20 February 1940 – 19 September 2021
The World Cup hat-trick hero recalls his West Ham and England teammate – a gifted and record-breaking goal scorer whose bonhomie and charisma led to a second career as a TV host
I remember bumping into Jimmy Greaves in Romford in October 1965. I was out with my daughter Claire in her pushchair when I walked past a tobacco shop and there was Jimmy. I thought he was an incredible striker and so I had to wheel Claire into the tobacconist so that I could talk to him. I was only 22 months younger than him but, at 25, he was already the great Jimmy Greaves.
There was a gulf between us then. Jimmy was big time and I was just this kid coming through. He had established himself years before I did. Jimmy made his debut for Chelsea in 1957 when he was 17, and he had played for Milan and since moved to Spurs. He had made his England debut in 1959 and I had yet to play international football when I saw him in that little tobacco shop.
