Every Spurs fan knows Jimmy Greaves – he is an icon of our illustrious past; a typical Tottenham hero: remembered as a world class forward with unrivalled pace and deadly finishing technique. However, as is often the case, the opportunity to meet ones sporting heroes seldom occurs and when it does, it is perhaps too brief to reveal a glimpse of the man behind the legend. An evening with Jimmy Greaves was undoubtedly an exception to the rule. What was striking about this evening was not the vast numbers of people who attended the evening, but the personality of the man himself. A dry cockney wit, his speech was laced with comic anecdotes that kept the audience entertained, engaged and hanging on his every word. Clearly, his talent is much broader than you might expect – he is definitely an entertainer in every sense of the word – his humour playing to the crowd, prompting laughter and plenty of applause. Importantly, he also displayed an affinity with the average fan – refusing no request for a picture or autograph; spending a minute to charm those than wanted to meet him. I must confess I was probably first in the queue, and Jimmy treated me like a friend, signing his autobiography and in the process providing my Father with a momento that he will always treasure.
I thought this was an excellent evening and one that I would definitely like to repeat – the venue was more than adequate and certainly contributed to sense of occasion. I would recommend an evening with Jimmy Greaves to any spurs fan, it is an opportunity not to be missed.
