Martin Peters

Martin Peters made his England debut a mere two months before the 1966 World Cup finals but his relative international inexperience was quickly forgotten as he forced his way into Sir Alf Ramsey’s starting line-up and played a pivotal role in the side’s famous victory over West Germany in the final.

The West Ham midfielder did not feature in the opening game of the tournament against Uruguay but he was selected for the second match Mexico and remained in the team for the rest of the competition.

It was Peters’ cross in the notoriously violent quarter-final against Argentina that set up Hurst’s headed winner but it was in the final at Wembley that the dynamic Hammer was to earn his place in World Cup folklore.

With the matched locked at 1-1 and 12 minutes left on the clock, England won a corner. Alan Ball took it, Hurst could only get a partial contact and the ball fell to Peters, who unleashed an unstoppable half-volley that almost broke the net.

West Germany equalised in the dying seconds of normal time but Hurst’s two goals in extra time ensured Peters’ effort was not in vain and the West Ham midfielder remains only the second Englishman to score in a World Cup final.

He went on to play 67 times for his country, scoring 20 goals from midfield, and in 2006 he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.

Memorabilia signed by Martin Peters