JIMMY GREAVES

This afternoon Tottenham Hotspur play Chelsea! You couldn't write the script.

James Peter Greaves MBE (20 February 1940 at Manor Park, London –19 September 2021 at Danbury, Essex.) was was England's fourth highest international goalscorer (44 goals), Tottenham Hotspur's highest ever goalscorer (266 goals), the highest goalscorer in the history of English top-flight football (357 goals), and had also scored more hat-tricks (six) for England than anyone else. He finished as the First Division's top scorer in six seasons. He was a member of the English Football Hall of Fame.

Jimmy was a youth player at Chelsea, being part of Ted Drake's "Ducklings". Ted was the manager at the time and he developed a wonderful youth set up, a team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1958. Greaves worked in a local steelworks in East London at the start of his career, to supplement his meager football wage.
He scored 124 goals in four seasons (157 games) 1957-61.
He went abroad to AC Milan (£80,000) and quickly (April 1961 to Dec 1961) came back to Tottenham (£99,999)

His achievements:-
Fourth highest England scorer with 44 goals in 57 games. Played between 1962-66.
Six hat tricks for England, more than anyone. Missed World Cup 1966 Q-Final + due to injury (Geoff Hurst replaced him). Here is his quote following the final:

"I danced around the pitch with everyone else but even in this moment of triumph and great happiness, deep down I felt my sadness. Throughout my years as a professional footballer I had dreamed of playing in a World Cup Final. I had missed out on the match of a lifetime and it hurt."

Greaves was bitterly disappointed to have missed the World Cup final, though it was only after his playing career ended that he descended into alcoholism

Greaves eventually got a "World Cup" medal in 2009 following a nationwide campaign.

Debut goals:
Chelsea v Spurs 24/8/57 1-1 (one goal)
AC Milan v Botofago 2-2 (one)
Spurs Res v Plymouth A 9/12/61 4-1 (one) 
Spurs First team v Blackpool at White Hart Lane hat trick
West Ham v Man City  5-1 (2) AND 
Serie A winners 1961-2
Tottenham Hotspur's highest scorer; 266 goals in 321 games.
Runners up Division One (Our top div then) 1962-3
FA Cup winners 1961-2, 1966-7,
European Cup Winners Cup 1962-3
Highest English top flight goals 357
First Division Top Scorer SIX times 
English Hall of Fame
West Ham 1970
Retired 1971
TOTAL Apps 602  Goals 422
Then...muddled in East London with Brentwood FC, Chelmsford, Barnet, Woodford and gave up in 1980.
I haven't mentioned his TV and news career! Saint and Greavsie the fore runner of Soccer AM.
OR his various books, one of which I have signed by him in Guildford.

Greaves underwent surgery on an artery in his neck following a mild stroke in February 2012. After a full recovery, he experienced a severe stroke in May 2015 which left him unable to speak. He was placed in intensive care and, according to doctors, was expected to undergo a slow recovery. He was discharged from hospital a month later, his health having "improved considerably" said his friend and agent, Terry Baker. February 2016 saw him recovering slowly from his stroke with the use of a wheelchair after he had been told that he would never walk again. Greaves was announced as a recipient of a MBE in the 2021 New Year's Honours list, along with fellow 1966 World Cup squad winner, Ron Flowers, for their services to football. The duo were the last surviving England players from the 1966 Tournament to be honoured. Alcoholism got him. There is a campaign going nation (global?) wide to honour Jimmy Greaves, arguably one of Britain's greatest footballers, if not one of the best in the World. Bit hard to imagine that last accolade but who would disagree? Jimmy died today after a "later life" spoiled with illness.