Pat Crerand is nearly always referred to as “Irish-Scottish”. Pat’s father, Michael, from Newtownstewart in County Tyrone, didn’t live long enough for Pat to get to know him. He was killed when a German plane dumped a load of bombs on John Brown’s shipyard in Clydebank on the night of the 12th of March 1941. Pat, who was born in the Gorbals area of Glasgow, was only two at the time.
John Brown’s, incidentally, was the shipyard where the Lusitania, the World War II battleships Hood and Repulse, and the Cunard liners Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and Q.E. 2 were built.
Pat’s mother, Sarah Boyle, was from Gweedore in County Donegal, where Pat spent a lot of his childhood.
After playing junior football with Duntocher Hibernian, Pat signed for Celtic, and spent six years with them. Then in 1963 he signed for Manchester United.
A tenacious, hard-tackling midfielder, he was an accurate passer who created many chances for Bobby Charlton and George Best. In the speed department he was somewhat deficient. In other words, he was slow.
“Where I was brought up,” he said, “you had to be able to run, or fight.”
George Best said of him, “I always looked around for Paddy Crerand. He’s not a dirty player, but he’s a case-hardened tough Scottish nut when it comes to a fight.” Pat was always on hand when Best was the target for rough treatment from less skilful defenders, especially in European matches.
In 1965 and again in 1967 Pat helped Manchester United to the League championship. Add in an FA Cup winner’s medal in 1963, the European Cup in 1968, and 16 appearances for the Scottish national side, and you have a very impressive list of honours. He was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
After a short managerial career (Northampton Town 1976-77) he concentrated on building a successful media career. He always maintained strong ties with Ireland and was, for instance, a friend of John Hume.
Pat came to Galway early in 1998 to open a Manchester United showcase for my proposed World International Soccer Museum. We had dinner at McSwiggan’s Restaurant, one of Galway’s finest eateries. We showed him all around the city, and he showed his deep interest in the place and its history by the sheer number of questions he pose. He listened attentively to all the answers.
At a small reception, complete with music, it was our turn to ask questions of him — about his time at Parkhead, and the move to Manchester United under Sir Matt Busby, and beating Benfica for the European Cup in 1967.
Inevitably Eusebio‘s name cropped up, and Pat said what a fantastic player the outstanding Portuguese footballer was, one of the greatest of all time.
The few hours I spent in Pat’s company I enjoyed to the full, a really pleasant interlude with a down-to-earth man totally devoid of airs and graces. Memories are made of this.
