{{short description|English footballer}} {{use British English|date=July 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Peter Castle | image = | caption = | fullname = Peter Castle<ref name="Hugman2003-04">{{Cite book | editor-first = Barry J. | editor-last = Hugman | title = The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2003/2004 | year = 2003 | publisher = Queen Anne Press | isbn = 1-85291-651-6 | page = 82 }}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|3|12|df=y}} | birth_place = Southampton, England | death_date = | height = {{height|ft=6|in=0}}<ref name="Hugman2003-04"/> | position = Centre-back | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 1996–2001 | youthyears2 = 2001–2003 | youthclubs1 = AFC Bournemouth | youthclubs2 = Reading | years1 = 2003–2006 | clubs1 = Reading | caps1 = 1 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2005 | clubs2 = → St. Albans City (loan) | caps2 = 2 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2006 | clubs3 = → Rushden & Diamonds (loan) | caps3 = 1 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2006 | clubs4 = Rushden & Diamonds | caps4 = 0 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2006 | clubs5 = Staines Town | caps5 = 9 | goals5 = 1 | years6 = 2006 | clubs6 = Eastleigh | caps6 = 1 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 2006–2010 | clubs7 = Bashley | caps7 = 107 | goals7 = 8 | years8 = 2010 | clubs8 = AFC Totton | caps8 = 2 | goals8 = 0 | years9 = 2010–2011 | clubs9 = Gosport Borough | caps9 = 14 | goals9 = 0 | years10 = 2011 | clubs10 = Lymington Town | caps10 = 7 | goals10 = 0 | years11 = 2011–2012 | clubs11 = GE Hamble | caps11 = 22 | goals11 = 0 | years12 = 2012 | clubs12 = Winchester City | caps12 = 18 | goals12 = 2 | years13 = 2012–2019 | clubs13 = Sholing | caps13 = 166 | goals13 = 14 | years14 = 2019–2020 | clubs14 = Hamble Club | caps14 = 21 | goals14 = 2 | years15 = 2020–2021 | clubs15 = AFC Portchester | caps15 = 7 | goals15 = 1 | years16 = 2022 | clubs16 = Brockenhurst | caps16 = 3 | goals16 = 0 | years17 = 2023 | clubs17 = Sholing | caps17 = 3 | goals17 = 0 | years18 = 2024 | clubs18 = Millbrook | caps18 = 5 | goals18 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2003 | nationalteam1 = England U16 | nationalcaps1 = 3 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | club-update = 10:00, 24 July 2024 (UTC) }}
'''Peter Castle''' (born 12 March 1987) is an English footballer who plays as a centre-back. In 2003, he became Reading's youngest ever player aged 16 years and 49 days. At international level, Castle has represented the England under-16s and Ireland under-18s.
==Club career== ===Football League=== Castle began his career at AFC Bournemouth aged nine before moving to Reading in 2001 where he broke into the reserve team at 15.<ref name="Past players: Peter Castle profile">{{cite web |url=http://www.sacfc.co.uk/tpl/player.php?id=353 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100222215041/http://www.sacfc.co.uk/tpl/player.php?id=353 |archivedate=22 February 2010 |title=Past players: Peter Castle profile |publisher=St. Albans City F.C |url-status=usurped |accessdate=26 April 2013}}</ref> He made his Reading debut as a 79th-minute substitute against Watford on 30 April 2003 along with fellow academy graduate Darren Campbell. At just 16 years and 49 days he became the club's youngest ever player, a record he still holds.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/records-232960.aspx |title=Club Honours and Records |publisher=Reading F.C |accessdate=26 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214194722/http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/records-232960.aspx |archivedate=14 February 2013 }}</ref> Despite making his debut at such a young age, he could not establish himself at Reading and the match against Watford proved to be his first and last appearance for the club.
In September 2005 he moved to St. Albans City on a one-month loan and made six appearances in total before returning to Reading on 11 October.<ref name="Past players: Peter Castle profile"/> Soon afterwards, Castle was soon loaned out again, this time joining Rushden & Diamonds in January on loan for the rest of the season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rushden_and_diamonds/4599390.stm |title=Rushden capture Reading's Castle |date=10 January 2006 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=26 April 2013}}</ref> He made his debut against Wrexham, starting in a 2–0 home defeat and with his Reading contract due to expire at the end of the season, Castle made his loan move to Rushden permanent on the last day of the transfer window, signing on a short-term deal until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11673/2365670/Diamonds-take-a-pair |title=Diamonds take a pair |publisher=Sky Sports |accessdate=26 April 2013}}</ref> He made one further appearance on 24 April in the Maunsell Cup against Peterborough United before being released by the club at the end of the 2005–06 season.<ref name="Peter Castle profile">{{cite web |url=http://rdfc1992.com/2012/08/13/peter-castle/ |title=Peter Castle profile |publisher=RDFC1992 |accessdate=26 April 2013}}</ref>
===Non-league===
Following his release Castle moved into non-league football. He joined Staines Town in July 2006 but remained there for only a few months, making nine league appearances,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2006/player_details.php?playerid=6471 |title=Player details 2005–06: Peter Castle |publisher=SoccerFacts |accessdate=26 May 2013}}</ref> before joining Conference South side Eastleigh in October.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eastleighfc.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/thomas-and-ashford-leave-peter-castle.html |title=Thomas and Ashford leave, Peter Castle signs on |publisher=Eastleigh F.C |accessdate=26 May 2013}}</ref> He made just one first team appearance for Eastleigh, a league match against Weston Super Mare,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eastleighfc.blogspot.co.uk/2006_10_01_archive.html |title=Forbes treble but only 1 point |publisher=Eastleigh F.C |accessdate=26 May 2013}}</ref> before moving on to Bashley in the Southern League Division One South & West a month later.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eastleighfc.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/news-update-july-1.html |title=News update – July 1 |publisher=Easleigh F.C |accessdate=26 May 2013}}</ref>
