One of the most highly rated central defenders of his generation, Peter was an unassuming character, but he was a true stalwart of that famous 1970/71 FA Cup and league double-winning team and beyond.

During an era when the side was packed with legendary figures, Peter's talent shone through. He formed a formidable central defensive partnership with captain Frank McLintock, and was an outstanding servant for the club for 18 years.

Born in Gorleston, Norfolk on January 13, 1945, he joined us straight out of school and worked his way through the youth system, going on to make his first team debut, aged 19, in March 1964.

Over the next few years he showed his adaptability and versatility by playing in a variety of positions, but the 1966/67 season – the first under the management of Bertie Mee - proved to be his breakthrough year, when he played 36 times in the First Division.

Soon established as a dependable central defender, in many ways he was ahead of his time. He brought calm to the backline as a ball-playing defender who could play his way out of difficulty with composure and style. Less than six feet tall, he used his physical strength as well as his defensive nous to contain the best opposition attacks the top flight had to offer.

“I was rubbish in the air – I used to close my eyes!” he said after his playing days. “The main thing was that if we couldn’t get the ball we made sure they didn’t. You had to use your body. I don’t know if it was an unfair way or not. You just made sure that if you weren’t going to get the ball you leant on the opponent so he didn’t have an easy header or whatever.

“You got elbows in your face and that sort of thing. Ron Davies of Southampton and Wyn Davies at Newcastle were really quite tough to mark. They were exceptional in the air and could handle themselves well. You got up straight away even if you were hurt because if they knew you were hurt they’d just give you another one.”

Peter was named Arsenal Player of the Year in 1969, and the following year was ever-present in our European Fairs Cup winning campaign.

Then came the double win in 1970/71, when he recovered from injury to play every minute of the campaign from late November onwards, including the title clincher at White Hart Lane and the FA Cup final win over Liverpool at Wembley Stadium.

Amazingly though he was never capped for England, despite being named in Alf Ramsey’s provisional squad for the 1970 World Cup. “Of course it would have been nice to play for England,” Peter admitted. “But I was a club man and enjoyed what I did and was fortunate to have played in such a marvellous Arsenal team.

“I played alongside the great Frank McLintock – say no more. Frank was verbal, very tenacious, a great captain and he was fair. And although we were two different types of players we got on well together. He gave me lots of help, as did Bob McNab and Ricey.”

He moved to the USA after leaving Arsenal, playing for the New England Tea Men in the North American Soccer League. He later represented Hendon at non-league level before retiring in 1981, and leaving the sport entirely.

Fellow star from the 1970s Charlie George paid the following tribute to his former teammate: “He was a very good player, but very quiet – that’s why his nickname was Stan, after Stan Laurel. He did his job and just got on with it. 

"I always remember, away at Southampton once, Bob McNab was having a bit of a go at him and Stan just said ‘Bob, you do your job and I’ll try and do mine.’ I couldn’t stop laughing, because that summed him up – just got on with things. He was a lovely man.

“He could really play. He was already in the centre of our defence by the time I made my debut, and he was a fair player too. He said to me a few years back that he could only ever remember kicking one player once. So he wasn’t a dirty player at all – he won the ball with those long legs of his.

“He was unassuming and he loved the club – a real Arsenal man. When we won the double he was just in the dressing room with us afterwards, smoking his Dunhill cigarettes as usual and not making a fuss. There were never any great antics from Peter.

“It’s really sad news, he was a lovely guy, he never had a bad word to say about anybody.”

Our thoughts are with Peter’s daughters Dana and Leah, son-in-law Mike, grandsons Alex and Sam and his many friends.