He always made time for people

IWAS an apprentice coming through at West Ham when Martin Peters won the World Cup alongside Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore. It was amazing to be around the club at the time.

As a young player, it was a great feeling and I was very lucky to learn from players like that so early in my career.

Martin was a midfielder like me so you couldn’t help but learn from him. He scored more goals than me though!

He had a great understanding with Geoff, a great crosser and header of the ball.

Those three led West Ham to the 1964 FA Cup in 1964, the 1965 Cup Winners’ Cup and the World Cup in 1966.

It was an honour to be a West Ham youngster in that unique period of the club’s life. Martin was at the heart of that.

He was a lovely, approachable man, who always made time for people.

He was quiet, did not look too much for the limelight. He was someone who thoroughly enjoyed being a part of that time.

But I think it is only as each decade has gone by that we now, 50 years later, appreciate how amazing their achievement was. It has gained even greater significance.

It has been sad that in the last 10 to 15 years that those heroes have had their own issues and passed away.

Martin lived locally to us and it has been difficult for the family in recent years.

They, I am sure, will want everyone to remember Martin for what he was: a wonderful footballer, who achieved wonderful things, and a talented goalscorer.

More than anything though, a top-class man who was great to spend time with. A humble man. That word perhaps sums him up best.

He never looked for the plaudits but happy to enjoy his life. And he certainly did that.