My Sporting Life: Landor’s chief creative officer Peter Knapp on West Ham, archery and the Olympics
Peter Knapp, chief creative officer at global branding and design agency Landor talks West Ham, lower league football, archery and the Olympics.
What is your sporting passion?
My passion, my obsession and therefore my depression, is West Ham United. From a very early age, despite all of my family supporting Tottenham, fate decided that I’d be a Hammer and of course once the choice is made, there’s no going back.
A football club isn’t just for Christmas it’s for life. Now I’m living the EastEnders soap opera, week after week.
How did you first get into sport?
My Dad: he was my sporting hero. As a kid I’d watch him playing in goal for the local side, come rain or shine, he was up there with Peter Shilton and Gordon Banks in my mind. Then, during the summer, he was playing tennis. In fact, there wasn’t a moment when he wasn’t playing something.
Do you also participate in sport?
Following a particularly undistinguished football career in the lower leagues of the Enfield and Edmonton leagues, where the talent scouts turned a blind eye, I have evolved as a sports man. Now I just stand still. Archery is where I put all my focus.
Sir Trevor Brooking made over 500 appearances for West Ham between 1966 and 1984 (Source: Getty)
What is your most cherished sporting memory?
My first game at Upton Park was West Ham 5-2 Wolves. The noise was deafening and the crowd banter was just so funny. Billy Bonds, Trevor Brooking and Frank Lampard senior, a golden era. Green Street E7 was a chaotic mix of smells, ranging from exotic Indian spices, jellied eels, burgers, beer and cigarettes.
The 2012 Olympics were also special. It transformed the city and I was an immensely proud Londoner. The city was like a sporting carnival and an absolute joy of colour, visitors, energy and a common love for sport.
What is your greatest hope in sport?
Beyond mid-table mediocrity for West Ham? I’d love England to host the World Cup. The Olympics showed the world what a good job we could do. Please bring football back home soon.
If you could change one thing about sport, what would it be?
I just can’t abide cheating. Whether it’s drugs, gambling syndicates, bribes, taking a dive in the penalty box or stealing yards for a throw-in.
At its most basic sport is about talent, endeavour and passion within a common framework of rules that define a game. I don’t mind the big money in sport these days – that’s just a commercial reality – but the fines should be equally big if you don’t play the game with a true heart.