Martin Peters

A remarkably intelligent English midfielder, Martin Peters was famously described as being years ahead of his time, and for once the cliché actually fits without needing medical assistance. Tall, smooth and tactically subtle, he moved through games with outstanding timing, arriving late in the box, drifting into space and linking midfield with attack before defenders had properly located him. He was not a pure playmaker, nor a traditional winger or striker, but a sophisticated hybrid who could score, create and balance the team with quiet authority. With West Ham, Tottenham and England, he showed elegance, discipline and a rare instinct for decisive positions, including his goal in the 1966 World Cup final. Less spectacular than the flashier attacking stars, but wonderfully complete. A modern midfielder before modern midfielders had a proper job title.