Emotional return to the Lane for Greavsie

The great Jimmy Greaves paid an emotional visit to White Hart Lane with his family on Friday.

One of the best goalscorers ever seen in world football, Jimmy spent nine years at the Club after joining us from AC Milan in December, 1961.

In that time, 'Greavsie' scored 266 goals in 379 appearances for us in the Football League, FA Cup, League Cup and Europe, lifting two FA Cups (1962, 1967) and the European Cup Winners Cup (1963) along the way.

Jimmy remains our record all-time goalscorer, 58 goals ahead of Bobby Smith (1955-64), his strike partner in his first seasons at Spurs, and the highest all-time goalscorer in the top flight of English football (Division One/Premier League) with 357 league goals for Chelsea, Spurs and West Ham.

Below: Jimmy and his family at the Lane on Friday - from left - Andy Greaves, Andy Keen, Madeline Greaves, James Robinson, Mitzi Greaves, Tom Robinson, Harry Greaves, Lynn Greaves, Danny Greaves, Brian Doherty. Kneeling, with Jimmy, left Victoria Berquez and right, Gemma Robinson

Now 77, Jimmy suffered a stroke in May, 2015 and remains wheelchair-bound. The Club and the Tottenham Tribute Trust have since worked closely with Jimmy and his family to ensure his needs have been met.

Still a hero to so many Spurs fans worldwide, Jimmy was back at the scene of so many wonderful memories and moments that will never be forgotten.

He spent time pointing out former team-mates on our Hall of Fame gallery in the tunnel area, his photograph proudly among some of the all-time greats of the Club.

From there it was into the changing rooms and then a poignant moment pitchside as Jimmy looked around our famous old stadium again. Taking it all in, he told his family 'I'd love to have a kick about'.

Asked how he felt to be back, Jimmy told us: "It was fabulous, marvellous. Yesterday, I nearly decided not to come but I enjoyed it. I have lots of special memories here.

“When I joined I thought ‘right, let’s have a lot of fun’ and we did. I had more or less 10 years here and I think on the whole, yes, I loved it.”

The family later enjoyed lunch in the boardroom before a tour of our new offices at Lilywhite House, and the chance to have a look around the new stadium via our Virtual Reality Suite.

Below: Jimmy is brought through the tunnel to the pitch he graced at the Lane

Jimmy's son Danny said his dad thoroughly enjoyed his day back at the Lane.

"It’s been lovely from the family’s point of view because some of the family here today, the grandchildren, don’t remember dad playing at Tottenham and have heard wonderful things about him, so for them to be with their grandad at the ground where he had so many happy years and was famous for, is great for them as well as someone like me who came here as a kid and watched him play.

"We’ve had a good reaction from dad. He’s very happy to be here. Yesterday there was a doubt, he got a bit upset, a bit emotional, but he’s thoroughly enjoyed it. Hopefully it will do him good in the condition he’s in at the moment.

"He’s not a well man, unfortunately he’s now severely-disabled and wheelchair-restricted. He has good days and bad. We have to live day by day and this has been a good day for him."

For more information on the Tottenham Tribute Trust - follow this link...