Jimmy Greenhoff
Encyclopedia
James "Jimmy" Greenhoff (born 19 June 1946 in Barnsley
, West Riding of Yorkshire
) 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.
in June 1961, having impressed in the centre-half position for Barnsley Schoolboys. He turned professional at the club in August 1963, and made his senior debut as a sixteen year old. Leeds finished the 1963–64 season as champions of the Second Division
under Don Revie
's stewardship. The "Peacocks" then went on to finish 1964–65 as First Division
runners-up, with champions and hated rivals Manchester United finishing above them on goal average. Leeds again finished second in 1965–66, six points behind champions Liverpool; however Greenhoff missed much of the season with an ankle injury, and a head injury sustained from a car crash. They then finished fourth in 1966–67, five points off the summit; Revie began to covert Greenhoff from a winger into a centre-forward. He turned out against Dinamo Zagreb at Elland Road
in the second leg of the 1967 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final
, a goalless draw, Leeds lost the tie 2–0 on aggregate.
Once again, they finished fourth in the First Division in 1967–68, five points behind champions Manchester City. Greenhoff played 37 games, including a memorable 7–0 victory over rivals
Chelsea
on 7 October. He went on to appear in the League Cup
final in 1968
after recovering from a knee injury; United beat Arsenal
1–0 thanks to a twenty yard strike from Terry Cooper. Greenhoff went on to score four of Leeds' nineteen goals past minnows CA Spora Luxembourg
in the 1967–68 instalment of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
. He also appeared as a half-time substitute in the first leg of the final
, a 1–0 home win over Ferencvárosi TC, which was enough to secure Leeds the trophy after a goalless draw in Budapest
.
Greenhoff played a total of 136 games for Leeds in league and cup, scoring 36 goals. He was bought by Birmingham City
manager Stan Cullis
in August 1968, who paid the Yorkshire club a £70,000 fee. The transfer came as a surprise to many Leeds fans. Greenhoff made a huge impact at Birmingham, scoring fifteen goals in 36 games (in all competitions) as the "Blues" finished 1968–69 seventh in the Second Division. During the campaign he scored four goals in a 5–4 win against Fulham
on 5 October.
In August 1969, he left Birmingham for Tony Waddington
's Stoke City
in a deal worth £100,000, which was a club record for Stoke. He hit nine goals in 37 games in 1969–70, a tally beaten by strike partners Harry Burrows
and John Ritchie. In 1970–71 he hit ten goals in 43 games, appearing in Stoke's FA Cup semi-final defeat to eventual winners
Arsenal. He missed an easy chance that would have put Stoke 3–0 ahead, and in an interview in 2011 he said the miss "still gets to me".
He played for the "Potters" at Wembley against Chelsea in the 1972 Football League Cup Final
, which ended in a 2–1 win for Stoke – the only major trophy in the club's history
. He also helped the club to the FA Cup semi-finals
in 1972, his goal at Old Trafford
cancelling out George Best
's effort, and earning Stoke a replay, which they won. The win over Manchester United left Stoke again facing Arsenal in the semi-finals. A 1–1 draw at Villa Park
led to a replay at Goodison Park
; Greenhoff scored for City in the replay but Arsenal won the game 2–1 after John Radford
scored from a clear offside position. Former club Leeds beat the "Gunners" in the final
. Overall he played a massive 54 games in 1971–72, scoring sixteen goals, two fewer than John Ritchie.
He scored twenty goals in 46 appearances in 1972–73, making him the club's top-scorer. These goals included a hat-trick at home to Manchester City
on 23 September, and a brace against City at Maine Road
in a 3–2 defeat in the FA Cup
. He hit ten goals in 44 games in 1973–74, not including his brace against Hull City
in the final of the Watney Cup
at the Victoria Ground
.
He scored fifteen goals in 47 games in 1974–75, making him the club's top-scorer for a second time after he outscored Terry Conroy
and Geoff Hurst
by two and four goals respectively. A volley against former club Birmingham in December 1974 was voted ITV
's goal of the season. He hit thirteen goals in 46 games in 1975–76, making him the club's joint-top scorer along with Ian Moores
.
