The Guardian - Tottenham and England striker with two accurate feet brought magic to football, whether you were there to see it or not
* Jimmy Greaves: a life in pictures
There are some heroes you illogically hope will never die, certainly in the imagination. Muhammad Ali was one, George Best another (despite his best efforts) and Jimmy Greaves, too. Even Tottenham fans who never saw him play in the flesh so treasured his deeds it seemed he belonged solely to them. Only Glenn Hoddle and Harry Kane were later revered at White Hart Lane with such unquestioning intensity.
Others from the black-and-white era will have loved Greaves for his goals at Chelsea, for England and in early- and late-career cameos at Milan and West Ham. He was not exclusively ours but, for those who trekked up the High Road in N17, Spurs have always laid the strongest claim, and the feeling was mutual. Continue reading...
