Pat Crerand
Encyclopedia
Patrick Timothy "Paddy" Crerand (born 19 February 1939) is a Scottish
-born former footballer of Irish
descent. After six years at Celtic
he moved to Manchester United where he was a member of teams that won the English League title twice, the FA Cup and European Cup. He also gained 16 international caps for Scotland
.
He spent one season managing Northampton Town and has since forged a career in the media. He started on radio, and now commentates on matches for MUTV.
immigrants in the Gorbals
area of Glasgow
on 19 February 1939. His father was Michael Crerand from Newtownstewart
, County Tyrone
and his mother was Sarah 'Tim' Boyle from Gweedore
, County Donegal
, where he spent much of his childhood. His father was killed by a German
aircraft during the Second World War in Glasgow whilst Crerand was still a child.
He married Noreen Ferry, a Scottish girl of Irish descent, in 1963. They have three children, Patrick, Lorraine and Danny
, who was also a professional footballer. He has eight grandchildren, Chelsea Faith, Jade Lois, Scarlett Rose, Nicholas Cantona, Eina Madison, Saoirse Grace, Danny Patrick and Ursula Noria. In 2007, he released his autobiography Never Turn the Other Cheek.
Crerand became involved in Irish politics during the Troubles
. Crerand said in his autobiography that he was a friend of John Hume
and he had talked to IRA members, including Martin McGuinness
, in an effort to resolve the rent strikes of 1975.
(120 appearances, 5 goals), he signed for Manchester United
on 6 February 1963, the fifth anniversary of the Munich air disaster
, making his debut against Blackpool
. He was a hard-tackling midfielder
who, while known for his tenacity and tackling ability, was also an accurate passer, creating chances for attacking players such as Bobby Charlton
and George Best
. It was once said that while United had Best, Law and Charlton, an in-form Paddy was the heartbeat of the team.
He helped United to the league championship in 1965 and 1967 and won winners' medals in the 1963 FA Cup Final
and 1968 European Cup Final
. He represented the Scottish national side
on 16 occasions and the Scottish League XI
. Crerand was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame
in November 2011.
He retired in 1971, having appeared in 401 games, scoring 19 goals for United. He was manager of Northampton Town
in 1976–77 and covered United matches on local radio in the 1980s and early 1990s.
's departure (joining sports broadcaster Setanta Sports
) at the end of the 2006–07 season.
In February 2009, Crerand was part of the Manchester United contingent that visited Malta
to commemorate the 50th year anniversary of the Malta Manchester United Supporters' Club, the oldest supporters club in the world. During this visit, MUTV and Crerand provided local fans with the opportunity to form part of the audience for his phone-in show.
In 1995, Crerand supported Eric Cantona
during the time of his infamous kung-fu kick on Crystal Palace
fan Matthew Simmons. Both before and after this incident, Crerand became known for being a 'cheerleader' for the Old Trafford club in media interviews.
Crerand currently has his own hour long show on MUTV called "The Paddy Crerand Show", where he receives calls from supporters and discusses all things Manchester United. He is also well known for his selection of jumpers.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
-born former footballer of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
descent. After six years at Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
he moved to Manchester United where he was a member of teams that won the English League title twice, the FA Cup and European Cup. He also gained 16 international caps for Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
.
He spent one season managing Northampton Town and has since forged a career in the media. He started on radio, and now commentates on matches for MUTV.
Upbringing and personal life
Crerand was born to IrishIrish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
immigrants in the Gorbals
Gorbals
The Gorbals is an area on the south bank of the River Clyde in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. By the late 19th century, it had become over-populated and adversely affected by local industrialisation. Many people lived here because their jobs provided this home and they could not afford their own...
area of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
on 19 February 1939. His father was Michael Crerand from Newtownstewart
Newtownstewart
Newtownstewart is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is overlooked by hills called Bessy Bell and Mary Gray and is at the confluence of the rivers Strule and Owenkillew. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,479 people. It lies within the Strabane District Council...
, County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
and his mother was Sarah 'Tim' Boyle from Gweedore
Gweedore
Gweedore is an Irish-speaking district located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. Gweedore stretches some 16 miles from Meenaclady in the north to Crolly in the south and around 9 miles from Dunlewey in the east to Magheraclogher in the west, and...
, County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, where he spent much of his childhood. His father was killed by a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
aircraft during the Second World War in Glasgow whilst Crerand was still a child.
