Farewell, Greavsie
> Southgate leads tributes as football nation mourns death > England plan memorial before World Cup qualifier
Gareth Southgate, the England manager, led the tributes to Jimmy Greaves, who died at the age of 81 in the early hours of yesterday.
The world of football was united in mourning the passing of Greaves, England’s most natural, most gifted and greatest goalscorer who became a working-class hero for millions and then helped to revolutionise the broadcast coverage of the game.
As there was a minute’s applause at games involving his former clubs, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea – who played each other – and West Ham United, Southgate said that England planned their own tribute before next month’s World Cup qualifier at home to Hungary.
“Jimmy Greaves was someone who was admired by all who love football, regardless of club allegiances,” Southgate said. “I was privileged to be able to meet Jimmy’s family last year at Tottenham
Hotspur as the club marked his 80th birthday. My thoughts are with them and I know the entire game will mourn his passing.
“Jimmy deserves inclusion in any list of England’s best players, given his status as one of our greatest goalscorers and his part in our 1966 World Cup success. His place in our history will never be forgotten.”
Greaves had been in poor health since suffering a severe stroke in 2015 that left him paralysed down his right side and with only limited speech. The news of his passing was announced by Spurs, who declared their record goalscorer “the finest marksman this country has ever seen”.
Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, tweeted: “Sad to hear the news about Jimmy Greaves. He will be remembered as a goalscoring legend and one of the greats of English football.”
England captain Harry Kane, Spurs’s second-highest goalscorer behind Greaves, said he was a “true legend”. Kane added: “It’s frightening how good a player he was.”
Greaves scored 74 more goals than Alan Shearer, who is the record goalscorer since the old First Division was rebranded, in 43 fewer games. His all-time record for goals across the “big five” European leagues was only recently broken by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
For England, he scored 44 times in only 57 internationals, including six hat-tricks, although he never really recovered from the heartache of getting injured in the 1966 World Cup group games and losing his place to Geoff Hurst, who, of course, scored a hat-trick in the final. He was finally awarded a World Cup winner’s medal in 2009.
Greaves, the country’s fourthhighest goalscorer after Wayne Rooney, Bobby Charlton and Gary Lineker, struggled with alcoholism and retired aged just 31 in 1971.
Greaves became a brilliant broadcaster who broke the mould with ITV’S Saint and Greavsie show, alongside Ian St John, from 1985 to 1992. He finally received a British honour – an MBE – only in last New Year’s Honours list.
Obituary: News Page 29