Bio:
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 made the switch despite late interest from Everton. He hit nine goals in 37 games in 1969–70, a tally beaten by strike partners Harry Burrows and John Ritchie. He slotted in seamlessly in the team, connecting Ritchie with the midfield by feeding off Ritchie’s knock-downs and bringing the wide players into the game. In 1970–71 he hit ten goals in 43 games, appearing in Stoke’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to eventual winners Arsenal.[4] 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. He scored twenty goals in 46 appearances in 1972–73, making him the club’s top-scorer. Jimmy Greenhoff later began to play to the best of his abilities with the arrival of Alan Hudson. He scored fifteen goals in 47 games in 1974–75, making him the club’s top-scorer for a second time. England manager Don Revie picked Greenhoff to play against Wales in March 1976, but he was unable due to it clashing with a league fixture, and never got another chance at international level.
After three goals in sixteen games in 1976–77, he was sold to Tommy Docherty’s Manchester United in November 1976 for £120,000.
Factfile:
- Full Name: James Greenhoff
- Position: Forward
- Date of Birth: 19.06.1946
- Birthplace: Barnsley
- Nation: England
- Club Career: Stoke City
- Period: 1969-1976
- League Games, 274
- League Goals, 76
- Previous Club: Birmingham City
- Transfer Fee: £100.000
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