Martin Peters, the former West Ham United midfielder and member of England’s 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning side, died on Saturday. He was 76.
Peters’ family provided a statement:
“It is with profound sadness that we announce that Martin passed away peacefully in his sleep at 4.00 a.m. this morning. A beloved husband, dad and grandad, and a kind, gentle and private man, we are devastated by his loss but so very proud of all that he achieved and comforted by the many happy memories we shared. We will be making no further comment and kindly ask that the privacy of our family is respected at this extremely difficult time.”
In a career that spanned 20-plus years, Peters also played for Tottenham Hotspur, Sheffield United, Norwich City and non-league side Gorleston.
Former England international Gary Lineker and broadcaster Ian Abrahams expressed their condolences:
Diop was a favourite at Fulham, representing the club between 2004 and 2007, making more than 70 league appearances after arriving from Lens, eventually departing for Portsmouth.
He later joined AEK Athens before returning to England to join West Ham, playing 16 times in the league before brief spell with Birmingham City.
Beyond his club efforts, Diop will be remembered as one of the heroes of Senegal’s 2002 World Cup campaign when he and his country made the quarter-finals, eventually bowing out to Turkey.
Diop made 63 appearances for Senegal in all, scoring 11 times, and that included his nation’s first goal at the 2002 World Cup, a treasured moment for many in the African country.
During his time at West Ham, Diop was promoted as part of the play-off-winning side of 2012 and that wasn’t the only honour of his career.
He also won the FA Cup with Portsmouth in 2008, coming off the bench with 12 minutes to go in their 1-0 win over Cardiff City in the final.
That FA Cup winners’ medal added to a Swiss Super League title he won in 2001 with the Zurich Grasshoppers, and he picked up an African Cup of Nations runner-up medal a year later with Senegal.
