Clyde Best says he will for ever be indebted for the tactical advice he received from former West Ham United team-mate and England legend Martin Peters who died at age 76 at the weekend.

During a distinguished career, midfielder Peters won the European Cup Winner’s Cup with West Ham, as well as the League Cup twice and the Uefa Cup with their London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

He is perhaps most famous for being a member of the England team that beat West Germany 4-2 the World Cup final at Wembley Stadium in 1966.

Peters netted 174 goals in 721 appearances at club level and 20 goals in 67 appearances for England, including a goal in the World Cup final.

His ability to get into scoring positions unnoticed earned him the nickname “The Ghost”, a skill he shared with Bermudian team-mate Best when he joined West Ham in the late Sixties.

“I will always be indebted to Martin because he showed me a lot when I was young playing up front,” Best recalled. “He taught me how to run off the ball, preventing yourself from getting offside. I remember one time we played at Middlesbrough and I was up front, me and Geoff [Hurst], and he stopped me and told me about running on the line and preventing yourself from becoming offside.

“A few years ago, I saw him at a [West Ham] game and I thanked him for that because that’s a bit of advice you’re not going to get from a person that doesn’t know anything about that. It was a lesson well learnt that stuck with me for the rest of my career. I tell children today when they run don’t run in a straight line. Run on the line and then bend it.”

Peters died on Saturday morning, his passing arriving three years after it was announced that he had Alzheimer’s disease.

“I knew that he was pretty ill,” Best added. “It’s very sad to have someone that you’ve known for so long leave you. I give my condolences to his wife and two children. Martin is a big loss to football, especially in England.

He was a world-class player and I’m just glad I had the opportunity to play with him and against him over the years.

“He was a lovely individual. He was a very genuine human being and you don’t come across people like that often in life.”

A statement from members of Peters’s family on West Ham’s official website read: “It is with profound sadness that we announce that Martin passed away.

“A beloved husband, dad and granddad, and a kind, gentle and private man, we are devastated by his loss but so very proud of all that he achieved and comforted by the many happy memories we shared.”