Greavsie

Now that he has finally passed away after a long personal struggle since his stroke in 2015, I find I'm going back to the old video archives of Jimmy Greaves - less of him as a star player for Spurs, Chelsea and West Ham (and also AC Milan, Barnet - right - and even Chelmsford City and Brentwood Town), but of his charisma and often cheeky no-nonsense humour as a TV pundit.

As with Sean Connery, it is intriguing to gauge when exactly the 60s pin-up became a balding veteran. In Jimmy's case the moment of transition was signposted when he dissolved into alcoholism. In his own words, he woke up in the Warley sanatorium and found that 5 years of his life had disappeared.

One of this most moving interviews was a video special with his admirer and co-commentator Brian Moore. It showed not only the Greavsie of the present but also of the reflective past, and displayed what a dynamic competitive sporting brain he had.

One the genuine British blokes. Rest in peace, mate.