In an era of footballers so spoilt and detached that one England international allegedly threw a £10,000 watch out of a taxi just because he could, the aura of Bobby Moore continues to grow.

Indisputably England's greatest ever captain, unlike the modern underachievers who continue to wear the Three Lions, few had a bad word to say about Moore.

As classy off the pitch as he was on it (Pelé says he is the greatest defender he had ever played against), he played every minute of every one of his 108 international caps, clocking up 9,780 minutes in an England shirt.

Barking-born Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore made his West Ham United debut in September 1958 aged 17, against a Manchester United team depleted after the Munich air disaster seven months previously. Handed the number six shirt in Malcolm Allison's absence (due to Tuberculosis), Moore never looked back and Allison never played for the Hammers again.

Moore made his England debut on the eve of the 1962 World Cup in Chile and captained his country on only his 12th appearance as a 22-year-old later that year, after Johnny Haynes' retirement and injury to Jimmy Armfield.

The mid-60s were a glorious spell for the sandy-haired centre-back. An FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup winner with West Ham in 1964 and 1965, they were the precursors for 1966 and all that as England lofted the Jules Rimet trophy on home soil in the eighth World Cup.

Aside from the image of Moore being held aloft by his jubilant teammates, other glorious memories include his nonchalantly expert assists for Geoff Hurst in the final,as well as the sight of him wiping the dirt from his hands to shake the Queen's hand prior to receiving the golden trinket. The latter gesture might be regarded as pretentious in this more cynical age, but with Moore it was genuine courtesy.

Build up to Brazil 1970 included the he Bogotá bracelet incident, but the tournament boasted one of sport's greatest pictures of him and Pelé. Contrast is usually pivotal to a great picture but it plays a small role in the duo's embrace as two men from different cultures, and who speak different languages, communicate like lifelong friends after sweating pounds to beat each other in unforgivable heat.

Lows followed the highs with Moore, whose England career ended in 1973 a year earlier than his coach had anticipated. His final competitive match for the Three Lions ended in a 2-0 defeat to Poland and he was dropped for the return match. Moore allegedly asked Alf Ramsey if he was no longer required at international level after his demotion.

"Of course not. I need you as my captain at the World Cup next year," Ramsey replied. A Moore-less England failed to beat Poland and they would not be travelling to West Germany the net year. Both Moore and Ramsey's final England games came against Italy on a miserable November night later that year as Fabio Capello scored the only goal for the Azzurri.

Sixteen years after his West Ham debut Moore moved on to Second Division Fulham for £25,000. A year later he lined up against his former club in the 1975 FA Cup final in a bittersweet occasion as Fulham lost 2-0 thanks to an Alan Taylor double.

Having rubbed shoulders with George Best and Rodney Marsh at Craven Cottage, he followed the mavericks across the pond to promote US soccer before doing likewise in Denmark with Herning Fremad, retiring after 20 years playing football in 1978.

An unsuccessful managerial career preceded the obvious transition into punditry, but in April 1991 he underwent an emergency operation for suspected colon cancer. On 14 February 1993, he publicly announced he was suffering from bowel and liver cancer; which had spread by this stage.

Three days later, he commentated on England against San Marino at Wembley in what was to be his final public appearance. On 24 February, at 6.36 am, he died at the age of 51.

Outside Wembley and outside Upton Park, his legacy is remembered with two impressive and deserving statues that are a reminder that there was once a time when parents could look to footballers as actual role models.

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• Soccer - Football League - West Ham United

  Bobby Moore, West Ham United

• Soccer - England Training

  Bobby Moore, England

• Soccer - Football League Division One - West Ham United Photocall

  West Ham United captain Bobby Moore poses with the FA Cup and Charity Shield, both of which were won by West Ham in 1964

• Soccer - FA Cup - Final - West Ham United v Preston North End

  West Ham United captain Bobby Moore kisses the FA Cup in celebration after his team's 3-2 victory

• Soccer - FA Cup - Final - West Ham United v Preston North End

  West Ham Uniteds Bobby Moore holds the F.A. Cup

• Soccer - FA Cup - Final - West Ham United v Preston North End

  West Ham United Captain Bobby Moore being interviewed after the match archive-577-30

• Soccer - FA Cup - Final - West Ham United v Preston North End

  West Ham United captain Bobby Moore celebrates with the FA Cup after his team's 3-2 victory