After three goals in sixteen games in 1976–77, he was sold to Tommy Docherty
's Manchester United
in November 1976 for £120,000; with Stoke needing the money to pay a bill for £250,000 to repair the Victoria Ground following a powerful wind-storm. Though Docherty intended him to play alongside Stuart Pearson
, the move also meant that he would play alongside his brother, Brian Greenhoff
. He scored a total of 97 goals for Stoke in 338 league and cup starts, putting him ninth in the club's overall goalscoring charts. A legend at the club, many Stoke fans consider him to be the greatest England player never to win a senior cap.
He scored twelve goals in 34 games for United in 1976–77, bagging a hat-trick against Newcastle United
on 19 February. However he greatest contribution would be in the FA Cup. He scored both United's goals in a 2–1 win over Southampton
in a Fifth Round replay, before he put the "Red Devils" into the final by scoring past former club Leeds in a 2–1 semi-final victory at Hillsborough
. He then went on to score the winner in the final
after getting in the way of Lou Macari
's wayward shot; in doing so he denied opponents and bitter rivals Liverpool
from achieving the Treble.
He appeared in the 1977 FA Charity Shield
, which ended as a goalless draw, leaving Manchester United and Liverpool to share the shield. Greenhoff finished the 1977–78 campaign with six goals in 28 games. He finished 1978–79 as the club's top-scorer with seventeen goals, and supporters voted him Player of the Year. He also played in the 1979 FA Cup Final
, which Arsenal won 3–2 thanks to a last minute Alan Sunderland
goal. Though this was as close as manager Dave Sexton
would come to a major honour as United boss, Sexton did sign Joe Jordan
, who would form a successful partnership with Greenhoff.
United finished second in 1979–80, two points behind Liverpool, as Greenhoff was limited to just five games due to injury. He played twelve games in 1980–81, before he was allowed to join Crewe Alexandra
in December 1980. Greenhoff had scored a total of 36 goals in 123 appearances (including 4 substitute appearances) for Manchester United. He was reunited with former boss Tony Waddington, and though Crewe were a struggling Fourth Division
side, Greenhoff managed four goals in eleven league games. He moved to North American Soccer League
side Toronto Blizzard in March 1981, then led by Keith Eddy
. The "Blizzard" were a poor side, and finished bottom of their division, despite Greenhoff scoring six goals in 24 games.
He returned to Stoke-on-Trent
to sign for Port Vale
in August 1981. He played 38 games in 1981–82
, but scored just three goals for John McGrath's Fourth Division side. Greenhoff struck twice in seventeen games in 1982–83
. Notably, on 6 November, local paper The Sentinel reported a "Heavy defeat for Port Vale" after Vale were 3–0 down to Rochdale
at Spotland
at half-time, only for Greenhoff to inspire a fightback for the "Valiants", and help the club to a 3–3 draw.
He left Vale Park
in March 1983 to join Rochdale, where he was appointed player-manager. He played a total of seventeen games for the "Dale", but did not find the net. Under his management, the club avoided the re-election zone in 1982–83, but again struggled in 1983–84, and he left the club in March 1984, later returning to Vale Park
as a coach.
, refusing to sell off his FA Cup
winners medal. The crisis came about after discovering that his friend and business partner of nine years had been conning him out of large sums of money. He later worked at a pharmaceutical company in Stoke-on-Trent
.
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
, West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
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
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
. He made nearly 600 appearances in league football. His younger brother Brian
Brian Greenhoff
Brian Greenhoff was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Manchester United, Leeds United and Rochdale. He was capped 18 times for England....
was also a professional footballer; Brian spent the whole of the 1970s with Manchester United.
He started his career at Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
in 1963, as the club came up out of the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in 1963–64, and finished as First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
runners-up in 1964–65 and 1965–66. He also played in the 1967
1967 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final
The 1967 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final was the final of the ninth edition of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. It was played on 30 August and 6 September 1967 between Dinamo Zagreb of Yugoslavia and Leeds United of England...
and 1968
1968 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final
The 1968 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final was the final of the tenth edition of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. It was played on 7 August and 11 September 1968 between Leeds United of England and Ferencváros of Hungary. Leeds United won the tie 1–0 on aggregate....