Castle remained at Bashley for three and a half years and helped the club to promotion to the Southern League Premier Division during the 2006–07 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fchd.info/BASHLEY.HTM |title=Bashley |publisher=Football Club History Database |access-date=26 May 2013}}</ref> He made 131 appearances in total, scoring nine goals before moving on to A.F.C. Totton in January 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=64016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130630011800/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=64016 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=30 June 2013 |title=Castle's off |publisher=Non League Daily |accessdate=26 May 2013}}</ref> After a brief stay with Totton, Castle joined Southern League Division One South & West rivals Gosport Borough in June,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/archive/2010/06/26/Sport+-+Football/8241418.print/ |last=Gee |first=Wendy |title=Gosport raid Totton for Taylor and Castle |newspaper=Salisbury Journal |date=26 June 2010 |accessdate=29 May 2013}}</ref> remaining there for one season before switching to Lymington Town on 1 July 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/lymington-unveil-impressive-recruits-4557/ |title=Lymington unveil impressive recruits |date=July 2011 |publisher=Pitchero non-league |accessdate=29 May 2013}}</ref> Castle was released by the club just three months later though when it emerged he had been playing Sunday league football without permission.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/9319130.Former_Reading_defender_in_Sunday_football_shocker/ |last=Gee |first=Wendy |title=Former Reading defender in Sunday football shocker |newspaper=Southern Daily Echo |location=Southampton |date=21 October 2011 |accessdate=29 May 2013}}</ref> Following his release he joined GE Hamble until the end of the 2011–12 season<ref name="Peter Castle profile"/> before returning to Southern League football with Winchester City in June 2012. After early exits from the FA Cup and FA Trophy, Castle left Winchester and joined Sholing in September.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/football/nonleague/9942353.Castle_leaves_City_to_join_Sholing/ |last=Gee |first=Wendy |title=Castle leaves City to join Sholing |newspaper=Southern Daily Echo |location=Southampton |date=21 September 2012 |accessdate=29 May 2013}}</ref> In April 2019, he reached the milestone of playing 200 matches in all competitions for Sholing.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=sholingfc|title=Congratulations to Pete Castle @CastleTheClown on making his 200th appearance for Sholing 👏 #UTB|date=22 April 2019|accessdate=24 July 2024|number=1120321648803090433}}</ref> In May 2019, he joined Hamble Club after seven years with Sholing.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=HambleFC|title=Pete Castle is a Monk!|date=20 May 2019|accessdate=24 July 2024|number=1130407488367599616}}</ref> In February 2020, he joined AFC Portchester.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/former-wembley-winner-joins-afc-portchester-for-end-of-season-wessex-league-title-push-1885216|title=Former Wembley winner joins AFC Portchester for end-of-season Wessex League title push|website=portsmouth.co.uk|date=20 February 2020|accessdate=24 July 2024}}</ref> In August 2023, he was back playing for former side Sholing.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=sholingfc|title=Pete Castle replaces Jake Flannigan|date=5 August 2023|accessdate=24 July 2024|number=1687848804748550145}}</ref> In July 2024, he joined Millbrook.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=Millbrook_FC|title=NEW SIGNING: Pete Castle|number=1816855923912245370|date=26 July 2024|accessdate=14 November 2024}}</ref>
==International career== While at Reading, Castle represented the England under-16s and the Ireland under-18s at international level.<ref name="Peter Castle profile"/>
==Honours== '''FA Vase'''<ref name="favase">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/11205090.Sholing_win_the_FA_Vase/?ref=twt|title=Sholing win the FA Vase |date=10 May 2014 |publisher=Southern Daily Echo |access-date=10 May 2014}}</ref> *Winner: 2013–14
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://archive.today/20130630032623/http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/vtfc/s/players-coaches-21858.html?archive_id=10419&player_id=784702 Peter Castle profile] at the Sholing F.C. website * {{Soccerbase}} * [http://www.bashleyfc.co.uk/archiverecords.htm Peter Castle statistics] in the Bashley F.C. archives *[http://www.thefa.com/england/all-teams/players?p=326439 England profile] at The FA *[https://fulltime.thefa.com/statsForPlayer.html?personID=6062715 Wessex League stats] at Full Time *[https://www.aylesburyunitedarchive.com/player/pete-castle/5594 Non-league stats] at Aylesbury United
{{DEFAULTSORT:Castle, Peter}} Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Southampton Category:English men's footballers Category:Republic of Ireland men's association footballers Category:England men's youth international footballers Category:Republic of Ireland men's youth international footballers Category:Men's association football defenders Category:AFC Bournemouth players Category:Reading F.C. players Category:Rushden & Diamonds F.C. players Category:St Albans City F.C. players Category:Staines Town F.C. players Category:Eastleigh F.C. players Category:Bashley F.C. players Category:A.F.C. Totton players Category:Gosport Borough F.C. players Category:Lymington Town F.C. players Category:Folland Sports F.C. players Category:Winchester City F.C. players Category:Sholing F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:Isthmian League players Category:Southern Football League players Category:Wessex Football League players Category:Hamble Club F.C. players Category:A.F.C. Portchester players Category:Brockenhurst F.C. players Category:21st-century English sportsmen Category:21st-century Irish sportsmen