He married Noreen Ferry, a Scottish girl of Irish descent, in 1963. They have three children, Patrick, Lorraine and Danny
Danny Crerand
Daniel "Danny" Crerand is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.-Career:After playing for his local non-League team Chapel Villa, Crerand signed for Football League side Rochdale on non-contract terms, making three appearances in the 1987-88 season. He later returned...
, who was also a professional footballer. He has eight grandchildren, Chelsea Faith, Jade Lois, Scarlett Rose, Nicholas Cantona, Eina Madison, Saoirse Grace, Danny Patrick and Ursula Noria. In 2007, he released his autobiography Never Turn the Other Cheek.
Crerand became involved in Irish politics during the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
. Crerand said in his autobiography that he was a friend of John Hume
John Hume
John Hume is a former Irish politician from Derry, Northern Ireland. He was a founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, and was co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize, with David Trimble....
and he had talked to IRA members, including Martin McGuinness
Martin McGuinness
James Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
, in an effort to resolve the rent strikes of 1975.
Football career
After six years at CelticCeltic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
(120 appearances, 5 goals), he signed for Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
on 6 February 1963, the fifth anniversary of the Munich air disaster
Munich air disaster
The Munich air disaster occurred on 6 February 1958, when British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany. On board the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the "Busby Babes",...
, making his debut against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
. He was a hard-tackling midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who, while known for his tenacity and tackling ability, was also an accurate passer, creating chances for attacking players such as Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton CBE is an English former professional football player, a member of the England team who won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or for European Footballer of the Year in 1966...
and George Best
George Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
. It was once said that while United had Best, Law and Charlton, an in-form Paddy was the heartbeat of the team.
He helped United to the league championship in 1965 and 1967 and won winners' medals in the 1963 FA Cup Final
1963 FA Cup Final
The 1963 FA Cup Final was the final of the 1962–63 FA Cup, the 82nd season of England's premier club football competition. The match was played at Wembley Stadium on 25 May 1963 and contested by Manchester United and Leicester City. United won 3–1, with a goal from Denis Law and two from...
and 1968 European Cup Final
1968 European Cup Final
The 1968 European Cup Final was the 13th European Cup Final and the culmination of the 1967–68 European Cup, a club football tournament for the champions of European leagues. The match was held at Wembley Stadium, London, on 29 May 1968, between Manchester United of England and Benfica of Portugal...
. He represented the Scottish national side
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on 16 occasions and the Scottish League XI
Scottish League XI
The Scottish League XI is a representative side of the Scottish Football League. The team regularly played against the Football League and other national league select teams between 1892 and 1980. For a long period the annual fixture between the English and Scottish leagues was only second in...
. Crerand was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame
Scottish Football Hall of Fame
The Scottish Football Hall of Fame is located at the Scottish Football Museum. Inductees are picked each year by fans and a committee selects the eight finalists who are inducted at an annual dinner....
in November 2011.
He retired in 1971, having appeared in 401 games, scoring 19 goals for United. He was manager of Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
in 1976–77 and covered United matches on local radio in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Media career
Today, he appears regularly on MUTV, Manchester United's television channel, as a co-commentator on its coverage of all Manchester United first-team & reserve matches, as well as appearing as a pundit on the phone-in show Crerand and Bower...In Extra Time until Steve BowerSteve Bower
Steve Bower is an English football commentator, one of the main voices for BBC TV's Match of the Day, culminating in being part of the commentary teams for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa...
's departure (joining sports broadcaster Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports 1 & 2
Setanta Sports 1 is a subscription based sports channel in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Irelandunder a new licensing agreement between the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and the newly formed company Setanta Sports Channel Ireland Ltd replacing Setanta Sports Ireland Ltd.The channel...
) at the end of the 2006–07 season.
In February 2009, Crerand was part of the Manchester United contingent that visited Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
to commemorate the 50th year anniversary of the Malta Manchester United Supporters' Club, the oldest supporters club in the world. During this visit, MUTV and Crerand provided local fans with the opportunity to form part of the audience for his phone-in show.
In 1995, Crerand supported Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
during the time of his infamous kung-fu kick on Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
fan Matthew Simmons. Both before and after this incident, Crerand became known for being a 'cheerleader' for the Old Trafford club in media interviews.
Crerand currently has his own hour long show on MUTV called "The Paddy Crerand Show", where he receives calls from supporters and discusses all things Manchester United. He is also well known for his selection of jumpers.