Jimmy betrayed nobody. It’s his medal, he can do what he wants with it...
Alot of people wanted Jimmy Greaves to get his World Cup winner’s medal, but you will find one notable name missing from that list. J Greaves Esq. He was always slightly bemused by the campaign to give a gong to every member of Sir Alf Ramsey’s 1966 squad.
Flattered, yes, because he is a gracious man, so he went along to Wembley to accept it. But he was as interested in seeing a few old mates as he was in any ceremony, he told me.
there has never been any sense of entitlement in Jim, never any grand ego. He says he knows he was good at football, because he sees glimpses on video occasionally — but he has lived longer as an ex-player than as the greatest goalscorer of his era, and he has been happy in that skin for a while now.
It is doubtful the World Cup winner’s medal that he has now placed up for auction was ever taking pride of place in his house anyway. Jimmy isn’t one for mementos.
At home the only evidence that he was once a famous footballer came in a photograph of two young men, dressed casually, pictured in a European town square. on closer inspection one of them could be identified as Bobby Moore. the other was Greaves. they were on an England youth trip, possibly to Zurich, Greaves reckoned.
And that was it. All other traces of a glorious past were stored away. Jimmy will sign and sell memorabilia, because people like that, and it’s an earner. But it’s not for him.
one of the last times we met, he expressed surprise that folk were still keen to discuss his past exploits.
‘People are always coming up to me, “Jim, can you remember that goal against West Brom in 1968?” and I say, “No”. But that’s all right because they only want to tell you what happened to them. “Well, you had the ball on the halfway line, and I know that because I was with Charlie and we’d just got two pies…” and it turns out the real story is about Charlie dropping his pie and what you did wasn’t important — and I prefer that, really.’
It is left to others to explain his genius. Here’s Harry Redknapp. ‘When he got the ball in the penalty box, the world stopped. It was like somebody had hit pause on the television screen. the action around him carried on, but Jim appeared to be operating in another dimension; slower, calmer, making his mind up oblivious to the surrounding frenzy.
‘the centre half would come flying across. Jim would make as if to shoot. the centre half would throw himself into a desperate slide to try to block; Jim would stop the ball. the centre half would go whizzing past; Jim would switch it to his other foot. the goalkeeper would anticipate the direction and dive full-length, Jim would place the ball, gently, into the other corner. As it nestled, just about reaching the back of the net, there would be bodies lying everywhere. It was amazing.’ He compared Greaves to lionel Messi.
And yet, despite this, Jim shrugs. So the idea he has somehow let down legions of fans by cashing in his medal is bizarre. Who has he betrayed exactly? Who has he disappointed?
Yes, there was a campaign. So what? He didn’t ask for it. He wasn’t part of it. He collected his prize on the pitch at Wembley at half-time during a home match against Andorra.
When he was asked about the honour, he was polite. About the match, he was scathing, and was bundled off air because nobody can say you’re watching a lousy game anymore. He will not be found on Super Sunday any time soon.
So before judging too harshly, remember this about footballers. they did it. Not you. It’s their medal. Not yours. Many of the 1966 winners, including Sir Geoff Hurst, have sold.
In Jimmy’s case, the medal probably comes tinged with sadness anyway because it commemorates an unfortunate episode. His award was late because he didn’t play in the World Cup final. He was kicked out of the final group game by France and, once fit, Sir Alf Ramsey didn’t recall him. At 74, he’s over that, but the bauble itself holds no special place in his heart.
Not like 50 grand. You can do a lot with 50 grand, certainly at Jim’s age. He’s a great grandfather and his earning potential is not what it was.
So good luck to him. His best salary from the game was £100 at West Ham United, so if this medal gives him the chance to collect less than a quarter of what Radamel Falcao makes at Manchester United in a week, who are we to condemn? He earned it. And it is his to care about, or not, as he wishes.