West Ham United has been left deeply saddened by the passing of Hammers great Peter Brabrook.
The 1964 FA Cup winner and England international winger died following a short illness on Saturday at the age of 79.
A hugely popular character, Peter made 215 appearances across six seasons, scoring 43 goals, before returning to the Club as both an Academy coach and scout, working in the latter role until just weeks before his death.
A friendly, approachable and hugely knowledgeable figure beloved by his teammates, colleagues and supporters alike, the 1958 FIFA World Cup finalist will be sorely missed by everyone at the Club and the football world as a whole.
Born in Greenwich in November 1937, Peter spent the early part of his career with Chelsea, helping the Blues to win the Football League title as an 18-year-old in 1955.
Three years later, the young outside-right was on his way to the FIFA World Cup finals in Sweden, where he earned one of his three senior England caps when he started against the Soviet Union.
In 1962, Peter made the move across London to the Boleyn Ground for a £35,000 fee, making his West Ham debut in a 1-1 draw with Burnley on 22 October of that year. A maiden goal in Claret and Blue arrived the following month in a 3-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday.
His most successful season with the Club, both personally and collectively, came in 1963/64, when he netted a career-high 12 goals, including two against Charlton Athletic and Orient during the Hammers’ triumphant run to the FA Cup final.
At Wembley, it was his cross that Ronnie Boyce nodded in with just seconds remaining to secure the famous trophy for the first time in the Club’s history.
The following season, injuries restricted Peter to just 25 appearances, including one in West Ham’s European Cup Winners’ Cup run, which ended in another glorious victory at the Home of Football.
The south London-born player was more heavily involved the following season, 1965/66, when he helped the Hammers reach the semi-finals of both the League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Peter departed the Club in 1968, completing his playing career with Orient and Romford before returning to the Hammers to work within the Academy of Football.
There, he scouted and coached some of the finest graduates in West Ham history, including Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Frank Lampard Jr.
In more recent years, Peter scouted Football League clubs, seeking to unearth talent at senior level, and he remained a regular and welcome visitor to both Chadwell Heath and, this season, Rush Green.
Peter leaves two children, Wayne and Donna, and three grandchildren, PJ, Daisy and Rosie.
West Ham United would like to express their sincere condolences to Peter’s family and friends at this sad time.