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. The competition was the idea of Swiss pools supremo Ernst Thommen, Ottorino Barassi from Italy, and the English Football Association general secretary Stanley Rous, all of whom later became senior officials...
finals. He won both the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
in 1968
1968 Football League Cup Final
The 1968 Football League Cup Final took place on 2 March 1968 at Wembley Stadium. It was the eighth final and the second to be played at Wembley. It was contested between Arsenal and Leeds United....
, before he was sold to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. In 1969 he made a £100,000 move to Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. He won the League Cup with Stoke in 1972
1972 Football League Cup Final
The 1972 Football League Cup Final took place on 4 March 1972 at Wembley Stadium and was contested by Chelsea and Stoke City. Chelsea went into the match as strong favourites having won the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in the previous two seasons, whereas Stoke were attempting to win their...
, and also lifted the Watney Cup
Watney Cup
The Watney Mann Invitation Cup was a short-lived English football tournament held in the early 1970s....
in 1973. He was moved on to Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in 1976, and lifted both the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
and Charity Shield
FA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
in 1977
1977 FA Cup Final
The 1977 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 1976–77 FA Cup, the 96th season of England's premier cup football competition. The match was played on 21 May 1977 at Wembley Stadium, London, and it was contested by Manchester United and Liverpool. United won the game 2–1. All three goals came in a...
. He was switched to Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
in December 1980, before joining Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
via Toronto Blizzard in August 1981. He was appointed player-manager at Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
in March 1983, before he resigned in March 1984.
Playing career
Greenhoff started his career as an apprentice with Leeds UnitedLeeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
in June 1961, having impressed in the centre-half position for Barnsley Schoolboys. He turned professional at the club in August 1963, and made his senior debut as a sixteen year old. Leeds finished the 1963–64 season as champions of the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
under Don Revie
Don Revie
Donald George 'Don' Revie, OBE, , was an English footballer who played for Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Manchester City and Leeds United as a deep-lying centre forward. After managing Leeds United he managed England from 1974 until 1977...
's stewardship. The "Peacocks" then went on to finish 1964–65 as First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
runners-up, with champions and hated rivals Manchester United finishing above them on goal average. Leeds again finished second in 1965–66, six points behind champions Liverpool; however Greenhoff missed much of the season with an ankle injury, and a head injury sustained from a car crash. They then finished fourth in 1966–67, five points off the summit; Revie began to covert Greenhoff from a winger into a centre-forward. He turned out against Dinamo Zagreb at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
in the second leg of the 1967 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final
1967 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final
The 1967 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final was the final of the ninth edition of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. It was played on 30 August and 6 September 1967 between Dinamo Zagreb of Yugoslavia and Leeds United of England...
, a goalless draw, Leeds lost the tie 2–0 on aggregate.
Once again, they finished fourth in the First Division in 1967–68, five points behind champions Manchester City. Greenhoff played 37 games, including a memorable 7–0 victory over rivals
Chelsea F.C. and Leeds United A.F.C. rivalry
The rivalry between Chelsea and Leeds United is a football rivalry between London-based club Chelsea and Yorkshire-based Leeds United. The rivalry first emerged in the 1960s after a series of fiercely-contested and controversial matches, when the two clubs were frequently involved in the pursuit...
Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
on 7 October. He went on to appear in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
final in 1968
1968 Football League Cup Final
The 1968 Football League Cup Final took place on 2 March 1968 at Wembley Stadium. It was the eighth final and the second to be played at Wembley. It was contested between Arsenal and Leeds United....
after recovering from a knee injury; United beat Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
1–0 thanks to a twenty yard strike from Terry Cooper. Greenhoff went on to score four of Leeds' nineteen goals past minnows CA Spora Luxembourg
CA Spora Luxembourg
CA Spora Luxembourg was a football club, based in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It is now a part of Racing FC Union Luxembourg.-History:...
in the 1967–68 instalment of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. The competition was the idea of Swiss pools supremo Ernst Thommen, Ottorino Barassi from Italy, and the English Football Association general secretary Stanley Rous, all of whom later became senior officials...
