London (AFP) – Former West Ham and Tottenham midfielder Martin Peters, who scored England’s second goal in the 1966 World Cup final against West Germany, has died aged 76 following a long battle against Alzheimer’s disease.

Peters, whose death was announced by West Ham, was part of the Hammers trio of captain Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst, who scored a hat-trick in the 4-2 victory at Wembley, for England’s only World Cup triumph.

“Everyone at West Ham United is deeply saddened by the tragic news that legendary Hammer Martin Peters MBE has died at the age of 76,” West Ham said in a statement.

“The 1966 World Cup winner passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of Saturday morning, following a long and courageous battle with illness.”

Peters is the fifth member of England’s World Cup winning side to pass away after Alan Ball, Ray Wilson, Gordon Banks and Moore.

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.

He later joined Tottenham as Britain’s first £200,000 midfielder in 1970, in a deal which saw Spurs’ all-time record scorer Jimmy Greaves going in the opposite direction to West Ham.

At Spurs, he won two League Cups and the first UEFA Cup in 1972 before finishing his career with spells at Norwich and Sheffield United.

He won 67 caps at international level, scoring 20 goals.