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Post by y2j on Aug 16, 2016 6:54:39 GMT
Would Jimmy fit into our way of playing? As a 36yr old stokie, I have no experience of his spell at Stoke but have heard a few things about him.
Was he as good as I've heard?
Where was his best position?
Any good stories about him?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 7:01:48 GMT
Somebody posted a vid of the 1971 Arsenal v Stoke FA Cup SF on here recently and I was surprised to see him start so deep, just in front of the back four in fact.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 7:13:07 GMT
Jimmy could have played where he wanted, when he wanted.
So yes, he was that good, and would have fitted into any modern day formation.
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Post by pedro23 on Aug 16, 2016 7:46:01 GMT
I was a young fells watching that 70's side. Jimmy Greenhoff was a superb footballer, and one of the best at striking a ball at waist height I have ever seen. His linking up with Hudson was a joy to behold. As was typical of the day the talented ball players were largely ignored by the England Manager, Hudson, Worthington are good examples of that, otherwise he would have won a shedload of caps. One of Stokes all time greats, a true legend.
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Post by Titan Uranus on Aug 16, 2016 7:49:13 GMT
Interesting discussion point actually.
Jimmy was (is) one of my Stoke heroes and I have chatted to him on a couple of occasions.
He certainly wasn't a conventional centre-forward.
He was I think what you would call a few years ago the "second striker" i.e. alongside a big target man like Ritchie or Hurst.
He actually played lot of his football early days for Leeds in an attacking midfield position.
Don't think you could even call him a" No10" though in a modern system.
Suppose the closest I could compare him too (not particularly in ability) as regards position and variation of style and positioning would be a Wayne Rooney.
He was very easy on the eye as regards watching him play and was certainly an entertainer.
Some of his goals, particularly on the volley, were spectacular.
Last time I saw him he was doing corporate at Old Trafford.
Think he does occasionally pop down to the Brit though.
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Post by mrcoke on Aug 16, 2016 8:00:40 GMT
Jimmy was a true team player and played for the rest of the team and not just himself. He would look to pass and move, or shoot if he had a chance. As captain, he lead by example.
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Post by Pugsley on Aug 16, 2016 8:01:00 GMT
Jimmy wouldn't be playing for Stoke. He'd have been signed by one of the big boys for £50million.
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Post by animal on Aug 16, 2016 8:19:29 GMT
Jimmy was a true team player and played for the rest of the team and not just himself. He would look to pass and move, or shoot if he had a chance. As captain, he lead by example. He wasn't captain was he ?? Dennis Smith was captain |
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Post by march4 on Aug 16, 2016 8:38:12 GMT
Jimmy was a true team player and played for the rest of the team and not just himself. He would look to pass and move, or shoot if he had a chance. As captain, he lead by example. He wasn't captain was he ?? Dennis Smith was captain He was captain before Denis, mate. |
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Post by Claus_SCFC on Aug 16, 2016 8:39:06 GMT
Jimmy Greenhoff was a god walking on Earth.
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Post by no1972 on Aug 16, 2016 8:40:45 GMT
Jimmy was a true team player and played for the rest of the team and not just himself. He would look to pass and move, or shoot if he had a chance. As captain, he lead by example. He wasn't captain was he ?? Dennis Smith was captain Peter Dobing was captain in 1972.Jimmy was never the full time captain but he did do it on odd occasions.He was a quite player who just did his job without moaning.One of the best inside forwards not to play for England. |
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Post by chiswickpotter on Aug 16, 2016 8:57:50 GMT
Interesting discussion point actually. Jimmy was (is) one of my Stoke heroes and I have chatted to him on a couple of occasions. He certainly wasn't a conventional centre-forward. He was I think what you would call a few years ago the "second striker" i.e. alongside a big target man like Ritchie or Hurst. He actually played lot of his football early days for Leeds in an attacking midfield position. Don't think you could even call him a" No10" though in a modern system. Suppose the closest I could compare him too (not particularly in ability) as regards position and variation of style and positioning would be a Wayne Rooney. He was very easy on the eye as regards watching him play and was certainly an entertainer. Some of his goals, particularly on the volley, were spectacular. Last time I saw him he was doing corporate at Old Trafford. Think he does occasionally pop down to the Brit though. The Rooney comparison is a great call. It is spot on, both players hard to pigeon hole, lot of talent and versatility |
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Post by stokie1954 on Aug 16, 2016 9:23:23 GMT
I hit the roof when he was sold. Wasn't the Butler St stand one though!
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Post by muglump on Aug 16, 2016 9:27:18 GMT
I remember someone spray painted his name all over the place when he was sold. Devastated as a kid he was a brilliant player who would have pissed all over every era of football
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Post by abhill on Aug 16, 2016 9:31:41 GMT
Jimmy was definitely captain between Peter Dobing and Denis Smith. He was captain in the team that nearly won the league in 74/75.
