BOOK REVIEWS
Natural – The Jimmy Greaves Story, by David Tossell, published by Pitch Publishing, Price: 19.99
MANY of us will know a bit about the remarkable life Jimmy Greaves has led, but David Tossell gives us the full picture in Natural.
Those of a certain vintage will remember Greaves the player. I wasn’t lucky enough to see him in action, but the sheer quantity of goals he scored was quite remarkable.
There were a record-breaking 357 topfl ight goals and a further 44 goals in 57 games for England. As Tossell explains, the Tottenham legend was never one to over-analyse how he managed to be so prolifi c.
It may have been ‘a funny old game’ for him, but it was also a relatively simple one.
Of course, there is plenty in this book about how he missed out on England’s World Cup glory in 1966. Instead of being one of the kingpins, he had to watch on the sidelines as Geoff Hurst hit that hattrick.
But Tossell urges caution over suggesting that was the start of Greaves’ descent into alcoholism, pointing out that he continued to score plenty of top-fl ight goals afterwards.
Indeed, it was probably a combination of factors that pushed Greaves towards the bottle, including the earlier death of his son, Jimmy Jr, at just four months old from pneumonia.
If the more publicised parts of Greaves’ life are well covered, then the rest is also given a detailed look. His early days at Chelsea, his time in Italy, which he didn’t enjoy, and his Non-League days are all scrutinised.
Indeed, some of the tales from those days are among the most interesting, like Greaves sneaking out of Milan’s team hotel to meet up with family and friends rather than hunker down with his teammates.
Some people will remember Greaves’ Non-League days towards the end of his career, but that will be an eye-opener to many. At Barnet, for example, Greaves reinvented himself as a midfi eld playmaker who would get stuck in.
There are some fascinating stories, including one of him getting sent off playing for Barnet against Chelmsford in the Eastern Floodlight Football Competition and the game being abandoned.
One unexpected treat was reading about Greaves’ motor racing exploits in the strenuous World Cup Rally in 1970, which took in Europe, South America and Central America and covered a distance of more than 16,000 miles.
Of course, Greaves’ television days, and his famous partnership with Ian St John, also feature strongly.
The book also includes interviews with family, friends, colleagues and opponents, making it a superb biography of one of England’s most-loved footballers, who has packed plenty into his 79 years. It’s a compelling read.
Rating out of 10: 9
