Football legend Jimmy Greaves has died at Essex home aged 81

 Former England, Tottenham and Chelsea striker Jimmy Greaves has died at the age of 81, Spurs have announced.

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Greaves lived in Danbury, Essex.

He suffered a stroke in May 2015 which left him wheelchair-bound and with severely impaired speech.

Tottenham said he died reception on Sunday morning.

The Premier League club said during a statement: "We are extremely saddened to find out of the passing of the good Jimmy Greaves, not just Tottenham's record goalscorer but the best marksman this country has ever seen.

"Jimmy gave up the ghost reception within the early hours of this morning, aged 81.

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"Throughout his wonderful playing career, Jimmy's strike rate was phenomenal. His Spurs return was 266 goals in 379 appearances between 1961 and 1970 - 220 goals in 321 league games, 32 goals in 36 FA Cup ties, five in only eight League Cup ties and nine in 14 European matches."

Reacting to Greaves' death on Sky Sports News, former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara said: "We are getting to be ready to witness that (grief) today, everyone will see it, and a tremendous round of applause for him (at Tottenham v Chelsea).

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"It's tough to create a legacy at a club, Jimmy was an icon, football legend, Spurs are very lucky to possess such an excellent player as a part of their club.

"A truly sad day to possess lost someone so great.

"Jimmy Greaves is certainly a legend."

A member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad, Greaves scored 44 goals across 57 senior appearances for the Three Lions.

His career began within the junior ranks at Chelsea and he turned professional in May 1957, scoring on his Blues debut and racking up 132 goals in total for the club.

He remained at Stamford Bridge until 1961, when he moved to AC Milan.

After one season in Milan he joined Spurs in 1961 to play in Bill Nicholson's successful side.

The Tottenham statement continued: "Although we had just won the 'Double', there is no question that Jimmy's arrival in N17 made us a good better team.

"He was a natural goalscorer, always within the right place at the proper time to feature the final touch to a different well-worked move, while he could also create his own goals, as he did on numerous occasions by gliding past defenders and spending the ball into the rear of internet .

"He possessed immaculate ball control, great balance and such composure ahead of goal that he rarely spurned a chance ."

Greaves' former club West Ham, where he spent one season from 1970-71, tweeted: "We are saddened to find out the news of the passing of Jimmy Greaves.

"The club sends its deepest condolences to Jimmy's family and friends."

Greaves wound down his playing career with stints at West Ham and Barnet before starring alongside former Liverpool striker Ian St John within the popular ITV programme 'Saint and Greavsie' between 1985 and 1992.

After an extended campaign Greaves finally received a World Cup winners' medal in 2009; five years later he sold it in an auction at Sotheby's for £44,000.

In later life, Greaves endured health problems, including a minor stroke in 1992 from which he recovered. 

But it had been followed by a significant stroke in May 2015 which saw him unconscious for 6 days in medical care and later left during a wheelchair.

The England team tweeted: "We are deeply saddened to find out of the passing of Jimmy Greaves at the age of 81.

"Jimmy was a part of our (World Cup)-winning squad and scored an interesting 44 goals in 57 games for the 

#ThreeLions.

"All of our thoughts are together with his family, friends and former clubs."