West Ham historian Nigel Kahn has told a heartwarming story of how Jimmy Greaves nearly started his career with West Ham.
Nigel explains how Ted Fenton had watched Greaves play several times for Dagenham Boys and was convinced the Manor Park born lad would join his local team West Ham United.
One night at 10 pm Fenton determined to sign the youngster went to Greaves family house in Hainault ten minutes from his own home to find his father was not in. He waited outside in his car for Jimmy’s father to return from his job as a train driver for London Underground.
After waiting hours and past midnight Fenton gave up waiting and decided to return on another night. He never got to make that second trip as the West Ham m manager read in the press that Jimmy had joined Chelsea and the legend was born.
What happened that night? Jimmy’s father later told Ted that his bicycle had broken down on his way home and he didn’t get back until the early hours of the morning.
What a great story and of what could have been if Greavsey had joined the Hammers at the start of his career.
Listen to Nigel tell the Ted Fenton story below:
Bike broke down? haha he was with Cordelia Sprag who used to work as a guard on the Central Line..