Martin Peters RIP

[Deepest Blue]

Very cultured player.
His style was ahead of its time.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

Sad news indeed - we have to remember that 1966 was 53 years ago!
That is Gordon Banks, Ray Wilson, Alan Ball, Bobby Moore and Martin Peters gone :(

 

[BongoBlue]

RIP. A great player indeed.

 

[Dirty Harry]

Back in my childhood when you could like players from other teams, he was one of my favourites. Rest in peace sir

Me too, up there with the King when it comes to my first memories of football on the school playground, a classy elegant player and always seemed like a decent chap too, RIP Martin and sincere condolences to his family.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Eh? It hit the back of the net. You won't get any more "in" than that....


4:28 into the video.

Has to edit that post....blame the beer, bad back & a cold.

 

[jimharri]

Has to edit that post....blame the beer, bad back & a cold.

Yeah yeah yeah. Excuses, excuses.

 

[Franny's toilet roll]

Great player and a big memory from my youth. RIP. Forgive me but he really will be 'ghosting into the box' now

 

[GaudinoMotors]

More extremely sad news - RIP

 

[BimboBob]

Seemed a lovely guy, great footballer, could play multiple positions and his autobiography was the first football book I read.

 

[johnevans]

Seemed a lovely guy, great footballer, could play multiple positions and his autobiography was the first football book I read.

Yes, I remember he was famous for playing in every position for West Ham, including goalkeeper when he went in goal during a game to replace their injured 'keeper! He was a marvellous, graceful player.

I remember seeing him live for the first time in the 66-67 season. We'd just got back up to the First Division after being promoted as Division Two champions, unbeaten at home all that season. We won our first two games at home in Division One (including beating then champions Liverpool 2-1) Then came West Ham at home on a Wednesday night.. including Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters from the England team that had just won the World Cup. They absolutely mullered us 4-1. I remember thinking how they all looked like some kind of Gods beamed down from a different planet, especially Bobby Moore who controlled the game from start to finish.. absolutely the greatest defender I've ever seen. I also remember watching Peters' movement around the pitch for about 10 minutes, mesmerised by what he was doing on and off the ball, vowing to copy him as well as Colin Bell!

Mercer and Allison said that night they learned lots about the squad and what they had to do to survive and thrive in the top league. Once we'd got stability later in the season, then came the famous 1-0 FA Cup quarter final defeat at Leeds when we went toe-to-toe with one of Europe's great sides and could/should have won. That was the springboard for the next season when we stormed to the title.

But it all started with that night against West Ham, Moore/Hurst/Peters and the rest playing that beautiful football that came so naturally to them. Those of us who saw Martin Peters grace the football field were extremely lucky to have seen him play..