Jimmy Greenhoff

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Jimmy Greenhoff bigraphy, stories - Footballer

Jimmy Greenhoff : biography

19 June 1946 –

James "Jimmy" Greenhoff (born 19 June 1946) is an English former football player. He was a skilful forward and although capped five times at under-23 level, once as an over-age player, he never played for the full side, and is labelled as the finest English player never to play for England. He made nearly 600 appearances in league football. His younger brother Brian was also a professional footballer; Brian spent the whole of the 1970s with Manchester United.

He started his career at Leeds United in 1963, as the club came up out of the Second Division in 1963–64, and finished as First Division runners-up in 1964–65 and 1965–66. He also played in the 1967 and 1968 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup finals. He won both the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and League Cup in 1968, before he was sold to Birmingham City. In 1969 he made a £100,000 move to Stoke City. He won the League Cup with Stoke in 1972, and also lifted the Watney Cup in 1973. He was moved on to Manchester United in 1976, and lifted both the FA Cup and Charity Shield in 1977. He was switched to Crewe Alexandra in December 1980, before joining Port Vale via Toronto Blizzard in August 1981. He was appointed player-manager at Rochdale in March 1983, before he resigned in March 1984.

Honours

with Leeds United
  • Football League Second Division champion: 1963–64
  • Football League First Division runner-up: 1964–65 & 1965–66
  • Inter-Cities Fairs Cup runner-up: 1967
  • Football League Cup winner: 1968
  • Inter-Cities Fairs Cup winner: 1968
 
with Stoke City
  • Football League Cup winner: 1972
  • Watney Cup winner: 1973
 
with Manchester United
  • FA Cup winner: 1977
  • FA Charity Shield winner: 1977 (shared)
  • Football League First Division runner-up: 1979–80

Style of play

Greenhoff could play with both feet, and was known for his dangerous runs into the opposition penalty box. He was a talented and skilful player, who had great positional strength and a tremendous volley.

Career statistics

As a player

Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Leeds United 1962–63 Second Division 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
1963–64 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 0
1964–65 First Division 9 2 1 1 1 0 11 3
1965–66 12 1 1 1 0 0 3 0 16 2
1966–67 29 7 6 0 3 1 5 2 43 10
1967–68 37 11 3 0 7 3 11 4 58 18
1968–69 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Total 94 21 11 2 12 4 19 6 0 0 136 33
Birmingham City 1968–69 Second Division 31 14 5 1 0 0 36 15
Total 31 14 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 36 15
Stoke City 1969–70 First Division 33 9 3 0 1 0 0 0 37 9
1970–71 33 7 8 3 2 0 2 0 45 10
1971–72 35 8 7 5 12 3 5 3 59 19
1972–73 41 16 1 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 46 20
1973–74 39 9 1 0 4 1 3 3 47 13
1974–75 39 14 1 0 5 1 2 0 0 0 47 15
1975–76 40 11 5 1 1 1 0 0 46 13
1976–77 14 2 0 0 2 1 0 0 16 3
Total 274 76 26 11 29 9 4 0 10 6 343 102
Manchester United 1976–77 First Division 27 8 7 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 34 12
1977–78 23 6 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 28 6
1978–79 33 11 9 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 44 17
1979–80 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1
1980–81 9 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 12 0
Total 97 26 19 9 4 1 2 0 1 0 123 36
Crewe Alexandra 1980–81 Fourth Division 11 4 0 0 0 0 11 4
Total 11 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 4
Toronto Blizzard 1981 NASL 24 6 0 0 0 0 24 6
Total 24 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 6
Port Vale 1981–82 First Division 33 3 4 0 2 0 39 3
1982–83 15 2 1 0 1 0 17 2
Total 48 5 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 56 5
Rochdale 1983–84 First Division 16 0 0 0 1 0 17 0
Total 16 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 17 0
Career Total 595 152 66 23 49 14 25 6 11 6 746 201