. He also appeared as a half-time substitute in the first leg of the final
1968 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final
The 1968 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final was the final of the tenth edition of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. It was played on 7 August and 11 September 1968 between Leeds United of England and Ferencváros of Hungary. Leeds United won the tie 1–0 on aggregate....
, a 1–0 home win over Ferencvárosi TC, which was enough to secure Leeds the trophy after a goalless draw in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
.
Greenhoff played a total of 136 games for Leeds in league and cup, scoring 36 goals. He was bought by Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
manager Stan Cullis
Stan Cullis
Stanley Cullis was a professional footballer and manager, most notably for Wolverhampton Wanderers. During his term as manager between 1948 and 1964 Wolves became one of the strongest teams in the British game, winning the league title on three occasions, and playing a series of high-profile...
in August 1968, who paid the Yorkshire club a £70,000 fee. The transfer came as a surprise to many Leeds fans. Greenhoff made a huge impact at Birmingham, scoring fifteen goals in 36 games (in all competitions) as the "Blues" finished 1968–69 seventh in the Second Division. During the campaign he scored four goals in a 5–4 win against Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
on 5 October.
In August 1969, he left Birmingham for Tony Waddington
Tony Waddington
Anthony Waddington was an English football player and manager. He managed Stoke City F.C. from 1960 until 1977 and guided them to their only major trophy - the League Cup in 1972. He later managed his only playing club, Crewe Alexandra, from June 1979 to July 1981...
's Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
in a deal worth £100,000, which was a club record for Stoke. He hit nine goals in 37 games in 1969–70, a tally beaten by strike partners Harry Burrows
Harry Burrows
Henry "Harry" Burrows is a former English professional footballer who is best known for his career with Aston Villa and Stoke City. His playing position was a Striker/Winger. Before playing for Villa, Burrows started his career at Wigan Boys. He then moved to Stoke City then Plymouth Argyle before...
and John Ritchie. In 1970–71 he hit ten goals in 43 games, appearing in Stoke's FA Cup semi-final defeat to eventual winners
1971 FA Cup Final
In the finale to the 1970-71 FA Cup season, the 1971 FA Cup Final was contested by Arsenal and Liverpool at Wembley on the 8 May 1971.Arsenal won 2–1 after extra time, with all three goals coming in the added half hour. Steve Heighway opened the scoring for Liverpool with a low drive past...
Arsenal. He missed an easy chance that would have put Stoke 3–0 ahead, and in an interview in 2011 he said the miss "still gets to me".
He played for the "Potters" at Wembley against Chelsea in the 1972 Football League Cup Final
1972 Football League Cup Final
The 1972 Football League Cup Final took place on 4 March 1972 at Wembley Stadium and was contested by Chelsea and Stoke City. Chelsea went into the match as strong favourites having won the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in the previous two seasons, whereas Stoke were attempting to win their...
, which ended in a 2–1 win for Stoke – the only major trophy in the club's history
History of Stoke City F.C.
It is claimed that the history of Stoke City F.C., an English association football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, began when Stoke Ramblers were formed in 1863. However, as the Official Site states, "In 1863 the story goes that former pupils of the Charterhouse School formed a football club while...
. He also helped the club to the FA Cup semi-finals
FA Cup Semi-finals
The FA Cup Semi-finals are played to determine which teams will contest the FA Cup Final. They are the penultimate phase of the FA Cup, the oldest football tournament in the world.- Location :...
in 1972, his goal at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
cancelling out George Best
George Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
's effort, and earning Stoke a replay, which they won. The win over Manchester United left Stoke again facing Arsenal in the semi-finals. A 1–1 draw at Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
led to a replay at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
; Greenhoff scored for City in the replay but Arsenal won the game 2–1 after John Radford
John Radford
For the Canadian broadcaster see John Radford John Radford is a former English football player....
scored from a clear offside position. Former club Leeds beat the "Gunners" in the final
1972 FA Cup Final
The 1972 FA Cup Final took place on 6 May 1972 at Wembley Stadium. It was the Centenary final and the 44th to be played at Wembley....
