Martin Peters facts for kids
Peters in 2007
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Martin Stanford Peters | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 8 November 1943 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Plaistow, Essex, England | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 21 December 2019 (aged 76) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Brentwood, England | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1959–1970 | West Ham United | 302 | (81) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1970–1975 | Tottenham Hotspur | 189 | (46) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1975–1980 | Norwich City | 207 | (44) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1979 | Frankston City | 5 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–1981 | Sheffield United | 24 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1982–1983 | Gorleston | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 727 | (178) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1974 | England | 67 | (20) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981 | Sheffield United | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Martin Stanford Peters (born November 8, 1943 – died December 21, 2019) was a famous English footballer and manager. He was a key player for the England team that won the 1966 FIFA World Cup. In that final match against West Germany, he scored England's second goal. He also played in the 1970 World Cup.
Peters played club football for West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City, and Sheffield United. He was known as a "complete midfielder" because he was good with both feet, strong in the air, and hard to mark. England's manager, Sir Alf Ramsey, once said Peters was "ten years ahead of his time." He was so good that he played in every position for West Ham, even as a goalkeeper once! In 1970, he became the first British footballer to be transferred for £200,000.
Contents
Early Life and Football Beginnings
Martin Peters was born in Plaistow, Essex, England, in 1943 during the Second World War. When he was young, his family moved to Dagenham. He went to Fanshawe School and played schoolboy football. He mostly played as a defender, but sometimes as a full-back.
Many big clubs like Fulham, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur noticed him. He didn't support any club as a boy. After playing for England schoolboys, he was scouted by Wally St Pier for West Ham United. In 1959, at 15 years old, he joined West Ham as a young apprentice player.
Club Career Highlights
Playing for West Ham United
Peters signed his first professional contract with West Ham in November 1960. His manager, Ron Greenwood, helped him a lot as a young player. Martin played in both defensive and midfield roles. He made his first team debut in 1962. In one game that year, he even played as a goalkeeper when the regular goalie got hurt!
He became a regular player in the 1964–65 season. That year, West Ham won the European Cup Winners' Cup by beating 1860 Munich. This was a big win for the team and for Peters. In 1966, West Ham reached the League Cup final, but they lost to West Bromwich Albion. In the 1968–69 season, Peters scored his only hat-trick for West Ham, scoring three goals in one game. This was also his best scoring season, with 24 goals in 48 games.
Moving to Tottenham Hotspur
In March 1970, Peters moved to Tottenham Hotspur for a record-breaking £200,000. This made him the first British footballer to be sold for such a high price. He scored in his first game for Spurs against Coventry City.
He quickly found success at Tottenham. In 1971, Spurs won the League Cup by beating Aston Villa. The next year, he won his second European trophy when Spurs won the UEFA Cup. This was a special final because both teams were English. When Alan Mullery left in 1972, Martin became the club captain. As captain, he led Spurs to another League Cup win in 1973, beating Norwich City. Peters played 260 games for Tottenham, scoring 76 goals.
Time at Norwich City
In March 1975, Peters, then 31, moved to Norwich City. He helped the team stay in the top division. He played over 200 games for Norwich. He was voted Norwich City's Player of the Season two years in a row, in 1976 and 1977. In 2002, he was added to the Norwich City Hall of Fame. In 1978, while still playing, he received an MBE award for his services to football. He also played a few guest games for Frankston City in Australia.
Brief Spell at Sheffield United
On July 31, 1980, he joined Sheffield United as a player-coach. He later became the manager there.
International Career with England
The 1966 World Cup Victory
England manager Alf Ramsey quickly saw Martin Peters' talent. In May 1966, Peters made his debut for the England national team against Yugoslavia. England won 2–0, and Peters played very well. He scored his first international goal in his second game against Finland. He was then chosen for England's World Cup squad, along with his West Ham teammates Bobby Moore (the captain) and Geoff Hurst.
Ramsey used a new system without traditional wingers, which suited Peters perfectly. This system was called "the wingless wonders." Peters was great at passing, running forward, and helping in defense. He played in the second group game against Mexico, which England won 2–0. England then beat Argentina and Portugal to reach the final.
The final was against West Germany at Wembley. The score was 1–1 when England won a corner. The ball came to Peters, and he powerfully shot it into the net. West Germany scored late, but England won 4–2 in extra time, with Geoff Hurst scoring a hat-trick. Peters was a World Cup champion!
