Greaves, who played 575 games for the club and scored 85 times in a magnificent 15-year career between 1965 and 1980, has passed away at the age of 77. He stands second on the list of all-time appearance-makers for Wanderers, behind only Eddie Hopkinson.
Born in Farnworth, Greaves came through the youth ranks with Wanderers, starting out as a forward before becoming an outstanding central midfield player who helped the Whites win the Third Division title in 1973 and the Second Division championship five years later.
Scoring twice on his home debut against Southampton in October, 1965, he first became a regular in the starting line-up in the 1967/68 season, finishing as leading scorer with 10 goals in the old Second Division.
He scored 12 times in total the following season and in 1972/73 started every game bar one as Jimmy Armfield’s side was promoted from Division Three as champions and reached the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Firmly established as a central midfielder and a mainstay of the side throughout the 1970s, Greaves was a key player in the team managed by namesake Ian – and including the likes of Sam Allardyce, Willie Morgan, Peter Reid, Neil Whatmore and Frank Worthington – which won the Second Division title in 1978.
After a spell in the United States to play for Seattle Sounders in the North American Soccer League, Greaves returned to Lancashire to end his career with Rochdale in 1982/83 and settled back in Farnworth.
At one point owning a bar with friend and former team-mate Allardyce, Greaves remained a well-known and popular figure around Bolton and regularly watched the Whites despite suffering from ill health in recent years.
His death follows that of fellow former Farnworth resident and Wanderers’ legend Tommy Banks at the age of 94 in June.
