JAMES PETER GREAVES

(Born in 1940)

Played in the English clubs Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham, Italian club AC Milan. In the years 1959-1967 had 57 appearances for England.

James Peter Greaves and Jimmy Greaves, as it is simply called - native Londoner, born in the family of the driver station. He became one of the most popular English players of all time, broke into the football world is rapidly and vividly. Scouts Chelsea found the young talent in the team one of London′s schools. In the junior team of the club he started playing in August 1955 and in May 1957 was already in the starting lineup.

In his first season for Chelsea eighteen Greaves scored 22 goals, and the next was the best scorer of the tournament from 35 balls. British to this day remember the famous match of the season, when the August 30, 1958 Chelsea defeated the current champion of England Wolverhampton Wanderers FC with a score of 6:2. Greaves scored 5 goals, completely outplayed his famous guardian, a central defender and England captain Billy Wright. November 19, 1960 twenty Greaves had scored his 100 th ball, becoming the youngest ever British footballer, able to deliver such an outcome in the first division.

Year before he made his debut in England in the match against Peru. The national team has suffered on that day one of the most humiliating defeats in its history - 1:4, but the only goal scored Jimmy Greaves. Since then, playing for the national team, he almost never left the field without a goal. In the 1960-1961 season, only 5 matches Greaves recorded at his own expense 11 goals.

Photo — «James Peter Greaves»

Such a remarkable success young striker sought by a phenomenal sense of goals and reactive speed. He always knew how to get where he did not expect the defenders, but what followed the bouncing ball or a sudden transfer of a partner. Actions Greaves were unpredictable and at the same time in football smart. A short and not powerful footballer not breaks through the defensive line of the opponent, but overcame them with the quick and clever maneuvers.

In the season 1960-1961, the Jimmy Greaves scored in the championship of England 41 ball. This achievement, and to this day remains unsurpassed record club Chelsea. However, despite this result-game in attack, "Chelsea" in those years, trailed in the middle of the table, as been extremely weak protection. Club happened, for example, to score 5 goals, but missed 6. However, Greaves was destined to play in Chelsea not too long - in 1961 he moved to AC Milan.

The reasons for this were several. First, in the early 1960′s English clubs, even their stars were paid very modest money. Now it′s hard even to believe, but none of the players did not receive more than 20 pounds a week. Milan, however, also if not generous, but at the same time, the conditions proposed by Greaves, were much better. In addition, he and his wife would like a change of scenery, as experienced tragedy - their four children died of pneumonia.

But stay in Milan turned to Jimmy Greaves, only short and not very enjoyable episode. He immediately did not like the iron discipline, established by the then coach Nera Rocco.

Photo — «James Peter Greaves»

The coach watched literally everything - that Greaves ate, how much smoke and how much he drank beer. A beer, incidentally, already at that time, football was drinking more and more, as well as other alcoholic beverages, addicted to alcohol after the death of his son.

As a result, almost all of his work in Milan was spent on fines and attorneys′ fees, which he rented to prematurely terminate the contract. However Greaves managed to play in the Milan club 14 games and scored 9 goals. Soon he returned to England to continue to advocate for "Tottenham Hotspur". In the early 1960′s it was one of the strongest clubs in England, and Greaves, quickly blended into the main structure, was to score goals again. Just this time the union and the players made a significant pay rise in British clubs.

For those 7 seasons, that Greaves had in Tottenham, 4 times he was leading scorer in the championship, and eventually became a record of England, scoring a total of 357 balls. While this achievement no one has surpassed. In 1962 and 1967 "Tottenham Hotspur" won the FA Cup. In 1963 he won the Cup Winners′ Cup, crushing Atlético de Madrid - 5:1. Two goals scored in this match and Jimmy Greaves.

Years spent in "Tottenham have been really spectacular time for Jimmy Greaves. More popular than he was in England, soccer was not. In 1963, the-old striker was among those who represented England in the match against the world, dedicated to 100 anniversary of English football.

Photo — «James Peter Greaves»

In the Rest of the World played Lev Yashin, Eusebio, Puskás, Denis Law and other stars, but it was the captain di Stefano. And still won the inventors of football - 2:1, with the decisive goal scored in the second half of the gate of the Yugoslav M. Shoshkicha goalkeeper, who replaced Yashin, Jimmy Greaves.

In 1962, the striker Tottenham Hotspur FC participated in the World Championship in 1962, but the England team that year was not very strong. She reached the quarterfinals, where the team lost to Brazil, the future world champion - 1:3. Success Greaves also been more than modest - he scored only one goal.

And the victorious England team for the championship in 1966 and he was not lucky. In late 1965, Jimmy became ill with hepatitis and then a long time recovering. By the beginning of the championship, he seemed to be gained form and participated in the first three group matches of the tournament. However, because never once failed to hit the gate. In the third match against France Greaves was injured and was replaced by Geoff Hurst, and replaced with glitter.

By the final match Jimmy Greaves had recovered from his injury and was eager to play but coach Alf Ramsey once again put in his place and has not lost Hirst - Jeff made a famous hat-trick, and British beat West Germany - 4:2. Despite the victory, Greaves was so offended by the coach that does not even appear at the gala dinner, preferring to drink alone.

By this time he had already pretty drank that, of course, not to shelter or from a coach, or from partners.

Photo — «James Peter Greaves»

In this wing, and one of the reasons for what had become indifferent to him Alf Ramsey. After the World Cup Greaves played for the national team only 3 matches.

Ultimately, drunkenness was the cause and his departure from Tottenham Hotspur FC - he played all the worse, though in 1969 the last time was the best scorer in England, scoring 27 goals. But then the booze began to happen more often, but the game Greaves came out less and less.

In 1970 Tottenham Hotspur have been glad to get rid of possibilities. So Greaves was in the club West Ham, where he found a great drinking companion - England captain Bobby Moore. True, he was able to drink without losing the form, and Greaves anymore. At West Ham he lasted only a year.

Even years later, Jimmy Greaves honestly described the history of his alcoholic decline in the book "It′s - me. " After leaving West Ham he drank several years, and then attempted to break out of the pool, and two years playing in amateur clubs, but in 1977 was in a psychiatric hospital with delirium tremens.

Fortunately, in the end he had enough strength to pull myself together. Great footballer joined the Society of Alcoholics Anonymous, has complied with all recommendations and returned to a healthy lifestyle. Now he′s all right, and Greaves works on British television, where the author leads the program.