Obituary: Ian Greaves

Jan 5 2009 by Mel Booth, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Ian Greaves, the last man to take Town into the top flight, dies at home aged 76

He was twice Divisional Manager of the Season (with Town in 1970 and Bolton in 1978) and was seven times voted Manager of the Month.

Born on May 26, 1932, in Shaw, near Oldham, Greaves began his football career with a club called St Joseph’s, joined Cheshire League club Buxton United and went to Manchester United as a professional on his 21st birthday, making his debut at Wolves in October 1954. He was a colleague of all the famous Busby Babes, many of whom died in the Munich Air disaster of 1958, and he played in the famous post-crash match against Sheffield Wednesday, when the United team sheet in the programme was left blank.

He made 75 League and Cup appearances for United as a strong and speedy full-back before joining Lincoln City, where he helped them win the Third Division title, and then home-town club Oldham. Again he was a promotion winner from Division IV.

He then played for Altrincham and coached in Zambia before joining Town’s staff at Leeds Road.