Friday marked 30 years since the tragic passing of Bobby Moore OBE - still the only Englishman to lift the World Cup and the finest defender of his generation - at the age of just 51, following a brave battle with bowel cancer.
A day later, the West Ham family came together before kick-off against Nottingham Forest at London Stadium to pay tribute to the man whose star continues to shine brightly throughout the world game – a legacy that grows stronger with every passing year.
Iconic images of Moore with two world-famous figures sadly lost this season were displayed on the Stadium’s giant screens - remembering the moment he received the Jules Rimet trophy in 1966 from Queen Elizabeth II and his famous embrace with Pelé in 1970.
A further tribute has also been created inside the Club’s Stadium retail store, where the John Lyall gates - transported across from the main entrance at the Boleyn Ground during our move to London Stadium in 2016 - were adorned with Bobby’s famous number six shirt and the most iconic images from his illustrious career - exactly 30 years after the very same gates became the focal point of the outpouring of love and admiration for Bobby following his devastating loss on 24 February 1993.
Supporters attending Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest were able to view the gates, which have also been decorated with newspaper cuttings illustrating the many tributes paid 30 years ago, and the display will stay in place until our next home fixture, on 12 March against Aston Villa.
Bobby’s three great-grandchildren – seven-year-old Oliver and six-year-old twins Artie and Margot joined the team as they made their way out, while a floral tribute in memory of Moore’s number six shirt was carried on to the pitch, accompanied by flag-bearers waving giant flags in his honour, before a one-minute applause prior to kick-off, celebrating Bobby’s life, career and legacy.
While his magnificent achievements and brilliance as a player are widely celebrated and will never be forgotten, it is the impact his legacy has had on the lives of millions of people since his passing that truly illustrates Bobby Moore’s unique standing and place in history.
