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Bolton Wanderers legend Roy Greaves has passed away at the age of 77, the club has confirmed.
A stalwart of 575 appearances between 1965 and 1980, Farnworth-born Greaves was regarded as one of the most versatile players to have represented the Whites, playing in virtually every outfield position.
Greaves played in three different divisions at Burnden Park for seven different managers, having been given his first contract by Bill Ridding and making his debut against Leyton Orient in October 1965.
He helped Bolton win promotion from the old Division Three in 1972/73 under Jimmy Armfield, who had converted him from a striker to a midfielder. Alongside Paul Jones he was ever-present in that successful campaign.
Greaves then became an integral member of Ian Greaves’ team, taking on the captaincy and turning down overtures from the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool to stay with the club he had supported from a young age.
Wanderers returned to Division One in 1977/78 and Greaves missed just one game that season. But the following year he suffered a few injuries and eventually left the club in February 1980 to join NASL side Seattle Sounders, just three appearances short of Eddie Hopkinson's all-time record.
He went on to spend two seasons in the States, also playing in the newly-formed MLS Indoor League, before returning back to the UK where a brief spell as a player/coach at Rochdale signalled the end of his career.
He hung up his boots in 1983 at the age of 36 and went on to run businesses in Bolton, living in Westhoughton with his wife, Barbara.
In 2017 Greaves was voted by readers of The Bolton News into the greatest XI ever to play at Burnden Park and though ill health had limited his opportunities to watch the team in the last couple of years, he has still taken every opportunity to watch the Whites in action.
Bolton Wanderers are planning to honour Greaves and another legend who passed away recently, Tommy Banks, at Sunday’s home game against Wrexham.
Leading the tributes, former team-mate Peter Nicholson said the club had lost a “truly top man.”
“What can I say about Roy? I mean, he loved Bolton Wanderers,” he told The Bolton News.
“He was a proper club man. One of the first rea, athletes, he was so fit as a player it was untrue.
“He could play anywhere, up front, at the back, and he did the job. His energy levels were phenomenal.
“In my time I had three captains – Warwick Rimmer, John Ritson and Roy. He wasn’t a shouter and baller, he just dictated things. He was a wonderful person.
“When he finished and came back from America, me and him used to go and play for Park United and we were both in our forties. We won everything!
“Even then, he loved football. And he put so much back into the local game as a sponsor when he ran his pub.
“He will be so missed.”
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Bolton Wanderers legend Roy Greaves has passed away at the age of 77, the club has confirmed.
A stalwart of 575 appearances between 1965 and 1980, Farnworth-born Greaves was regarded as one of the most versatile players to have represented the Whites, playing in virtually every outfield position.
Greaves played in three different divisions at Burnden Park for seven different managers, having been given his first contract by Bill Ridding and making his debut against Leyton Orient in October 1965.
He helped Bolton win promotion from the old Division Three in 1972/73 under Jimmy Armfield, who had converted him from a striker to a midfielder. Alongside Paul Jones he was ever-present in that successful campaign.
Greaves then became an integral member of Ian Greaves’ team, taking on the captaincy and turning down overtures from the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool to stay with the club he had supported from a young age.
Wanderers returned to Division One in 1977/78 and Greaves missed just one game that season. But the following year he suffered a few injuries and eventually left the club in February 1980 to join NASL side Seattle Sounders, just three appearances short of Eddie Hopkinson's all-time record.
He went on to spend two seasons in the States, also playing in the newly-formed MLS Indoor League, before returning back to the UK where a brief spell as a player/coach at Rochdale signalled the end of his career.
He hung up his boots in 1983 at the age of 36 and went on to run businesses in Bolton, living in Westhoughton with his wife, Barbara.
In 2017 Greaves was voted by readers of The Bolton News into the greatest XI ever to play at Burnden Park and though ill health had limited his opportunities to watch the team in the last couple of years, he has still taken every opportunity to watch the Whites in action.
Bolton Wanderers are planning to honour Greaves and another legend who passed away recently, Tommy Banks, at Sunday’s home game against Wrexham.
Leading the tributes, former team-mate Peter Nicholson said the club had lost a “truly top man.”
“What can I say about Roy? I mean, he loved Bolton Wanderers,” he told The Bolton News.
“He was a proper club man. One of the first rea, athletes, he was so fit as a player it was untrue.
“He could play anywhere, up front, at the back, and he did the job. His energy levels were phenomenal.
“In my time I had three captains – Warwick Rimmer, John Ritson and Roy. He wasn’t a shouter and baller, he just dictated things. He was a wonderful person.
“When he finished and came back from America, me and him used to go and play for Park United and we were both in our forties. We won everything!
“Even then, he loved football. And he put so much back into the local game as a sponsor when he ran his pub.
“He will be so missed.”
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