Learn about the former English professional footballer Peter Shilton, through his biography

Learn about the former English professional footballer Peter Shilton, through his biography

Claudia Kogi
updated at February 3, 2024 at 9:53 AM
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Who is Peter Shilton? If you were a soccer diehard in the 1980s, you probably know who he is. He is a renowned English former professional football player who played as a goalkeeper. Aside from Peter Shilton's stats in the 30-year career stint, he is also in the limelight following his intense pitch-beef with the former soccer player Diego Maradona.

Peter Shilton
Peter Shilton is a renowned English former professional football player who played as a goalkeeper. Photo: @petershiltonofficial (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

During his active years, he recorded impressive stats that often made his fans proud. Besides, he holds the record for the most competitive appearances in world football (1,390), and, with 125 caps, the former player is also the England national team's most-capped player as he remains unbeaten to date.

Peter Shilton's profile summary

Full name

Peter Leslie Shilton

Date of birth

18 September 1949

Age

74 years as of January 2024

Place of birth

Leicester, Leicestershire, England, UK

Nationality

English

Ethnicity

White

Famous for

Being the receiver of 'The Hand of God'

Height

6 feet or 1.83 metres

Weight

181 pounds or 82 kg

Spouse

Steph Hayward

Kids

Michael and Sam

Profession

Former professional soccer player

Position

Footballer

Active years

1966 - 1997

Net worth

Between $2 million and $5 million

Social media

Instagram, X (Twitter)

Peter Shilton's brief bio

The former professional soccer player Peter Shilton (age 74 years as of January 2024) was born on 18 September 1949 in Leicester, Leicestershire, England, UK. His mother was May Shilton. Peter attended King Richard III Boys School in Leicester, where he began displaying a keen interest in soccer.

The sports career of Peter Shilton

 Peter Shilton looks on before the FA Cup match between AFC Wimbledon and Millwall
Top-5 facts about Peter Shilton. Photo: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images (Modified by author)
Source: Original

Shilton started playing soccer while still in school. It was only a matter of time before he caught the eye of first-team goalkeeper Gordon Banks, who commented to the coach about how promising he was. In May 1966, a 16-year-old Peter made his debut for Leicester against Everton.

His potential was quickly spotted to the extent that the team's management sold World Cup winner Banks to Stoke City. He made 286 appearances and scored 1 goal for Leicester before moving to Stoke City, where he made 110 appearances with no goal. Several big clubs had spotted Peter Shilton's impressive stats and were now proving to do anything to obtain the already-world-class goalkeeper.

He went ahead and signed with other clubs, including Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Derby County, Plymouth Argyle, Wimbledon, Bolton Wanderers, Coventry City, West Ham United, and Leyton Orient. Below is a table summarising the player's career stats since debuting.

Appearances

684

Goals

1

Yellow cards

1

Red cards

-

Goals conceded

765

Clean sheets

228

Minutes played

61,535

Peter Shilton on "The Hand of God"

For starters, what is the hand of God? This concept is the goal scored by the Argentine footballer Diego Maradona during the Argentina vs England quarterfinals of the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Under the association rules, the goal was considered faulty and illegal as Maradona used his hand to score.

Peter Shilton poses with the FA Cup
Peter Shilton poses with the FA Cup prior to the FA Cup Fifth Round match between AFC Wimbledon and Millwall on 16 February 2019 in Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom. Photo: Marc Atkins
Source: Getty Images

Peter Shilton and Maradona had no prior beef or resentment towards each other until that fateful day. The goal contributed to Argentina's 2-1 win over England. Although VAR analysed the faulty goal, the referees claimed that they had not seen any fault with the goal.

Well, the whole controversial goal story came up again in 2005, 19 years later, when Maradona confessed on the La Noche del 10 program that he scored the goal with his hand. Following his confession, several media outlets reported the news. However, among those who received the news was Peter, who claimed it was too late for the apology.