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Post by johnnysoul60 on Aug 16, 2016 9:39:53 GMT
Would have made Bojan look average at his best , great touch wonderful awareness of other players and scored some great goals too , we were lucky to have such a talented player
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Post by Do it for dobing on Aug 16, 2016 9:42:28 GMT
A quite brilliant player with fantastic vision he was a hero in those early 70s.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 9:44:22 GMT
We couldn't afford his wages now
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Post by mrcoke on Aug 16, 2016 9:44:35 GMT
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Post by Gods on Aug 16, 2016 9:47:23 GMT
I was really young but he had his own song didn't he? "Greeeeeeenhoffff, Greeeeeeenhoffff, Greeeeeeenhoffff" ...repeat to fade" Even the kids of today could remember the words  |
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Post by OldStokie on Aug 16, 2016 10:37:35 GMT
After Smithy, he was my all-time hero. A bundle of nogger joy to watch. It broke my heart when he was sold.  OS. |
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Post by davejohnno1 on Aug 16, 2016 10:40:01 GMT
After Smithy, he was my all-time hero. A bundle of nogger joy to watch. It broke my heart when he was sold. OS. I love listening to you old boys talking/writing about our team from the 70's. I wasn't born when Jimmy was sold but I know from listening to my Dad, Uncle and countless other old timers, just how good Jimmy Greenhoff was. I've only ever heard one Stoke fan speak ill of him, with a ridiculous comment that he was "nesh". Fuck me! If you have the nickname God and young Stoke fans know who you are and chant your name, 40 years after you left the club, you must have been fucking good!  |
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Post by jimmygscfc on Aug 16, 2016 10:54:23 GMT
After Smithy, he was my all-time hero. A bundle of nogger joy to watch. It broke my heart when he was sold. OS. I love listening to you old boys talking/writing about our team from the 70's. I wasn't born when Jimmy was sold but I know from listening to my Dad, Uncle and countless other old timers, just how good Jimmy Greenhoff was. I've only ever heard one Stoke fan speak ill of him, with a ridiculous comment that he was "nesh". Fuck me! If you have the nickname God and young Stoke fans know who you are and chant your name, 40 years after you left the club, you must have been fucking good! Not surprisingly he was my favourite player too. I played up front as a lad and into my 20s and 30s and it was Jimmy who I tried to mimic. As others have said, he was better off a big target man, and could shield and lay off the ball perfectly. We all know about his volleying and shooting. He got even better with Hudson in the team. A sublime player. |
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Post by PB1863 on Aug 16, 2016 11:01:52 GMT
I played until I was 45 and in every team I had to be no 8 . My son took over in his early years as no 8 also. I remember when he was sold and couldn't believe it. Best player I ever saw
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Post by trebor63 on Aug 16, 2016 11:06:20 GMT
I was really young but he had his own song didn't he? "Greeeeeeenhoffff, Greeeeeeenhoffff, Greeeeeeenhoffff" ...repeat to fade" Even the kids of today could remember the words To the tune of 'amazing grace' it would sometimes last an entire half of football! I loved Greenhoff along with Denis Smith and Terry Conroy and then later Salmons Hudson anawdd Doddy. I loved that era sooooooo much that it got me through a couple of decades of complete and utter dross!! Thank Gawd we've eventually come through the other side and have a team to be proud of again :-)
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Post by madelinesmithmmmh on Aug 16, 2016 11:08:50 GMT
Interesting discussion point actually. Last time I saw him he was doing corporate at Old Trafford. Think he does occasionally pop down to the Brit though. He's in the JS Upper near Boothen most games - still in awe of him! Great player, can still remember a flicked header into the net against Man City - not on the telly but ingrained into my memory in the air against the backdrop of the Boothen. Still remember the disappointment of going to a game and finding out he wasn't playing and knowing victory was less likely. Style AND Substance, fantastic technique. |
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Post by lordb on Aug 16, 2016 11:12:39 GMT
Lucky enough to have seen him play... ... for the Vale  ! |
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Post by nottinghamstokie on Aug 16, 2016 11:22:37 GMT
I started watching Stoke in 72 and he was my immediate "hero" (even though, funnily enough, I never saw him score many goals )
Fab to watch and when Hudson arrived they were an - altogether too brief - utter joy to experience
He always seemed a true "gent" - after his magnificent header away at Derby you could easily lip-read him simply saying "Good Ball" to Salmons (?) who had crossed it and jogging back to the halfway line. You just know a lot of other players would have been saying "what a fucking great cross" and racing to the fans for adulation.
I heard - not sure how accurately - that he had fallen on very hard times in later life after a business venture went wrong and ended up as a FLT driver in a Crewe factory to make ends meet, so if he can nowadays afford to regularly come to games that that is great news if it means he got sorted out
(apols if that last bit is spurious and incorrect ! Not living locally I get info 2nd and 3rd hand or via this MB !! )
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Aug 16, 2016 11:26:30 GMT
Magnificent player. These days he could have been a second striker in a 442, a wide striker in a 433 and (unlike the poster above) I think he could have played in the No 10 (Bojan) position in a 4231. He had the best volley of any Stoke player I have seen and rarely scored a scruffy goal. He had great balance and he must have been terrible to mark in the penalty area for any defender.
His "understanding" with John Ritchie was uncanny - each seemed to know where the other one was without looking up - years of playing and training together I suppose. Magic player. I think we could have bought him these days as we got him (for only £100 K) when he was out of favour, but I'd love to know how much one of the top 4 clubs would have paid us for him in his prime - £40 million - £50 million would be the range, I think. Of course these days he would have had 50+ caps.
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Post by mrcoke on Aug 16, 2016 11:36:26 GMT
When Waddington was told he had to raise money after the stand roof blew off, he rang up Docherty to do some deals knowing Docherty was clearing out the old players and rebuilding. Docherty bought Greenhoff and wanted Shilton as well, but but the ManU board would not pay the price the managers had agreed. (Reference. T Docherty biography.)
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