Hurst leads the tributes to Martin Peters
Sir Geoff Hurst has led the tributes to his World Cup-winning team-mate Martin Peters, who has died at the age of 76.
Former West Ham and Tottenham midfielder Peters, who scored England’s second goal in the 1966 final against West Germany, died in his sleep on Saturday morning following a long battle against Alzheimer’s disease.
Peters was part of the Hammers trio of captain Bobby Moore and Hurst, who scored a hat-trick in the 4-2 victory at Wembley, in Sir Alf Ramsey’s side.
Hurst wrote on Twitter: “Today is a very sad day for football and for me personally.
“Martin Peters was one of the all-time greats and a close friend and colleague of mine for in excess of 50 years.
“A fellow World Cup Final goalscorer and my West Ham partner for years along with Bobby Moore. RIP old friend.” Peters came through the West Ham academy, having signed as an apprentice in 1959, and went on to help the east London club win the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965.
After 364 games and 100 goals, Peters left Upton Park for Tottenham in 1970, becoming Britain’s first £ 200,000 footballer, in a deal which saw striker Jimmy Greaves head in the opposite direction.
While at White Hart Lane, Peters helped Bill Nicholson’s team lift the League Cup at Wembley in 1971 and again, as captain, in 1973, a season after playing his part in Spurs’ UEFA Cup victory over Wolves. He went on to play for Norwich and Sheffield United. After being awarded the MBE in 1978 and hanging up his boots in 1981, Peters regularly attended matches at Upton Park as a club ambassador.
In 2016, it was revealed Peters had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, one of several of the 1966 team to be battling dementia.
A statement from Peters’ family read: “It is with profound sadness that we announce that Martin passed away peacefully in his sleep at 4.00am this morning.
“A b e l ove d husband, dad and granddad, and a kind, gentle and private man, we are devastated by his loss, but so very proud of all that he achieved.”