Heartbreak for England legend as wife dies after ‘several months’ battling with illness
LADY Hilkka Brooking, the beloved wife of Club legend Sir Trevor, has died after battling with illness for "several months".
Remembering his much-loved wife Sir Trevor thanked fans for their "kind" messages and thoughts.
The couple were married for 55 years with Lady Hilkka becoming a regular visitor to West Ham United fixtures home and away.
She "stood by his side" when Sir Trevor was a player during his illustrious career and then in his role as an ambassador of English football.
In an emotional tribute he said: “I want to thank people for their kind messages and thoughts.
“Hilkka loved coming to West Ham United matches and always wanted the Club to do well.”
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Sharing his own heartfelt message online, joint-Chairman David Sullivan remembered Hilkka as a "popular figure" in the Boardroom.
Joint-Chairman David Sullivan added: “We are all extremely sad to hear the news of Lady Hilkka’s passing.
"Hilkka was a hugely popular figure in the Boardroom and throughout the Club, always by Sir Trevor’s side and a passionate supporter of West Ham United.
"She will be greatly missed by everyone here.”
Sir Trevor joined West Ham as a youth player in 1965 before making his senior debut a couple of years later.
His illustrious career playing for the Upton Park team saw him make over 600 appearances and scoring more than 100 goals before retiring in 1984.
Post retirement he picked up a role at the BBC as a broadcaster and later was appointed to the Sports Council.
However, Brooking's name will be warmly remembered for his West Ham's historic FA Cup 1-0 win against Arsenal in 1980, scoring the winning goal with a header.
