- Lady Hilkka regularly attended West Ham matches both home and away
- She and Sir Trevor were married for 55 years and shared two children
- Hammers joint-chairman David Sullivan said Lady Hilkka will be ‘missed’
Sir Trevor Brooking’s wife, Lady Hilkka Brooking, has tragically died after battling an illness for ‘several months’, West Ham have confirmed.
The couple were married for 55 years and Lady Hilkka regularly attended West Ham matches both home and away, becoming a ‘hugely popular’ figure at the club.
England great Brooking has thanked well-wishers for their ‘kind’ tributes.
‘I want to thank people for their kind messages and thoughts,’ he said. ‘Hilkka loved coming to West Ham United matches and always wanted the Club to do well.’
West Ham’s joint-chairman David Sullivan said Lady Hilkka will be ‘greatly missed’.
In a touching message shared on the club’s website, Sullivan said: ‘We are all extremely sad to hear the news of Lady Hilkka’s passing.
Sir Trevor Brooking’s wife, Lady Hilkka Brooking, has died after battling an illness
Lady Hilkka (right) married Sir Trevor in 1970 and the couple shared two children
She regularly attended West Ham matches home and away alongside her husband
‘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.’
West Ham’s statement added: ‘The thoughts and condolences of everyone at West Ham United are with Sir Trevor, his daughter Collette and son Warren, as well as grandchildren Harry, Amy and Hugo, at this very sad time.’
Sir Trevor married Lady Hilkka, a Finnish au pair, in June 1970. They shared two children, daughter Collette and son Warren, and had three grandchildren.
She was ever-present at his side during his esteemed career on and off the pitch.
Brooking joined West Ham as an apprentice in 1965 and made his senior debut two years later. He went on to make 649 total appearances and scored 102 goals for the Hammers over a glittering 17-year spell, winning the FA Cup twice.
He famously scored the only goal of the game against Arsenal in the final in 1980.
Sir Trevor retired in 1984 before becoming a pundit for the BBC, featuring on Match of the Day and World Cup and European Championship coverage.
Brooking was awarded a knighthood, OBE and MBE for his services to the sport.
