IAN Greaves was the manager who put the pride back into Bolton.

He was the unlikeliest of heroes, having played against Wanderers for arch-rivals Manchester United in the 1958 FA Cup final, but when he stepped up from assistant manager to succeed Jimmy Armfield in 1974, he fashioned a promotion-winning team that, after two near-misses, returned to the First Division in 1978.

On a memorable April night at Blackburn, when Frank Worthington’s goal secured the victory that finally clinched promotion, Greavesie was the toast of the town.

He died on Friday at his Ainsworth home at the age of 76. leaving a legacy in football and the fondest memories at the club where he was such a big personality.

He not only helped shape the careers of Peter Reid, Sam Allardyce, Paul and Garry Jones, Mike Walsh and Neil Whatmore, who all came through the ranks at Burnden Park, he also grafted flair and experience into his squad with shrewd signings such as Worthington, Alan Gowling, Ray Train and Willie Morgan who combined with stalwarts Roy Greaves, John Ritson, Peter Nicholson, Tony Dunne and Barry Siddall to build a team of great character.

Wanderers – founder members of the Football League and four-times FA Cup winners – had been out of top flight football for 14 years. But, under Greaves, they built on the foundations laid when Armfield led them to the Third Division Championship in 1973 and became a respected force once more.

History shows that they were unable to sustain the progress – they were bottom of Division One and heading for relegation when Greaves was sacked in January 1980 and later dropped down the divisions. But the spirit generated in the three seasons striving for promotion from Division Two got the good times rolling again at Manchester Road and influenced the careers of many who were involved.

Greaves was held in high esteem by his players and his staff alike and it is no surprise to learn that many of those who knew him and worked with him still kept in touch. He was a mentor to the likes of Allardyce, Reid, Walsh and others who went into management when their playing days ended.

Allardyce, now manager at Blackburn Rovers, having enjoyed eight successful years as Wanderers boss, mourned Greaves’s passing.

“He was the man who gave me the chance to fulfil my childhood dreams,” he said.

“We excelled as a team that was based around not just Greavesie’s football knowledge but his skills as a person and as a manager. You really wanted to play for him.

“He had a fantastic rapport with his players and long after he retired he was always there for advice.

“He always kept an eye on what we were all doing. I think that was one of the things that kept him going, because he struggled for a long time with his health.

“He has gone now, sadly, but many of us have a lot to thank him for. He was a special man.”

Jimmy Armfield, who appointed Greaves as his assistant, recommended him to take over when he left to manage Leeds United.

“I always believed in getting the best man for the job,” Mr Armfield said. “If the Bolton directors hadn’t given him the job, I would have taken him to Leeds with me.”

Alf Davies, who was Wanderers commercial manager in those heady days and built a close and lasting friendship with Greaves, said: “I might be biased, because I was best man at his wedding, but Ian was one of the best Bolton managers. I worked with some great people in sport and he is right up there with the best of them.

“He created a team spirit where, if you kicked one of them, the other 10 limped. They were great times and, from a commercial point of view, Greavesie was great for Bolton Wanderers and great for the town.”

Former Wanderers full-back Peter Nicholson, a regular under Greaves, said: “He was the most respected manager I played under.

“It shows the esteem in which he is held and the influence he had on those who worked with him that at least eight of his Bolton players stayed in football after they finished playing.

“Even now people say that was the best team they’ve ever seen at Bolton Wanderers. That’s just an opinion but it was a special team. We never feared anyone when we went away from home and teams used to be frightened to come to Burnden Park, whoever they were.

“He put a smile back on a lot of faces in Bolton, bringing lads through the ranks and signing some really good players. He will be sadly missed by a lot of people.”