The most natural goalscorer in English football history, whose prolific record across club and country remains astonishing.
James Peter Greaves was born in Manor Park, London on 20 February 1940. He burst onto the scene at Chelsea, scoring 124 goals in 157 appearances before a brief spell at AC Milan. He returned to England with Tottenham in 1961, where he became the club's all-time leading scorer with 266 goals in 379 appearances. He won two FA Cups and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1963 with Spurs. For England, he scored 44 goals in just 57 caps — a ratio that remains extraordinary. Cruelly, he lost his place to Geoff Hurst during the 1966 World Cup and was left out of the final, not receiving a winner's medal until 2009. He later played for West Ham. After battling alcoholism, he became a beloved TV personality on ITV's Saint and Greavsie. He died on 19 September 2021.
FA Cup 2x
Despite being part of the 1966 World Cup-winning squad, he didn't receive a winner's medal until 2009 — 43 years after the final — because he didn't play in the match itself.
Did You Know?Career Honours
- FA Cup 2x
- European Cup Winners' Cup 1963