The remarkable goal scoring abilities of the prolific Jimmy Greaves was seen first hand by both Preston North End players and supporters alike, during the 1959-1960 season.
PNE's opening day of the season tussle, played at Stamford Bridge (22nd August 1959), was one to remember for the heat wave off the pitch and the goals on the pitch. It was 84 degrees in the shade, but finding any shade proved difficult.
Chelsea introduced new signing Charles Livesey, bought from Southampton, at centre-forward, whereas North End decided to start the season with Tom Finney leading the attack rather than on the right-wing. As it turned out, it was newly capped England international, Jimmy Greaves, who stole the show - he was red-hot!
The Chelsea side were, on average, the youngest squad in the First Division, and it showed early in the game, with their youthful enthusiasm. They were 2-1 up at half-time through Greaves and Brabrook, and increased their lead to 4-1 with two goals in three minutes after one hour's play.
Greaves, a constant menace throughout, completed a well-earned hat-trick. Tommy Thompson, North End's own goalscoring ace, pulled a goal back with twenty minutes remaining, adding to Finney's first half goal. With the score now at 4-2, Finney was switched from the centre over to his more familiar right-wing spot.
It proved a very effective move, as on 79 minutes, a Sammy Taylor effort was helped over the goal line by Derek Mayers, who had just swapped places with Finney. With Chelsea's youngsters wilting quickly, North End's more experienced team kept up their aggression and eventually got their just reward - an equaliser in the 90th minute. A lobbed centre from Finney found Frank O'Farrell in half a yard of space and he joyfully accepted the opening to earn North End a most unlikely point.
Mayers and Joe Dunn reckoned that it had been hotter that afternoon in the Stamford Bridge cauldron than it had been on the Club's recent tour to South Africa.
Chelsea: Matthews, P. Sillett, J. Sillett, Nicholas, Mortimore, Scott, Brabrook, Greaves, Tindall, Brooks, Blunstone.
PNE: Else, Cunningham, Walton, O'Farrell, Dunn, Smith, Mayers, Thompson, Finney, Sneddon, Taylor.
Attendance: 42,891
The return fixture was on a damp, dismal December afternoon on the weekend prior to the festive period, when traditionally gates slump. Preston North End had not lost for nine games and Chelsea had not won in four outings. The stay away fans missed a goal feast.
The wet, but well grassed surface meant that fast entertaining football could be played, and it was. Unfortunately Preston did quite a lot of chasing, usually after the fleet-footed Greaves who adapted excellently to the conditions at Deepdale.
It was he who opened the scoring after 14 minutes, breaking through a flat, static defence before slotting home. Within two minutes Tommy Thompson had levelled matters with a typical goal poacher's goal, much to the crowd's delight.
Thompson then turned provider on 21 minutes putting Dave Sneddon through to give North End a well deserved lead. The game was now flowing and inevitably it just had to be Jimmy Greaves who turned the game around.
He notched two goals in quick succession before the break to give Chelsea a 3-2 lead at the interval. On 52 minutes the Londoners increased their lead to 4-2, Greaves again the marksman. Twelve minutes later it was all over as Greaves scored his, and Chelsea's fifth goal.
As in the game back in August, North End fought to the end and pulled two goals back through Tommy Thompson who had now scored three times, but still found himself on the losing side.
PNE: Else, Cunningham, Walton, Milne, Richardson, Smith, Mayers, Thompson, Finney, Sneddon, Taylor.
Chelsea: Matthews, Shelito, J. Sillett, Mortimore, Scott, Nicholas, Brabrook, Graves, Bridges, Brooks, Blunstone.
Attendance: 15,775
Ian Rigby
