Jimmy Greaves and end of Empire

[kenny38]

I knew Jimmy right back at southwood Lane Dagenham primary school. We went on the bus together as new kids from The Estate. In the playground the "older" boys were playing football with a tennis ball and rolled up coats for posts. I remember standing there with Jimmy and remarked we were not allowed on "the pitch". To my astonishment Jimmy suddenly ran forward, got the ball and easily dribbled it into the goal. The older kids were furious at some little kid playing with them but the "skipper" of what was to become Jimmy's team said "el do!" Jimmy scored 10 goals before the bell went. Later we all went to the new estate school where Jimmy and i played cricket at the nets. Both jimmy and I played for London and Essex boys. Me as a fast bowler and Jimmy as wicket keeper. Jimmy eventually approached Essex County Cricket Club, as did I, as both of us preferred cricket as a career. The secretary of the club i remember now was downright rude telling us both that County cricket was not "for you yobs, what on earth will you do in the winter for money as all our players have means". Jimmy and i eventually went to work on the same day on the same Hainault train...he to be a groundsman at Chelsea and me to work in "The Print" as apprentice compositor at The Express. This of course was a closed shop and only direct family connections could get you "on the stone". This was before Murdoch and Wapping and once your apprenticeship was finished you earned the best money in the UK "doing the papers". I got lead poisoning and didn't like it anyway so went to work at Harrods as a porter. They were the best years of my life until I was called up at just before Suez and eventually sat on a truck with other squaddies in pouring rain ready to embark for Eygpt. I suppose i was there at the end of the British Empire. A Major came marching past us red faced with actual tears streaming down his face and loudly telling us "you can go home now lads, the British Empire is over". We had to find out later what had happened and we were now a second rate power. The cold war was upon us and a few of us had many strange tests which I didn't know what for until called to "the room" where men in raincoats and trilbys were waiting. They were exciting years and also at times very frightening. I never met Jimmy again but was always proud of my knowing him.Eventually i was never very proud of myself. There were always blank faced men in the trilby hats,posh accents and shiny shoes. Jimmy and I could always thank the Essex Sec. for a different life. Especially Jimmy. Old age has become a real regret. Kenny38

[VFK44]

When I was at Bell Infant school in Upminster in the late 60s, I was in a temporary classroom out in the playground. We had a good view of a solitary character who would regularly turn up far too early to pick up his child. He would pace up and down beneath the trees while our teachers would tut and tell us to ignore him.
My classmates informed me that the mystery man (then in his wilderness years) was Jimmy Greaves. I'm afraid I replied "Who?".