SPFL Tier 4, The Rock, 19/11/22.

It’s a funny old game, as Jimmy Greaves used to say.

We thumped the team that’s now third last week away but today at home we could only draw 2-2 with the team at the bottom.

We’ve played Forfar twice now and not managed to beat them.

It was a chance missed though as they had a man sent off early in the second half. Even so they still managed to go ahead for the second time but we quickly equalised – again for the second time. Gregg Wylde was our first scorer – his third in four games – with David Wilson getting our second.

But we’re still three points ahead of second place – and will be for a fortnight as it’s the Cup next week.

And so another name from that small number of Englishmen to grace a World Cup final, Roger Hunt, has finally left the pitch.

His 244 league goals remain Liverpool’s best ever. Only Ian Rush has scored more goals for the club overall. Hunt also scored 18 times for England in 34 appearances – including three in the group stages in 1966. When Jimmy Greaves was fit again for the final it seemed it might be Hunt who would make way for him but manager Alf Ramsey decided to stick with Hunt and Geoff Hurst. By raising his arms and turning away Hunt looked in no doubt that Hurst’s shot off the bar had crossed the line for his controversial strike in extra-time that in effect won the game.

That Liverpool supporters called him Sir Roger shows the esteem and affection in which he was held.

Roger Hunt: 20/7/1938 – 27/8/2021. So it goes.

One of the footballing greats has gone. Jimmy Greaves might be termed a pure goalscorer. His record of 357 goals in the top flight of English football may not ever be surpassed. He also scored nine in Serie A with A C Milan.

He began his career at Chelsea then moved to A C Milan in 1961. He did not settle there and was signed by Tottenham Hotspur for £99,999 (the £1 less than 100,000 supposedly to avoid the pressure of being the first £100,000 player. I doubt that would have bothered him.) He is the highest ever goal scorer for Spurs where he won several trophies. His League career ended at West Ham United.

He also scored 44 goals in 57 international appearances for England but missed out on a World Cup Final appearance in 1966 – and therefore his country’s greatest (only?) football triumph – due to being injured in a group game and the form of his replacement Geoff Hurst. This disappointment reportedly subsequently preyed on his mind. Sadly he became an alcoholic after his League career ended.

In later years, the alcoholism overcome, he became a Saturday lunchtime fixture in the TV prgramme Saint and Greavsie and earned himself a whole new legion of fans some of whom had never seen him play in his heyday.

Here are some of his goals for Spurs:-

James Peter (Jimmy) Greaves: 20/2/1940 – 19/9/2021. So it goes.