Everyday is a School Day

[Anonymous]

Heard a piece on talksport the other day about Jimmy Greaves' career. I knew he was a very good footballer, but as he finished as a Division One player in around 1971 (I think) I never really saw him. The Jimmy Greaves I "know" is the bimbling, pipe smoking other half to Ian St John.

Anyway, the point is he amassed an incredible 366 goals in 528 games, with the main bulk being:

Chelsea ('57-'61) - P: 157, G: 124
AC Milan ('61) - P: 12, G: 9
Spurs ('61-'70) - P:321, G: 220
West Ham ('70-'71) - P: 38, G: 13

Like I say, I knew he was a decent player, but didn't realise his record was THAT good.

So, have you been taken aback like that over any player?

 

[dazdon]

Cloughie was another great goalscorer.

Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1955–1961 Middlesbrough 213 (197)
1961–1964 Sunderland 61 (54)
Total 274 (251)

 

[Anonymous]

Fucking hell! There's another one for me. Again, I knew Cloughie was a good player and I think he finished due to a broken leg? Certainly a leg injury anyway, however I did not realise just what a good scoring record he had.

I heard a tale about a player he managed who scored 5 in a game and got hauled off. He asked Cloughie why he'd been hooked and Cloughie said "because you are not breaking my record" - apparently he had scored 6 in a game as a player.

Think that might be one of those apocryphal tales though.

 

[bluevengence]

Heard a piece on talksport the other day about Jimmy Greaves' career. I knew he was a very good footballer, but as he finished as a Division One player in around 1971 (I think) I never really saw him. The Jimmy Greaves I "know" is the bimbling, pipe smoking other half to Ian St John.

Anyway, the point is he amassed an incredible 366 goals in 528 games, with the main bulk being:

Chelsea ('57-'61) - P: 157, G: 124
AC Milan ('61) - P: 12, G: 9
Spurs ('61-'70) - P:321, G: 220
West Ham ('70-'71) - P: 38, G: 13

Like I say, I knew he was a decent player, but didn't realise his record was THAT good.

So, have you been taken aback like that over any player?

And did all that whilst being half pissed

 

[Big Swifty]

Clough descended into alcoholism as well. Is there a correlation between goalscoring and booze? Someone should undertake a PhD research project, visiting all the boozers frequented ny those two...

 

[tidyman]

I'm not saying he wasn't decent but every team played a 1-1-8 formation and if a game had less than 10 goals in it, there was riot at such a low scoring bore fest.

 

[haydockboy]

my dad who is no longer with us (RIP) told me Greavsie was the best finisher he ever saw, however his fav player was 'Raich Carter who played for derby, sunderland and hull........anyone know owt about him? (just wikiing him now)

 

[lancs blue]

Cloughie was another great goalscorer.

Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1955–1961 Middlesbrough 213 (197)
1961–1964 Sunderland 61 (54)
Total 274 (251)

It's worth pointing out that the vast majority of Clough's goals were scored in the 2nd tier, he never really got the chance to prove himself at the top level because of the injury that effectively ended his career.

 

[Anonymous]

Never heard of Raich Carter, but according to Wiki:

Horatio Stratton Carter (great name by the way):

1931–1939 Sunderland P: 245 G: 118
1945–1948 Derby County P: 63 G: 34
1948–1952 Hull City P: 136 G: 57

Captained Sunderland to the League title in 1936 and was the youngest man to have captained a First Division title winning side. Like a lot of players in that era, WWII robbed him of his peak years. He also played first class cricket for Derbyshire (not very successfully - his highest score was 7!).

Some great stories out there aren't there?

 

[silverback]

Always thought that being injured early in the 66 World Cup and not getting his place back from Hurst sent Greavsie into the arms of the demon drink. I read that he had to be made to watch the final and for the best goalscorer of his generation to be sat watching was all too much for the lad.
Did he not score the two for Tottenham in the Ballet on Ice?