. Overall he played a massive 54 games in 1971–72, scoring sixteen goals, two fewer than John Ritchie.
He scored twenty goals in 46 appearances in 1972–73, making him the club's top-scorer. These goals included a hat-trick at home to Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on 23 September, and a brace against City at Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
in a 3–2 defeat in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. He hit ten goals in 44 games in 1973–74, not including his brace against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
in the final of the Watney Cup
Watney Cup
The Watney Mann Invitation Cup was a short-lived English football tournament held in the early 1970s....
at the Victoria Ground
Victoria Ground
Victoria Ground may refer to:*Victoria Ground, the former name of Hartlepool United’s ground Victoria Park.*Victoria Ground, Stoke City’s ground from 1878 to 1997.*Victoria Ground, current home of Bromsgrove Rovers...
.
He scored fifteen goals in 47 games in 1974–75, making him the club's top-scorer for a second time after he outscored Terry Conroy
Terry Conroy
Terry Conroy is a former professional footballer, who spent most of his career with Stoke City.-Stoke City:He joined the Potters from the Irish club, Glentoran for £10,000 in March 1967. He went on to make 333 Cup and League appearances for Stoke, scoring 66 goals...
and Geoff Hurst
Geoff Hurst
Sir Geoffrey Charles Hurst MBE is a retired England footballer best remembered for his years with West Ham. He made his mark in World Cup history as the only player to have scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final. His three goals came in the 1966 final for England in their 4–2 win over West...
by two and four goals respectively. A volley against former club Birmingham in December 1974 was voted ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's goal of the season. He hit thirteen goals in 46 games in 1975–76, making him the club's joint-top scorer along with Ian Moores
Ian Moores
Ian Richard Moores was an English footballer, at 6 foot 2 inches, the bearded blonde striker was an imposing figure on the pitch.-Playing career:...
.
After three goals in sixteen games in 1976–77, he was sold to Tommy Docherty
Tommy Docherty
Thomas Henderson "Tommy" Docherty , commonly known as "The Doc", is a Scottish former footballer and football manager.-Playing career:...
's Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in November 1976 for £120,000; with Stoke needing the money to pay a bill for £250,000 to repair the Victoria Ground following a powerful wind-storm. Though Docherty intended him to play alongside Stuart Pearson
Stuart Pearson
James Stuart Pearson is an English former football player. He was a skilful forward who played in three FA Cup finals.-Hull City:...
, the move also meant that he would play alongside his brother, Brian Greenhoff
Brian Greenhoff
Brian Greenhoff was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Manchester United, Leeds United and Rochdale. He was capped 18 times for England....
. He scored a total of 97 goals for Stoke in 338 league and cup starts, putting him ninth in the club's overall goalscoring charts. A legend at the club, many Stoke fans consider him to be the greatest England player never to win a senior cap.
He scored twelve goals in 34 games for United in 1976–77, bagging a hat-trick against Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
on 19 February. However he greatest contribution would be in the FA Cup. He scored both United's goals in a 2–1 win over Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in a Fifth Round replay, before he put the "Red Devils" into the final by scoring past former club Leeds in a 2–1 semi-final victory at Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
. He then went on to score the winner in the final
1977 FA Cup Final
The 1977 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 1976–77 FA Cup, the 96th season of England's premier cup football competition. The match was played on 21 May 1977 at Wembley Stadium, London, and it was contested by Manchester United and Liverpool. United won the game 2–1. All three goals came in a...
after getting in the way of Lou Macari
Lou Macari
Luigi "Lou" Macari is a Scottish former footballer and football manager of Italian descent.-Playing career:...
's wayward shot; in doing so he denied opponents and bitter rivals Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
from achieving the Treble.
He appeared in the 1977 FA Charity Shield
1977 FA Charity Shield
The 1977 FA Charity Shield was the 55th FA Charity Shield, an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's First Division and FA Cup competitions. The match was played on 13 August 1977 at Wembley Stadium and contested by Liverpool, who had won the 1976–77 First...