• Soccer - Football League Division One - West Ham United v Manchester United

  Bobby Moore, West Ham United West Ham United v Manchester United

• Soccer - West Ham United Photocall

  (l-r) Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst, West Ham United

• Soccer - Football League Division One - West Ham United Photocall

  West Ham United's World Cup winning trio of Martin Peters (l), Bobby Moore (c) and Geoff Hurst (r) show off three trophies they garnered for their play during the World Cup to a group of excited youngsters in Chigwell, Essex

• Soccer - Football League Division One - West Ham United Photocall

  West Ham United's Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst with some of the trophies they won during the 1966 World Cup

• Soccer - European Cup Winners Cup - Final - West Ham United v TSV 1860 Munich

  West Ham United celebrate with the European Cup Winners Cup: (back row, l-r) Geoff Hurst, Alan Sealey, Ronnie Boyce, Martin Peters, Ken Brown, Jack Burkett, Jim Standen; (front row, l-r) Joe Kirkup, Bobby Moore, John Sissons

• Soccer - European Cup Winners Cup - Final - West Ham United v TSV 1860 Munich

  West Ham United celebrate with the trophy after their 2-0 victory: (back row, l-r) Joe Kirkup, Alan Sealey, Jim Standen, Bobby Moore, Ronnie Boyce, Ken Brown (front row, l-r) Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst, John Sissons, Jack Burkett

• Soccer - Football League Division One - West Ham United

  Bobby Moore, West Ham United

• Soccer - Football League Division One - West Ham United

  (R-L) West Ham United's Billy Bonds, Bobby Ferguson, Frank Lampard, Tommy Taylor, John McDowell and Bobby Moore relax during training

• Soccer - Football League Division One - Manchester United v West Ham United

  Bobby Moore, West Ham United

• Soccer - Football League Division One - Manchester United v West Ham United

  Bobby Moore of West Ham United (c) and Denis Law of Manchester United (r) take a breather as they wait for a corner to be taken

• Soccer - World Cup England 1966 - Group One - England v Uruguay - Wembley Stadium

  The Queen shaking hands with England captain Bobby Moore when the England team and their opponents Uruguay were presented to her on the field at Wembley Stadium in London after she had declared open the first World Cup game of the tournament

• Soccer - World Cup Winners 1966 - England Team With World Cup

  England team group: back row,l-r- Harold Shepherdson, Nobby Stiles, Roger Hunt, Gordon Banks, Jack Charlton, George Cohen, Ray Wilson, Sir Alf Ramsay. front row, l-r - Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst, Bobby Moore, Alan Ball, Bobby Charlton.

• Soccer - The FA 150th Anniversary Package

  File photo dated 30/07/1966 of England's captain Bobby Moore holding the Jules Rimet Trophy, that he collected from the Queen after their 4-2 victory against West Germany at Wembley.

• Soccer - World Cup - Final - England v West Germany - Wembley Stadium - London

  England captain Bobby Moore displays the World Cup trophy whilst being carried by his England colleagues after their 4-2 win against West Germany.

• Soccer - FIFA World Cup England 66 - Final - England v West Germany - Wembley Stadium

  England captain Bobby Moore holds aloft the World Cup

• ENGLAND WIN 1966 WORLD CUP

  NOBBY STILES KISSES THE TREASURED WORLD CUP TROPHY AS BOBBY MOORE (C) IS CONGRATULATED BY TEAM MANAGER ALF RAMSEY (LEFT IN BLUE) AT WEMBLEY. Sir Alf Ramsey dies 28/04/99 aged 79.

• Soccer - European Championship Qualifier - Group Eight - England v Scotland

  England walk out before the match (r-l): Bobby Moore, George Cohen, Geoff Hurst, Alan Ball, Ray Wilson, Gordon Banks, Bobby Charlton

• Soccer - England

  Bobby Moore, England captain

• Soccer - Home Champioinships - England v Scotland - Wembley

  The teams take to the field led by their captains - Bobby Moore of England and Billy Bremner of Scotland

• Soccer - Home International Championship - England v Wales

  England captain Bobby Moore (r) relaxes in the Wembley tunnel before the match as goalkeeper Peter Shilton (l) looks on

• Soccer - American Bicentennial Cup - Team America v England

  England captain Gerry Francis (c) with Team America's Bobby Moore (l) and Pele (r)

• ENGLISH SOCCER

  L-R; PELE, BOBBY MOORE [USA],

• Soccer - Football League Division Two - Fulham Training

  (L-R) Fulham's Alan Mullery and Bobby Moore look forward to appearing in the FA Cup Final

• Sportsmen/swimwear

  L-R: Bobby Moore, Tony Jacklin, David Hemery, Roger Taylor, Barry John and Joe Bugner.

