London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Aug 06, 2026

Football pays tribute to Jimmy Greaves

Football pays tribute to Jimmy Greaves

Tottenham and Chelsea led the tributes for their former player Jimmy Greaves, who has died aged 81.

A host of Spurs legends lined the pitch inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as a minute's applause was held before kick-off.

Martin Chivers, Steve Perryman, Micky Hazard, Paul Allen, Ossie Ardiles, Gary Mabbutt, Graham Roberts, Glenn Hoddle, Ledley King and Michael Dawson were all present.

During the applause, some Spurs fans held flags and banners to remember the club's record goalscorer.

Former Spurs and England striker Gary Lineker told BBC Sport: "Jimmy had a fabulous contribution to football, an incredible goalscoring record.

"He was devilishly funny as well with his wit and personality, so charismatic. But on the field of play people will remember him most. Those of us that are old enough to have witnessed his magnificence at times, he could score all sorts of goals and was a beautifully graceful footballer and a wonderful finisher.

"For me, Jimmy was one of my heroes as well. Growing up watching him play we didn't have the amount of games on television that we now do but I managed to see him play a few times.

"I also was fortunate enough to meet him on numerous occasions and he was always affable and fun and hugely knowledgeable. He was a great personality, a wonderful footballer and a man with huge charisma and fun and he will be much missed."

On an emotional day across football grounds, West Ham, another of Greaves' former clubs, also held a minute's applause before their Premier League match against Manchester United, as did Brighton and Leicester City.

Players from all six teams wore black armbands for Greaves, who holds the record for most goals in the English top flight with 357.

Spurs captain Harry Kane, who is second behind Greaves on the club's scoring list, told Sky Sports before facing Chelsea: "First and foremost our condolences to Jimmy's family and close friends. It's a sad one but hopefully a day we can celebrate.

"He played for Tottenham and Chelsea and hopefully we put in a great performance in his honour.

"Jimmy was an incredible player and goalscorer and a legend for club and country.

"It's frightening really how good a player he was. For someone like me to look at his numbers and one day go on to break those numbers would be incredible. I got to meet him back in 2017 and it's just a celebration of him today."

Greaves began his career with Chelsea and his 41 goals in 1960-61 remains a record in a season for the Blues.

Greaves won two FA Cups and one Cup Winners' Cup and scored 266 goals in 379 appearances for Spurs, where he is considered a club legend.


Some Spurs fans held flags and banners to remember the club's record goalscorer
West Ham displayed images of their former striker around London Stadium as a minute's applause was held
West Ham and Manchester United players wore black armbands
Brighton and Leicester players took part in a minute's applause and wore black armbands

Greaves was a member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad and scored 44 goals in his 57 senior international appearances.

Former team-mate Geoff Hurst was among those to pay tribute to Greaves.




Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Lightning Strike Kills Yala FC Player During Match in Southern Thailand
Senate Scrutinises AI-Driven Personalised Pricing
Spain Seeks Mainland Transfers for 1,100 Children Stranded in Ceuta
UK Government Pushes New Procurement, Skills and Technology Policies Amid Economic Pressure
UK Charity Commission Investigates Donations Linked to Israeli Settlement Groups
UK Government Faces Pressure Over Possible Windfall Tax on Bank Profits
South East Water Provides Emergency Support After Kent Supply Disruptions
UK Defence Supports US Operation to Seize Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker in North Atlantic
Green Party Wins First Westminster By-Election Seat in Historic Gorton and Denton Victory
UK Farmers Face Rising Bluetongue Disease Cases Among Sheep Flocks
UK Government Warns Retailers and Fuel Suppliers Against Exploiting Price Pressures
Apple, AI Deepfakes and New UK Rules Highlight Growing Digital Regulation Challenges
UK Education Department Expands Fully Funded Apprenticeships for Under-25s
National Crime Agency and Spanish Police Arrest Scotland’s Most Wanted Fugitive in Madrid
UK Labour Government’s Devolution Plans Renew Debate Over Written Constitution
EY UK Forecasts Weak Growth in 2026 as Energy Risks Continue to Pressure Households
Apple Challenges UK Government Demand for Access to Encrypted iCloud Data
UK Government Considers Public Inquiry Into Jeffrey Epstein Network and Institutional Links
Cabinet Office Reforms UK Government Procurement Rules to Prioritize Local Jobs and Skills
UK Energy Security Faces Pressure From Middle East Conflict and Red Sea Disruptions
UK Government Expands Employment Discrimination Review Amid Labour Market Changes
UK Campaigners Call for Ban on Toxic Flea Treatments Linked to Water Pollution
MI6 Ranked Europe’s Leading Foreign Intelligence Service in Independent Review
Houthi Missile Attack on Saudi Oil Tanker Raises Further Red Sea Shipping Concerns
Palantir Faces UK Tax Criticism After Paying Two Million Pounds in Corporation Tax
Advanced AI Models Show Unexpected Behaviour During UK Cybersecurity Testing
Bank of England Introduces Tougher Artificial Intelligence Testing Rules for Financial Firms
Next Raises Annual Profit Forecast to One Point Two Four Billion Pounds After Strong Summer Sales
New UK Visa Rules Tighten Skilled Worker, Student and Family Migration Routes
UK Government Proposes New Equal Pay Enforcement Powers for Employers
UK High Court Blocks Home Office Deportation Policy for Alleged Trafficking Victims
UK Health Secretary Yvette Cooper Announces Major Reform of NHS Maternity Services
BP Reports Four-Year High Quarterly Profit of Five Point Seven Billion Dollars Amid Energy Market Turmoil
Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at Three Point Seven Five Percent as UK Growth Remains Weak
Spain and Morocco Trade Blame After 72,000 Migrants Enter Ceuta
Met Police Investigated Journalist Who Questioned Cambridge Professor
Badenoch Defends Tory Candidate Jailed for Antisemitic Abuse of Luciana Berger
NHS Spends £240m a Year Storing Paper Records Despite Digital Push
Apple Seeks Court Order to Stop OpenAI Using Alleged Trade Secrets
Breaking With the Past: One of the World’s Smallest Countries Changes Its Name
AI Is Remaking the US Economy, From GDP Growth to iPhone Prices
Comcast: Tied to a Chair and Hit in the Face With Cake: The Regular Humiliation Ritual at the US Corporate Giant
Aston Martin Faces Legal Threat Over £550m Rescue Deal
Conservative Party and Reform UK Face Growing Scrutiny Over Political Transparency
GMB and Public Sector Unions Prepare for Wider Debate Over Government Priorities
UK Government Faces Pressure to Address National Water Infrastructure Failures
NHS Radiographers Report Rising Racist Abuse From Patients
Breast Cancer Experts Call for Overhaul of NHS Diagnostic Approach
UK Government Reviews Prison Policy After Debate Over Capacity and Public Safety
Nigel Farage Faces Questions Over Leadership Discussions and Five Million Pound Donation
×