The 1970 World Cup
Peters played in all three of England's group games in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. England qualified again, and faced West Germany in the quarter-finals. Peters scored again against Germany, giving England a 2–0 lead. However, England lost the game 3–2 in extra time after some substitutions were made.
Later International Games
In 1972, Peters earned his 50th cap for England. He scored his 20th and final goal for England in 1973 against Scotland. England needed to beat Poland in October 1973 to qualify for the 1974 World Cup. With captain Bobby Moore not playing, Peters captained the team for this important match. The game ended 1–1, meaning England did not qualify for the World Cup. Peters played three more games for England, ending his international career in May 1974 with 67 caps.
Managerial Career and Retirement
Martin Peters became manager of Sheffield United in January 1981. The team was struggling, and they were relegated to the Fourth Division. Peters then resigned. He retired from professional football in January 1981. He had played 882 games in total and scored 220 goals. After leaving Sheffield United, he played for Gorleston in defense for one season.
Life After Football
In 1984, Martin Peters started working in the insurance business. He also joined the board of directors at Tottenham Hotspur in 1998. He helped connect the club with its fans. He also worked at West Ham's home matches, welcoming guests.
In 2006, he wrote his autobiography called The Ghost of '66. That same year, he was added to the English Football Hall of Fame for his amazing achievements as a player.
Personal Life and Legacy
In 2016, it was announced that Martin Peters had Alzheimer's disease. He passed away on December 21, 2019, at the age of 76. Football clubs he played for, like West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur, and Norwich City, shared many tributes to him. In September 2021, his ashes were placed in a special stone at West Ham's stadium, the London Stadium.
Career Statistics
Martin Peters at the English National Football Archive (subscription needed)
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| West Ham United | 1961–62 | First Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |
| 1962–63 | First Division | 36 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 39 | 9 | ||
| 1963–64 | First Division | 32 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 36 | 3 | ||
| 1964–65 | First Division | 35 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 47 | 6 | |
| 1965–66 | First Division | 40 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 60 | 17 | |
| 1966–67 | First Division | 41 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | — | 49 | 16 | ||
| 1967–68 | First Division | 40 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | 46 | 18 | ||
| 1968–69 | First Division | 42 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | 48 | 24 | ||
| 1969–70 | First Division | 31 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 34 | 7 | ||
| Total | 302 | 81 | 16 | 5 | 31 | 10 | 15 | 4 | 364 | 100 | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 1969–70 | First Division | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | 7 | 2 | |||
| 1970–71 | First Division | 42 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 58 | 19 | |
| 1971–72 | First Division | 35 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 2 | 61 | 17 | |
| 1972–73 | First Division | 41 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 60 | 24 | |
| 1973–74 | First Division | 35 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 49 | 14 | |
| 1974–75 | First Division | 29 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 31 | 4 | ||
| Total | 189 | 46 | 16 | 5 | 23 | 12 | 38 | 17 | 266 | 80 | ||
| Norwich City | 1974–75 | Second Division | 10 | 2 | — | — | — | 10 | 2 | |||
| 1975–76 | First Division | 42 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 53 | 14 | |
| 1976–77 | First Division | 42 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 48 | 8 | |
| 1977–78 | First Division | 34 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 7 | |
| 1978–79 | First Division | 39 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 46 | 12 | |
| 1979–80 | First Division | 40 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 48 | 8 | ||
| Total | 207 | 44 | 12 | 3 | 13 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 241 | 51 | ||
| Frankston City (guest) | 1979 | Victorian State League | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | 5 | 3 | |||
| Sheffield United | 1980–81 | Third Division | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 4 |
| Career total | 727 | 178 | 44 | 13 | 69 | 25 | 64 | 22 | 904 | 238 | ||
Honours and Awards
Football Achievements
West Ham
- European Cup-Winners' Cup: 1964–65
- Football League Cup runner-up: 1965–66
Tottenham
- League Cup: 1970–71, 1972–73
- UEFA Cup: 1971–72; runner-up: 1973–74
- Anglo-Italian League Cup: 1971
International
- FIFA World Cup: 1966
- UEFA European Football Championship third place: 1968
Special Awards
- MBE for services to football, (1978).
Images for kids
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Memorial stone covering Peters’ ashes at the London Stadium
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Pre-match tribute to Martin Peters at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium the day after his death was announced
See also
In Spanish: Martin Peters para niños
