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Sport
Greg Evans

Tributes pour in for football legend Jimmy Greaves who has died aged 81

Football legend Jimmy Greaves, best known for his spells with Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea and for his performances for England, has died aged 81.

The striker, who scored more than 400 goals during his career also played for West Ham United and AC Milan and is largely recognised as of the most gifted centre forwards to ever play the game.

A statement released by Tottenham said: “We are extremely saddened to learn of the passing of the great Jimmy Greaves, not just Tottenham Hotspur’s record goalscorer but the finest marksman this country has ever seen. Jimmy passed away at home in the early hours of this morning aged 81.

“We extend our sincere condolences to his wife Irene, their four children, 10 grandchildren and great grandchildren.”

His astonishing feats in front of goal, speak for themselves and many of his records still stand until this day. Not only is he Tottenham’s all-time leading goalscorer with 266 goals he also holds the record for most goals scored in a single season for both Spurs and Chelsea (37 and 41 respectively).

On top of this, his 357 goals in the English top-flight is a record that still stands today and he is the only footballer post-WWII to have scored more than 40 goals in one season. His nine goals for Milan also gave him 366 goals in the top five European leagues, a record that was only surpassed in 2017 by Cristiano Ronaldo. He is also the only man to ever score six hat-tricks for England.

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In terms of silverware, Greaves won the FA Cup twice with Spurs as well as the Cup Winner Cup. He also won the Italian Serie A during his single season with Milan and most importantly the 1966 World Cup with England. However, Greaves didn’t play in the final and due to the rules at the time, didn’t receive a winners medal. However, an FA-led campaign many decades later eventually saw Greaves awarded his medal by then prime minister Gordon Brown at Downing Street in June 2009.

Greaves retired from the sport in 1980 but went on to have a successful career as a television pundit and host presenting the hugely popular Saint and Greavsie alongside Liverpool and Scotland legend Ian St John, who died in March 2021.

News of his death has saddened the football world with his fellow professionals, clubs, journalists and fans paying tribute to his remarkable career and talent.

Not only was he great at scoring goals he was also good at rescuing stray dogs from football pitches.

RIP Jimmy Greaves 1940 - 2021

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