Unappreciated but loved: Eddie McCreadie and Chelsea 1977

[Vesper 27,282]

https://footballbh.net/2019/07/05/unappreciated-but-loved-eddie-mccreadie-and-chelsea-1977/

On the 1st July 1977, Chelsea manager and ex-club defender left Stamford Bridge. Having promoted the side to Division One the previous month, he was offered what he considered a derisory pay increase by club chairman Brian Mears. In some ways, as Britain celebrated Virginia Wade’s Wimbledon singles’ title that day it perhaps went unnoticed in the nation’s sporting consciousness.

But for Chelsea fans who had been so supportive of his gradual building of a very young side, it was catastrophic. For the duration of the seventies, Chelsea had been financially hamstrung by the building of their huge stand. It had a grip over the club arguably until Ken Bates arrived in 1982 to reboot the club having bought the blue lion and all associated problems for £1.

McCreadie had been a stalwart left-back who had been at the club from 1963. He had been very much a part of the 1970 FA Cup and ‘71 Cup winning sides and had been a dependable captain in his time as well. Along with Ron Harris whom he would manage and John Dempsey and David Webb, he formed that no-nonsense back four that to summarise succinctly were….shall we say robust.

He looked the part too with unsmiling eyes, a curl of the lip and to top it all in his managerial era, some very dodgy shaded glasses that were popular in Ulster paramilitary circles at the time. That Chelsea side of his though were, and would always be fondly remembered. The unmistakable feature was their youth though experienced punctuation came in the form of veteran goalkeeper Peter Bonetti, (35) defender Ron Harris, and indeed winger Charlie Cooke still made the odd substitute appearance. Scottish international David Hay who had come down from Celtic was the main on-field head in this respect though.

But the young profile came largely from captain Ray Wilkins who at 21 was fairly famous throughout the country from beyond the Second Division as he had held that position for three years. There simply weren’t many 18-year-old captains about in professional football. The team that season that won promotion by and large led the division all the way through, only losing out to Wolves for the top spot. It was a very settled team and it could almost be picked from week to week without fail.

 

snip

more at the link

[Iggy Doonican 4,186]

1 hour ago, Vesper said:

https://footballbh.net/2019/07/05/unappreciated-but-loved-eddie-mccreadie-and-chelsea-1977/

On the 1st July 1977, Chelsea manager and ex-club defender left Stamford Bridge. Having promoted the side to Division One the previous month, he was offered what he considered a derisory pay increase by club chairman Brian Mears. In some ways, as Britain celebrated Virginia Wade’s Wimbledon singles’ title that day it perhaps went unnoticed in the nation’s sporting consciousness.

But for Chelsea fans who had been so supportive of his gradual building of a very young side, it was catastrophic. For the duration of the seventies, Chelsea had been financially hamstrung by the building of their huge stand. It had a grip over the club arguably until Ken Bates arrived in 1982 to reboot the club having bought the blue lion and all associated problems for £1.

McCreadie had been a stalwart left-back who had been at the club from 1963. He had been very much a part of the 1970 FA Cup and ‘71 Cup winning sides and had been a dependable captain in his time as well. Along with Ron Harris whom he would manage and John Dempsey and David Webb, he formed that no-nonsense back four that to summarise succinctly were….shall we say robust.

He looked the part too with unsmiling eyes, a curl of the lip and to top it all in his managerial era, some very dodgy shaded glasses that were popular in Ulster paramilitary circles at the time. That Chelsea side of his though were, and would always be fondly remembered. The unmistakable feature was their youth though experienced punctuation came in the form of veteran goalkeeper Peter Bonetti, (35) defender Ron Harris, and indeed winger Charlie Cooke still made the odd substitute appearance. Scottish international David Hay who had come down from Celtic was the main on-field head in this respect though.

But the young profile came largely from captain Ray Wilkins who at 21 was fairly famous throughout the country from beyond the Second Division as he had held that position for three years. There simply weren’t many 18-year-old captains about in professional football. The team that season that won promotion by and large led the division all the way through, only losing out to Wolves for the top spot. It was a very settled team and it could almost be picked from week to week without fail.

 

snip

more at the link

77 was the first season I started going regularly I had a Eddie McCreadie silk scarf that you wore on your wrist which was the fashion then. I also had the red away kit I still have the shirt 40 years later threw out loads of Chelsea stuff over the years but kept hold of this top probably because it was the last thing my mum bought me she died in 79.

Eddie McCreadie got treated like shit by the board we were potless and had to blood a lot of young players but we got promoted and possibly might have done okay under Eddie in the first division. The job was given to Ken Shellito who had a bit of a thankless task and then the disaster that was Danny Blanchflower the less said the better.

 

[Vesper 27,282]

6 minutes ago, Iggy Doonican said:

77 was the first season I started going regularly I had a Eddie McCreadie silk scarf that you wore on your wrist which was the fashion then. I also had the red away kit I still have the shirt 40 years later threw out loads of Chelsea stuff over the years but kept hold of this top probably because it was the last thing my mum bought me she died in 79.

Eddie McCreadie got treated like shit by the board we were potless and had to blood a lot of young players but we got promoted and possibly might have done okay under Eddie in the first division. The job was given to Ken Shellito who had a bit of a thankless task and then the disaster that was Danny Blanchflower the less said the better.

 

I love hearing historical backgrounding!

[Fulham Broadway 16,385]

9 minutes ago, Iggy Doonican said:

77 was the first season I started going regularly I had a Eddie McCreadie silk scarf that you wore on your wrist which was the fashion then. I also had the red away kit I still have the shirt 40 years later threw out loads of Chelsea stuff over the years but kept hold of this top probably because it was the last thing my mum bought me she died in 79.

Eddie McCreadie got treated like shit by the board we were potless and had to blood a lot of young players but we got promoted and possibly might have done okay under Eddie in the first division. The job was given to Ken Shellito who had a bit of a thankless task and then the disaster that was Danny Blanchflower the less said the better.

 

good year to start Iggy -Eddie and 18 year old Butch

 

[Vesper 27,282]

3 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

good year to start Iggy -Eddie and 18 year old Butch

 

Chelsea are back, (on the pitch 1977)

 

[Fulham Broadway 16,385]

4 minutes ago, Vesper said:

Chelsea are back, (on the pitch 1977)

 

Was at that one -  atmosphere was jubilant !

[Iggy Doonican 4,186]

4 minutes ago, Vesper said:

Chelsea are back, (on the pitch 1977)

 

Great day although I didn't make it onto the pitch 

[Vesper 27,282]

2 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Was at that one -  atmosphere was jubilant !

looks bonkers!

[Vesper 27,282]

2 minutes ago, Iggy Doonican said:

Great day although I didn't make it onto the pitch 

probably good for you health! lolol

[Iggy Doonican 4,186]

This is the second game I ever went to 2-2 against Blackpool. The bit next to the white wall far left as you look at it which was fenced off in 79 because it was unsafe.

 

[Vesper 27,282]

2 minutes ago, Iggy Doonican said:

This is the second game I ever went to 2-2 against Blackpool. The bit next to the white wall which was fenced off in 79 because it was unsafe.

 

damn, the pitches back then were a shitshow, its amazing more players didn't shred up knees and ankles

[Vesper 27,282]

5 minutes ago, Iggy Doonican said:

This is the second game I ever went to 2-2 against Blackpool. The bit next to the white wall which was fenced off in 79 because it was unsafe.

 

 

https://www.11v11.com/matches/chelsea-v-blackpool-05-march-1977-117825/