Jimmy Greaves

Throughout the 60s Jimmy Greaves was the ultimate goal machine. His 357 career goals in English football came at a rate of two every three games, and whether it was with Chelsea, AC Milan, Spurs or West Ham, he was always an entertainer. This biography is a reminder of his abilities.

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Throughout the 60s Jimmy Greaves was the ultimate goal machine. His 357 career goals in English football came at the astonishing rate of two every three games. Quite simply, he was one of the best centre forwards English football has ever seen, and whether it was with Chelsea, AC Milan, Spurs or West Ham, he was always an entertainer. From the moment he scored on his debut for Chelsea against Bill Nicholson's Tottenham, he was proclaimed a genius by fans and the media. But like so many geniuses, Greaves had a wayward streak and would often turn to drink in times of trouble. For anyone under the age of 40, Jimmy Greaves is probably nothing more than a droll sidekick to TV partner Ian St John, but this biography is a reminder of Greaves's abilities as a goal-scorer extraordinaire. Matt Allen was until recently associate editor at FourFourTwo magazine and has also written for FHM, Total Sport, Later and Maxim. He now writes for Q.