, which ended as a goalless draw, leaving Manchester United and Liverpool to share the shield. Greenhoff finished the 1977–78 campaign with six goals in 28 games. He finished 1978–79 as the club's top-scorer with seventeen goals, and supporters voted him Player of the Year. He also played in the 1979 FA Cup Final
1979 FA Cup Final
The 1979 FA Cup Final was a football match played on 12 May 1979 at Wembley Stadium. The match was contested by Arsenal and Manchester United. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest-ever finishes in an FA Cup final. For over 85 minutes the game had been unremarkable, with Arsenal taking...
, which Arsenal won 3–2 thanks to a last minute Alan Sunderland
Alan Sunderland
Alan Sunderland is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Arsenal and Ipswich Town. He was capped once for England.-Career:...
goal. Though this was as close as manager Dave Sexton
Dave Sexton
David "Dave" Sexton OBE is an English former football manager and player.-Playing career:Son of former professional boxer Archie Sexton, he started his playing career with West Ham United in 1948. Playing mainly at inside-forward, he would finish his career with time at Luton Town, Leyton Orient,...
would come to a major honour as United boss, Sexton did sign Joe Jordan
Joe Jordan (footballer)
Joseph "Joe" Jordan is a Scottish football coach and former player and manager. He is currently first team coach for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, under manager Harry Redknapp....
, who would form a successful partnership with Greenhoff.
United finished second in 1979–80, two points behind Liverpool, as Greenhoff was limited to just five games due to injury. He played twelve games in 1980–81, before he was allowed to join Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
in December 1980. Greenhoff had scored a total of 36 goals in 123 appearances (including 4 substitute appearances) for Manchester United. He was reunited with former boss Tony Waddington, and though Crewe were a struggling Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
side, Greenhoff managed four goals in eleven league games. He moved to North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
side Toronto Blizzard in March 1981, then led by Keith Eddy
Keith Eddy
Keith Eddy is a retired English footballer. Eddy played for Barrow, Watford and Sheffield United in England, as well as the New York Cosmos in the United States...
. The "Blizzard" were a poor side, and finished bottom of their division, despite Greenhoff scoring six goals in 24 games.
He returned to Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
to sign for Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in August 1981. He played 38 games in 1981–82
1981–82 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1981–82 season was Port Vale's seventieth season of football in the Football League, and their fourth successive season in the Fourth Division. John McGrath led his team to a seventh place finish, a big improvement on the previous two seasons. Top-scorer Ernie Moss and midfielder Mark...
, but scored just three goals for John McGrath's Fourth Division side. Greenhoff struck twice in seventeen games in 1982–83
1982–83 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1982–83 season was Port Vale's seventy-first season of football in the Football League, and their fifth successive season in the Fourth Division. John McGrath led the Vale to a club-record 88 points , which saw them win promotion in third place...
. Notably, on 6 November, local paper The Sentinel reported a "Heavy defeat for Port Vale" after Vale were 3–0 down to Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
at Spotland
Spotland Stadium
Spotland Stadium is a sports venue located at Willbutts Lane in the Spotland area of Rochdale, Greater Manchester. It is currently home to Rochdale AFC and Rochdale Hornets RLFC...
at half-time, only for Greenhoff to inspire a fightback for the "Valiants", and help the club to a 3–3 draw.
He left Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
in March 1983 to join Rochdale, where he was appointed player-manager. He played a total of seventeen games for the "Dale", but did not find the net. Under his management, the club avoided the re-election zone in 1982–83, but again struggled in 1983–84, and he left the club in March 1984, later returning to Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
as a coach.
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.Post-retirement
Greenhoff suffered a financial crisis in 1996 following a failed insurance venture, and took up work in a warehouseWarehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
, refusing to sell off his FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winners medal. The crisis came about after discovering that his friend and business partner of nine years had been conning him out of large sums of money. He later worked at a pharmaceutical company in Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
.
Honours
with Leeds United
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with Stoke City
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with Manchester United
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