1993 and 1996 - helping to run an A team and academy. He also raised several thousands of pounds for Hornets and forged strong links with the local authority. He returned for a short spell as a director in 2002.

Between 2006 and 2011, He also served as a director of the Denehurst Park Stadium Company.

Peter was a Rochdale Rugby League man through and through. In his civic role as Mayor of Rochdale, he was proud to welcome the Fijian national team to the town in 2013, hosting a formal reception at the Town Hall ahead of a sell-out World Cup game against Ireland at the Crown Oil Arena.

Also in his mayoral year, Peter was proud to present Rochdale Hornets with the Freedom of the Borough after the club won its first trophy in 91 years, beating Oldham Roughyeds in the 2013 League 1 promotion play-off final.

 In 2017, he was co-opted back onto the Hornets board and, in 2020, accepted a role as club ambassador.

 Rochdale Hornets chairman Andy Mazey reflected on the sad news:

“Peter was a lovely man who I had the pleasure of meeting before my arrival at Hornets in RFL meetings and rugby league circles. I first truly got to know Peter however when I formed the consortium that took control of the club early in 2020. 

"One of my first actions as chairman was to ask Peter to take an honorary role as an ambassador of the club. He was delighted to be asked and was full of helpful advice. From that day until to his last, he remained 100% supportive of myself, the board of directors and his beloved Rochdale Hornets.

"We all will undoubtably have many great memories of Peter to remember him by. On a personal note, I will never forget an afternoon we shared together at the outset of my tenure in 2020. Peter invited me for lunch at Rochdale Town Hall and gave me a guided tour from top to bottom of the grand old historic building, which of course opened in the same year as Rochdale Hornets was formed.

"In his later years he worked as part of the committee which has established All Hornets, the club’s official supporter’s association. His presence will be sadly missed, particularly on match days and on the team bus travelling to and from away games. 

"Indeed, just last summer following a hard-fought away victory, we had a few drinks and a sing-song to celebrate on the way home. Peter was in fine form, entertaining us all with a small glass of beer in hand, and giving a rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” as we headed back from London to Rochdale.

"I last saw Peter when I visited him at his home on Friday with a signed 2024 playing jersey on behalf of everyone at the club. I got to see that smile on his face one last time, and he lifted himself up in the bed and became alert when he saw the shirt. It was a moment that whilst extremely sad, I’m so glad we had together, and he will never be forgotten."

Our thoughts are with Peter's wife Monica, step-daughter Georgina, sons Andrew, Kevan, Michael along with his daughter Anne. We also extend our thoughts and prayers to his entire family and many friends at this time.

Goodbye for now Peter. Sleep well, mate.