Biography
Patrick George “Paddy” Greenwood was a versatile defender and midfielder born and raised in Hull. He was an East Riding youth team player and captain of the Hull Boys side in the early 1960s while attending Ainthorpe High School, showing talent that encouraged Hull City to offer him amateur terms in August 1962 – at Ainthorpe Paddy played alongside future professional footballers Ray Pettitt and Bob Hatton. In March 1964 he graduated from stand-out performer in City’s Juniors team to the Reserves, and his progression continued such that he signed his first professional contract in October 1964.
Greenwood had to wait another fourteen months for his first team debut, selected at right back in a January 1966 defeat at Swindon Town. City won the Division Three title that season and as the Tigers established themselves in Division Two, Paddy was introduced as a first team regular in February 1967, covering absences at full back, central defence and midfield. After missing the first two league games of the 1967/68 season Greenwood became an established fixture in City’s first eleven, missing only three first team games between August 1967 and March 1969 – during this period he also netted his first senior goal for the Tigers, in November 1968 against Birmingham City. A back injury saw Paddy lose his first team place in March 1969 and didn’t return to first team action until October 1969, during the dying days of Cliff Britton’s tenure as City’s manager. Greenwood was restored to the first team when Britton was moved to a directorial role, but during the 1970/71 season new boss Terry Neill used Paddy less frequently. He was back in the first team during the early months of the 1971/72 season but in November 1971 he asked the club for a transfer and played his last game for the Tigers during the same week that City signed his replacement, former West Bromwich Albion stalwart John Kaye.
Greenwood joined Division Three side Barnsley in November 1971 for a £12,000 fee, the Tykes were managed by former Tiger John McSeveney. A regular first team starter during the remainder of the 1971/72 season, Greenwood was unable to help avoid relegation to Division Four and over the next two seasons he missed only a handful of games as the Oakwell side consolidated in the middle reaches of the fourth tier table. His final appearances for Barnsley against Hartlepool United in April 1974 took his Tykes tally to six goals in 123 appearances.
In April 1974 Paddy, along with teammate Ian McKechnie, made a summer move to North American Soccer League side Boston Minutemen, scoring four goals in 19 appearances while suiting up alongside English top flight striker Tony Hateley, father of future City manager Mark Hateley. He returned to England in October 1974 and a £10,000 fee secured his transfer to Division Two side Nottingham Forest, where former Barnsley boss John McSeveney was now first team coach. Paddy spent four months in the first team before breaking a leg in a February 1975 FA Cup tie against Fulham, weeks after McSeveney had been sacked by newly appointed first team manager Brian Clough. Greenwood’s recovery was long, slow and required several operations and he never returned to the Forest first team, despite returning to fitness in November 1975 and serving the Reserves team. He agreed to terminate his Nottingham Forest contract in March 1976 having made just 19 appearances in two and a half seasons.
In April 1976 he returned to NASL side Boston Minutemen for the summer months as player and assistant coach and added a further 5 appearances before returning to England in August 1976 after a contractual dispute. In the summer of 1977 he moved back to the Hull area from his Nottingham home and after a two month period when registration papers from the US were not forthcoming, he signed for Midland League side Bridlington Trinity in January 1978. In June 1978 he left Trinity and spent the 1978/79 season at Northern Premier League side Goole Town, then played for Yorkshire League side North Ferriby United during the 1979/80 season.
After football Greenwood worked in life assurance and was a pub landlord in Hull while serving the Ex-Tigers XI for many seasons. He moved to Northampton on retirement in the early 2000s.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 17 October 1946, Hull
Hull City First Game: 8 January 1966, Swindon Town A (Division Three), 19 years, 83 days old
Hull City Final Game: 20 November 1971, Queens Park Rangers A (Division Two), 25 years, 34 days old
Clubs
Hull City (1964-1971), Barnsley (1971-1974), Boston Minutemen (1974), Nottingham Forest (1974-1976), Boston Minutemen (1976), Bridlington Trinity (1978), Goole Town (1978-1979), North Ferriby United (1979-1980)
Hull City Record
Career: 162 apps, 3 goals
Paddy Greenwood| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964/65 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1965/66 | 1 (0) | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1966/67 | 10 (2) | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1967/68 | 39 (0) | 1 | 3 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | – | – | – | – |
| 1968/69 | 33 (1) | 2 | 1 (0) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 | – | – | – | – |
| 1969/70 | 27 (3) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1970/71 | 15 (3) | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | – | – | – | – |
| 1971/72 | 12 (3) | 0 | – | – | 1 (0) | 0 | – | – | – | – |
I was just on a jog down memory lane when I thought of Paddy Greenwood. I was a next door neighbour of his across the road from his Waltham Close house in West Bridgeford. He had a broken leg when playing for Nottingham Forest in 1975. After he was on the mend I took him to play 5-a-Side with my colleagues at Planning & Transportation, Notts C.C. We were in awe of his skills. Noone took possession from him. Maybe this message could get to him, sometime?
I was a pal of Paddy’s in Hull. We played for the all-conquering 1962 Ainthorpe High School team. I was just in to make up the numbers. As well as Paddy, another 6 lads from that team went on to have successful careers as professional footballers. In no particular order: Ray Pettit, Gerry Taylor, Bernard Wilson, Bob Hatton, Harry Wainman, Geoff Barker. Wow! That must be a world record. 7 from 1 schoo team. Other than Geoff Barker who is sadly no longer with us, I have no idea where the other lads are.
You had the advantage of being trained by coach Ramsden who I believe was also the Hull City Boys coach ? East Mount High school team had 2 city boys in their team, who played them in the schools cup final which Ainthorpe won 4-1. The medals were handed out by Bernard Fisher Hull Citys goalkeeper at the time.
That’s very true. He was a great coach and had us training twice a week. But as any old Ainthorpian from those days will tell you, there was more to Fred Ramsden than met the eye.
We played in 2 finals that year. I think we played Southcoates at Boothferry Park in the other and beat them 7 nil. Harry Wainman, who ended up playing 400+ games in goal for Grimsby played up front and, I think, scored 6 of them! Steve Tather took his place in goal.
I worked alongside Paddy for Asda in the Bilton(Hull) store where he was one of the managers alongside myself he was a really nice person very very pleasant to get on with and a bloody good footballer, we used to have five a sides somewhere in Hull that was in 1987, he called my left foot one of the most educated he’d ever seen something for someone who never played league football. I last saw him in the October 1987 when I left that store. I hope he’s getting on well in life and he’s many more years left if you’re reading this buddy all the best it was a pleasure to know you.