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1962-1973
DATE OF BIRTH Monday, 15th April 1940
PLACE OF BIRTH Glasgow, Scotland
DEBUT Saturday, 18th August 1962 in a 1-0 win at Rotherham (Aged: 22)
CLUB CAREER 328 League apps (+4 as sub), 4 goals
McCreadie started his footballing career with amateur Scottish side Drumchapel before moving to
Clydebank Juniors and then East Stirling. After turning down a move to Fulham, he was signed for
Chelsea in 1962 by then-manager Tommy Docherty for £5000 to help the club's push for promotion
from the Second Division. The club were promoted that year and McCreadie became a fixture in
the Chelsea defence for the next decade. A talented and pacy attacking full-back with impressive
timing, McCreadie featured strongly in the flamboyant Chelsea sides of the 1960's and 1970's
alongside the likes of Ron Harris, Bobby Tambling, Peter Osgood and Charlie Cooke. While he
only scored five goals for the club throughout his career, McCreadie scored a memorable winner
in the League Cup final of 1965 in which he dribbled 80 yards up the pitch before slotting the ball
past Leicester City goalkeeper Gordon Banks to give his side a 3-2 first leg lead, which ultimately
won the trophy for his side after a 0-0 draw in the second leg at Filbert Street.
After a string of high-league placings and near misses in the cups (including defeat in the 1967 FA
Cup final) but no more silverware, McCreadie won the FA Cup with Chelsea in 1970, where a move
involving him won the throw-in which created David Webb's winner in the replayed final against
Leeds United at Old Trafford. The side won the Cup Winners' Cup the following season, but
McCreadie missed the final in Athens through injury. He was also a Scotland international,
winning 23 caps between 1965 and 1969 after making his debut against England. He played in
Scotland's famous 3-2 win over world champions England at Wembley in 1967, after which the
Scots declared themselves the new unofficial world champions. Upon his retirement from playing
in 1972, McCreadie joined the coaching staff at Chelsea having made 410 appearances for the
club. In April 1975 he was appointed manager but by this stage the team was in decline with the
club heavily in debt and he couldn't prevent relegation to the Second Division. Nevertheless,
McCreadie re-built the side - taking the captaincy from Harris and giving it to 18-year old Ray
Wilkins in the process - and the club were promoted back to the First Division in 1977. It was then
that he lost his job in somewhat bizarre circumstances. Having won promotion, his request for a
company car was rejected by chairman Brian Mears, so he resigned. McCreadie left for the North
American Soccer League in the late 1970's and was appointed manager of the Memphis Rogues
and later the Cleveland Stokers before finally retiring from football in 1985. He continues to live in
the United States.
1962-1963 Played 32 Scored 0 goals
1963-1964 Played 35 Scored 1 goal
1964-1965 Played 34 Scored 1 goal
1965-1966 Played 30 Scored 0 goals
1966-1967 Played 38 Scored 1 goal
1962-1963 Played 32 Scored 0 goals
1963-1964 Played 35 Scored 1 goal
1964-1965 Played 34 Scored 1 goal
1965-1966 Played 30 Scored 0 goals
1966-1967 Played 38 Scored 1 goal
1967-1968 Played 36 Scored 0 goals
1968-1969 Played 38 Scored 0 goals
1969-1970 Played 30 Scored 0 goals
1970-1971 Played 14 Scored 0 goals
1971-1972 Played 7 Scored 0 goals
1972-1973 Played 31 Scored 1 goal
DATE OF BIRTH Monday, 15th April 1940
PLACE OF BIRTH Glasgow, Scotland
DEBUT Saturday, 18th August 1962 in a 1-0 win at Rotherham (Aged: 22)
CLUB CAREER 328 League apps (+4 as sub), 4 goals
McCreadie started his footballing career with amateur Scottish side Drumchapel before moving to
Clydebank Juniors and then East Stirling. After turning down a move to Fulham, he was signed for
Chelsea in 1962 by then-manager Tommy Docherty for £5000 to help the club's push for promotion
from the Second Division. The club were promoted that year and McCreadie became a fixture in
the Chelsea defence for the next decade. A talented and pacy attacking full-back with impressive
timing, McCreadie featured strongly in the flamboyant Chelsea sides of the 1960's and 1970's
alongside the likes of Ron Harris, Bobby Tambling, Peter Osgood and Charlie Cooke. While he
only scored five goals for the club throughout his career, McCreadie scored a memorable winner
in the League Cup final of 1965 in which he dribbled 80 yards up the pitch before slotting the ball
past Leicester City goalkeeper Gordon Banks to give his side a 3-2 first leg lead, which ultimately
won the trophy for his side after a 0-0 draw in the second leg at Filbert Street.
After a string of high-league placings and near misses in the cups (including defeat in the 1967 FA
Cup final) but no more silverware, McCreadie won the FA Cup with Chelsea in 1970, where a move
involving him won the throw-in which created David Webb's winner in the replayed final against
Leeds United at Old Trafford. The side won the Cup Winners' Cup the following season, but
McCreadie missed the final in Athens through injury. He was also a Scotland international,
winning 23 caps between 1965 and 1969 after making his debut against England. He played in
Scotland's famous 3-2 win over world champions England at Wembley in 1967, after which the
Scots declared themselves the new unofficial world champions. Upon his retirement from playing
in 1972, McCreadie joined the coaching staff at Chelsea having made 410 appearances for the
club. In April 1975 he was appointed manager but by this stage the team was in decline with the
club heavily in debt and he couldn't prevent relegation to the Second Division. Nevertheless,
McCreadie re-built the side - taking the captaincy from Harris and giving it to 18-year old Ray
Wilkins in the process - and the club were promoted back to the First Division in 1977. It was then
that he lost his job in somewhat bizarre circumstances. Having won promotion, his request for a
company car was rejected by chairman Brian Mears, so he resigned. McCreadie left for the North
American Soccer League in the late 1970's and was appointed manager of the Memphis Rogues
and later the Cleveland Stokers before finally retiring from football in 1985. He continues to live in
the United States.
1962-1963 Played 32 Scored 0 goals
1963-1964 Played 35 Scored 1 goal
1964-1965 Played 34 Scored 1 goal
1965-1966 Played 30 Scored 0 goals
1966-1967 Played 38 Scored 1 goal
1962-1963 Played 32 Scored 0 goals
1963-1964 Played 35 Scored 1 goal
1964-1965 Played 34 Scored 1 goal
1965-1966 Played 30 Scored 0 goals
1966-1967 Played 38 Scored 1 goal
1967-1968 Played 36 Scored 0 goals
1968-1969 Played 38 Scored 0 goals
1969-1970 Played 30 Scored 0 goals
1970-1971 Played 14 Scored 0 goals
1971-1972 Played 7 Scored 0 goals
1972-1973 Played 31 Scored 1 goal
| Other Chelsea Left Backs |
| EDDIE McCREADIE |