Why I love joker Jim
JIMMY Greaves enjoyed two fantastic careers as a legendary footballer and then as a high profile television personality. When I was at school, I watched him play for Spurs with no idea that I would be involved much later in his start in television.
Jimmy, now 81 and severely disabled after two strokes, was a record goalscorer with big clubs Chelsea, AC Milan and Spurs before his declining season at West Ham.
He played 57 times for England, scoring 44 goals.
He scored on his debut at every level in a first-class career from 1957 to 1971, scoring a record 366 goals in 526 league matches and more in other competitions.
Jimmy was also in the World Cup 1966 England squad, belatedly being given a winner’s medal in 2009. Thereby hangs a tale.
He was injured in the group stages and Geoff Hurst came in and after scoring the only goal in the quarter-final win over Argentina, kept his place. Hurst then scored the hat-trick in England’s 4-2 extra-time win over West Germany in the final – still the only hat-trick in a World Cup final. Jimmy never got over the disappointment of not playing in the final.
But he did overcome one of the biggest challenges in life – his battle of being an alcoholic.
He has been dry since February 1978 when he left after a long stay in the Warley Hospital for the mentally ill near Brentwood. I have always admired him for that.
Mind you, Jimmy’s sharp humour would always stop me in my tracks.
Soon after he became established as a pundit at ATV, I insisted, against his will, that he spoke at a lunch my big bosses were staging for would-be advertisers.
Surrounded by wine bottles, Jimmy told them: “I know you wonder if I still drink. Well, I assure you that I am a drunk who does not drink.
Having said that, I have been with ATV for three months and I have only just discovered that I am the only member of the Sports Department without a drink problem!”
Touche! I never asked him again.
How Jimmy broke into TV is an amazing story in itself. He nearly blew the chance.
When ITV went live at 10.15pm on Saturday nights with recorded match highlights, I was presenting the Midlands version – “Star Soccer”. We spent hours trying to find the perfect pundit to join me in the studio. The great Billy Wright, Trevor East, Tony Flanagan and myself were wracking our brains.
Eventually, Tony said what about Jimmy Greaves as he read Jimmy’s ghosted column in the Sun. I said: “Yes, I saw his documentary on his drinking problems.
“Worth a go.”
Trevor said that he would ring him. This was Wednesday before the first show in August 1980. Jimmy, who lives in deepest Essex, declined.
The next day, just in time, Jimmy rang Trevor, saying: “Is it too late? My missus Irene says I have to take it.”
Trevor replied: “It is yours but you have to be here tomorrow to join Gary on ATV Today so we can tell the viewers.”
Jimmy was understandably very nervous at first but Trevor and I soon steadied him down. There was an avalanche of criticism from viewers and an editorial in the Birmingham Mail – all complaining that we should be using a Midlander.
I must confess that I did not realise what a great sense of humour Greavsie possessed. It was the making of him on-air, combined with him giving me a hard time. For the latter, he knew I did not mind. We became great friends. I love him to this day although as I will reveal next week, we had our ups and downs.
The humour? Three weeks in, Birmingham City are at home to Blackpool whose forward Alan Ainscow gets a very dodgy penalty.
Jimmy describes it: “That is a deeper dive than even Jacques Cousteau!”
At the time, Cousteau was a famous Frenchman known for his extensive underseas investigations. In the next match, Coventry City’s winger Tommy Hutchison beat Manchester City full-back Willie Donachie back and forth, side to side about three times. Jimmy remarked: “They had to unravel Donachie in the dressing room at half time and tell him where he had been.”
I started laughing. I’d never heard pundits cracking jokes before.
The Oxford United owner Robert Maxwell was seeking a new manager. Greavsie told the viewers: “He wants a big name so he will probably appoint himself!” Week after week he became a must-watch. Everyone took to him.
My good friend Bev Bevan, the drummer for the ELO, told me that when they were recording in Munich they would take recordings of the show to watch Jimmy as he was so entertaining.
Most of the time it was great but there were some downs as well. Join me please next week for more Jimmy Greaves.
The Oxford United owner Robert Maxwell was seeking a new manager. Greavsie told the viewers: “He wants a big name so he’ll probably appoint himself!”