The passing of Diego Maradona due to cardiac arrest brought about a nostalgic feeling for the 1986 FIFA World Cup, with Shilton writing on the Daily Mail;

My life has long been linked with that of Diego Maradona, and not in the way I would have liked. But I am saddened to hear of his passing at such a young age. He was undoubtedly the most outstanding player I ever faced, and my thoughts are with his family.
I do not care what anybody says; it won the game for Argentina. He scored a brilliant second almost immediately, but we were still reeling from what had happened minutes earlier. None of us expected what happened next. He challenged me for a high, looping ball but knew he wouldn't get it with his head, so he punched it into the net. A clear offence. Cheating.
What I don't like is that he never apologised. Never at any stage did he say he had cheated and that he would like to say sorry. Instead, he used his 'Hand of God' line. That wasn't right. It seems he had greatness in him but, sadly, no sportsmanship.
Peter Shilton in action during a First Division match
Southampton former goalkeeper, Peter, in action during a First Division match at the Dell from the 1983 /84 season in Southampton, England. Photo: David Cannon
Source: Getty Images

Peter Shilton's awards and achievements

The former professional had an impressive career in the 11 clubs he played for. His most notable achievements include holding the record for the most competitive appearances in world football (1,390) and, with 125 caps, being the England national team's most-capped player. Other achievements include,

  • IOC European Footballer of the Season
  • PFA First Division Team of the Year
  • Southampton Player of the Season
  • FWA Tribute Award
  • PFA Team of the Century
  • PFA Players' Player of the Year
  • Nottingham Forest Player of the Season
  • English Football Hall of Fame
  • Football League 100 Legends

What is Peter Shilton's net worth?

Peter had an undeniably incredible 30-year-long career stint in the soccer world. As a result, he amassed a significant amount of wealth. According to various online sources, such as SportsLulu, his net worth as a player was around $3 million. As of January 2024, his net worth ranges between $2 million and $5 million.

Peter Shilton's personal life

The English former football player's wife is Steph Hayward Shilton, a famous jazz singer. The two tied the knot in December 2016 at a ceremony held at the Parish of St Peter and St Paul Church in West Mersea. At that time, Peter was 67 years of age, while Steph was 48.

Although she has not revealed her exact birth date, according to The Sun, if in 2016 she was 48, then she should be in her mid-50s as of 2024. Aside from being married to him, she is well known for saving her spouse from a 45-year gambling addiction.

I remembered the joy and admiration I had six months after we met when I stepped onto the pitch at Wembley with Pete. I was newly in love, and he was a hero to me. But now I realised that beneath that attractive exterior was an addict whose losses must have totalled millions of dollars.
Peter Shilton and his wife Steph Hayward Shilton
Peter Shilon poses with his wife, Steph Hayward Shilton. Photo: @petershiltonofficial (Modified by author)
Source: Instagram

Who was Peter Shilton's first wife?

The former professional athlete's first wife was Sue Flitcroft. The two tied the knot in September 1970 and were blessed with two sons, Michael and Sam. They stayed married for over four decades and later divorced in 2011.

Frequently asked questions

Peter, known for receiving Maradona's most famous Hand of God, was one of the best goalkeepers during his time on the pitch. Here are some facts about him.

What is Peter Shilton's nationality?

The famous soccer player is an English national of white ethnicity.

Does Peter Shilton have any kids?

The legendary goalkeeper has two sons, Michael and Sam, from his first marriage with Sue Flitcroft.

Peter Shilton in action during the FIFA 1986 World Cup
England goalkeeper, Shilton, in action during the FIFA 1986 World Cup group match between England and Poland on 11 June 1986 in Monterrey, Mexico. Photo: David Cannon
Source: Getty Images

How tall is Peter Shilton?

The former goalkeeper stands at 6 feet, which is equivalent to 183 centimetres, and his weight is 181 pounds or 82 kilograms.

What happened to Peter Shilton?

He was addicted to gambling for over 45 years. Fortunately, his spouse, Steph Hayward, saved him from the addiction.

Final word

Peter Shilton is a renowned English-based former professional football player who played as a goalkeeper in a 30-year career stint. Additionally, he is known for holding the record for the most competitive appearances in world football and being the England national team's most-capped player, as he remains unbeaten to date.

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Authors
Claudia Kogi photo
Claudia Kogi
Claudia Kogi is a Kenyan content creator with over 3 years of experience. Claudia joined Sportsbrief.com as a writer in January 2022, covering sports and relatable content.