Former England striker and Tottenham’s record goalscorer Jimmy Greaves has died at the age of 81.
Greaves began his career with Chelsea before spells at AC Milan, Spurs and West Ham.
He scored 44 goals in 57 games for England and was a member of the 1966 World Cup-winning squad.
Greaves scored 269 goals in 379 matches for Tottenham and holds the record for the most goals in a season for Spurs with 37 in 1962-63.
A Tottenham statement read: “We are extremely saddened to learn of the passing of the great Jimmy Greaves, not just Tottenham Hotspur’s record goalscorer but the finest marksman this country has ever seen.
“Jimmy passed away at home in the early hours of this morning, aged 81.”
Tottenham said Greaves possessed “immaculate ball control, great balance and such composure in front of goal that he rarely spurned an opportunity”.
He scored a hat-trick on his Spurs debut against Blackpool in December 1961, in the FA Cup final win in 1962 and the Cup Winners’ Cup win in 1963.
Greaves is survived by his wife Irene, four children and 10 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
More to follow.
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