• Moore Greaves Connery & Brynner

  England World Cup captain Bobby Moore (R) and teammate Jimmy Greaves (L) have a drink and chat with actors Sean Connery (2nd L) and Yul Brynner, during a visit with the England squad to Pinewood Studios, in Buckinghamshire.

• Endorsement - Royal Mail Data Post Service

  Former England World Cup footballers Bobby Moore (right) and Martin Peters launch the new Royal Mail Datapost service to Spain.

• Soccer

  England captain Bobby Moore shows off one of his line of stylish fashion products

• Endorsement - Double Glazing - 1970

  Actress Barbara Windsor and Bobby Moore the West Ham and England football captain, are framed in a section of double glazing when they were guest celebrities at a firm's double glazing annual sales convention. The hostesses in football strip are Lyn Marshall (left) and Glenys O'Brien.

• Endorsements - Tights - 1970

  Bobby Moore the West Ham United and England soccer captain, holding model Kate Howard, who was modelling tights that are visually protective and take away the need for pants. The tights are called Norlyn Niknax.

• International Motor Show - Rolls Royce - 1970

  World Cup football captain Bobby Moore tries out the Silver Shadow, Rolls Royce Drop Head Coupe when he open the International Motor Show at Earls Court.

• Men's Fashion - Hats - 1963

  Three soccer stars modelling hats, (left to right) Graham Moore of Chelsea, Bobby Moore of West Ham United and Eddie Firmani of Charlton Athletic wearing the top hat styles.

• Soccer - FA Cup - Semi Final - Fulham v Birmingham City

  (L-R) Fulham's John Mitchell, Bobby Moore, Alan Mullery and Viv Busby look optimistic about their chances in the FA Cup semi final as they board the team coach on the day before the match

• Soccer - FA Cup - Final - West Ham United v Fulham - Wembley Stadium

  Bobby Moore, Fulham

• Film - 'Swallows and Amazons' Premiere - ABC Cinema

  Football World Cup winning Captain Bobby Moore, with his children Roberta (9) and Dean (6) at the children's matinee premiere of the film 'Swallows and Amazons' which was directed by Claude Whatham (not pictured) and depicts the classic children's story of the same name. The performance was for the charity KIDS.

• Soccer - Bobby Moore Public House - Stratford, London

  Soccer star Bobby Moore (right) raises his glass at the opening of his new pub, "Mooro's" in Stratford, London. Joining in the toast are (l-r) Rodney Marsh (Fulham), comedian Kenny Lynch, Frank Lampard (West Ham), Alan Ball (Arsenal), George Best (Fulham) and Malcolm Macdonald (Arsenal)

• American Soccer - Pele's Final Match - New York Cosmos v Santos

  (L-R) Former England captain Bobby Moore chats to World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali as they wait to welcome Pele onto the pitch for the final match of his career

• Soccer - 1966 World Cup Reunion - London

  Stars from the England and West German teams who played in the 1966 World Cup Final at a celebration dinner in London. (Left to Right) Gordon Banks, Martin Peters, Helmut Haller (holding cup), Bobby Moore, Hans Tikowski and Geoff Hurst.

• Soccer - Charity Replay of the 1966 World Cup Final - England v West Germany - Elland Road, Leeds

  Exchanging pennants before the charity replay of the 1966 World Cup final, original team captains Bobby Moore (left) for England and Uwe Seeler of West Germany, watched by referee John "Jack" Taylor at Elland Road, Leeds.The two teams met again after 19 years in aid of the Bradford FC fire tragedy appeal and again England won, this time 6-4.

• Statues and Memorials - England 1966 Statue - Upton Park Ground - London

  A new four tonne bronze statue is unveiled by the Duke of York outside West Ham's Upton Park ground in east London, where World Cup winners teamed up with the Duke of York at the unveiling of the statue commemorating England's 1966 soccer victory. The statue comprises the figures of (from left) Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst, Bobby Moore holding the trophy and Ray Wilson.

• Soccer - International Friendly - England v Brazil - Wembley Stadium

  The statue of Bobby Moore outside Wembley Stadium, he died 20 years ago this week aged 51