Scottish football has lost a legend with the passing of Eddie McCreadie, the former Scotland and Chelsea player who left an indelible mark on the game. The 85-year-old, hailed by Tommy Docherty as the best left-back in Europe, had a storied career that spanned over two decades.
Born in Glasgow, McCreadie's journey to the top was not without its challenges. He was overlooked by scouts at local club Partick Thistle and instead joined Falkirk outfit East Stirlingshire before eventually landing a deal with Chelsea for £5,000, which included a provision for the Blues playing two friendlies against his former club.
McCreadie's combative style on the pitch earned him numerous admirers, but also drew criticism from opposing teams. He famously courted infamy in their FA Cup win over Leeds by making a kung-fu style flying challenge on Scotland team-mate Billy Bremner, which left many in awe of his skill and bravery.
Off the pitch, McCreadie took on a new role as Chelsea's manager, where he led the club to promotion back to the First Division in 1977. Although his tenure was short-lived due to a row with chairman Brian Mears, McCreadie remained committed to the sport, coaching in the United States before eventually retiring from football in 1985.
Throughout his illustrious career, McCreadie's name became synonymous with courage, skill, and determination, inspiring generations of footballers and fans alike. His legacy will be remembered for years to come, and he will be deeply missed by the Scottish and Chelsea communities.
Born in Glasgow, McCreadie's journey to the top was not without its challenges. He was overlooked by scouts at local club Partick Thistle and instead joined Falkirk outfit East Stirlingshire before eventually landing a deal with Chelsea for £5,000, which included a provision for the Blues playing two friendlies against his former club.
McCreadie's combative style on the pitch earned him numerous admirers, but also drew criticism from opposing teams. He famously courted infamy in their FA Cup win over Leeds by making a kung-fu style flying challenge on Scotland team-mate Billy Bremner, which left many in awe of his skill and bravery.
Off the pitch, McCreadie took on a new role as Chelsea's manager, where he led the club to promotion back to the First Division in 1977. Although his tenure was short-lived due to a row with chairman Brian Mears, McCreadie remained committed to the sport, coaching in the United States before eventually retiring from football in 1985.
Throughout his illustrious career, McCreadie's name became synonymous with courage, skill, and determination, inspiring generations of footballers and fans alike. His legacy will be remembered for years to come, and he will be deeply missed by the Scottish and Chelsea communities.
85 is old but his impact on the game is still huge he played for scotland and chelsea which are two of the biggest clubs in the world and he made a name for himself with that kung-fu challenge lol what a player he must've been to do something like that i remember him being on the telly all the time back in the day and he always looked so passionate about the game it's sad to see he's gone but his legacy will live on 
it's crazy how Eddie McCreadie lived a life that was full of ups and downs, but still ended up being one of the greatest left-backs in Europe history... i mean, think about it, he was overlooked by scouts at local club Partick Thistle, which is like getting rejected from your dream job out of nowhere... but instead of giving up, he kept pushing forward and eventually landed a deal with Chelsea for £5,000 
. that's what I call determination, right? and then to top it off, he went on to become manager of Chelsea and led the club to promotion... talk about a Cinderella story 
. anyway, his legacy is something to be celebrated, but also a reminder that success isn't always easy to achieve, and that sometimes we gotta put in the work to get there 
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just read about Eddie McCreadie passing away 
it's so sad! I mean I'm not even a massive footy fan but I've always been fascinated by his story 
like what was going through that guy's mind when he did that flying challenge in the FA Cup? 
it was insane! And can you believe he managed Chelsea too?! 
he must have had some serious skills to be able to do all that stuff on and off the pitch 
anyway I just want to give him a huge shoutout for all his achievements and legacy, rest in peace Eddie McCreadie 
