Archive for December 21, 2019
RIP Martin Peters
“West Ham beat West Germany”… Now the second of West Ham’s three World Cup heroes is no more. Martin Peters who scored in England’s 4-2 win in the 1966 World Cup final has died aged 76. The West Ham legend played in the Wembley final win over West Germany in a team captained by Hammer Bobby Moore (+1993) alongside West Ham’s hattrick-hero Geoff Hurst.
Peters, who joined West Ham aged 15, spent 11 years with the club until he became Britain’s first £200,000 player in a move to Tottenham in 1970.
West Ham said “the 1966 World Cup winner passed away peacefully” on Saturday after “a long and courageous battle with illness”.
“He is the fifth member of English football’s greatest-ever team now sadly lost – along with Alan Ball, Ray Wilson, Gordon Banks and his fellow West Ham Academy hero and great friend, Bobby Moore,” the club added.
Peters won the European Cup Winners’ Cup with West Ham in 1965 as well as the Uefa Cup and two League Cups with Spurs.
Peters, who was awarded an MBE for services to football in 1978, still regularly attended West Ham games as a club ambassador.
His former England team-mate Sir Geoff Hurst said it was a “very sad day for football and for me personally”.
“A fellow World Cup final goalscorer and my West Ham partner for years along with Bobby Moore. RIP old friend.”
Martin Peter’s goal put England 2-1 in front in the 1966 World Cup Final against Germany and the Three Lions looked set to win at Wembley, only for West Germany to level with seconds remaining before Hurst sealed a 4-2 win and completed his hat-trick in extra time.
Manager Alf Ramsey himself said Peters was “10 years ahead of his time”.
Peters won 67 caps for England and made over 700 appearances for clubs throughout his career.
Martin Peters – an English sporting icon and a lovely man who’ll be sadly missed. A tribute will be carried out prior to kick-off of West Ham’s home game vs. Leicester after Christmas in celebration of the achievements of one of West Ham‘s and England’s finest-ever players.
EXTRA TIME 
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