Unseen footage of Chelsea’s Eddie McCreadie as he remembers his tackles against Leeds United players – he called ‘dangerous people’ – in the 1970 FA Cup final replay which was called the ‘dirtiest game in history’
Chelsea legend Eddie McCreadie smiles as he recalled his brutal kung fu tackle on Billy Bremner in the 1970 FA Cup final. McCreadie, who died earlier this week, spoke about the match against Leeds United when he made his return to Stamford Bridge back in 2017.
He remembered tackling “dangerous people.” It was the first time he had returned to his beloved Chelsea in 40 years and it was called “A Night in Honour of Eddie McCreadie” The footage was taken on the night by the Mirror but has never been seen before. In the 1970 FA Cup final replay McCreadie launched himself with a kung fu style kick at Bremner who was a great friend and Scotland international team-mate.
When referee Michael Oliver watched the match in 2021 he said if it was played today he would have issued ELEVEN red cards. It has been called the “dirtiest match of all time.”
Recalling the notorious tackle McCreadie said: “The amazing thing was the referee didn’t even speak to me or warn me. I actually thought I’d killed Billy. I’ve been asked before did I mean to do that?” He admitted he always answered: “yes!”
He recalled the game: “Once I got my first two of three tackles in … against ‘dangerous people’. I settled down a lot looking forward to this game.” McCreadie and Bremner were on the same side when Scotland memorably beat England in 1967 – the first time England had lost since the 1966 World Cup finals.
He said: “Billy has left us now … I believe has gone now” but he joked they could now “stop picking the studs out of his head”. The 120-minute encounter at Old Trafford on April 29, 1970, became infamous for its full-blooded, old school, crunching tackles, in which Chelsea ran out winners thanks to goals from Peter Osgood and David Webb’s extra-time winner.
The book “Eddie Mac Eddie Mac: Life and times at Chelsea under Eddie McCreadie” is about his two year spell managing Chelsea when they won promotion back to the old Division One.
The book was authored by Mark Meehan, Mark Worrall, Kelvin Barker, David Johnstone and Neil Smith. Worrall said: “It was a very special evening.
“It was great to see Eddie back at Stamford Bridge and talk about his memories – especially the 1970 FA Cup final against Leeds. Eddie had contributed a chapter to a book about his time as Chelsea manager and the event was a reunion of the players who played for him.
“Of course we wanted him to attend and would organise travel arrangements.
“But Eddie had a fear of flying and hadn’t been on plane since he moved to the USA in the late 1970s and he apologised saying he couldn’t make it. A week or so before the event, his belief that he really should be there held sway and his wife Linda told us.
“But they kept it quiet in case he had a change of heart, but sure enough he and his wife arrived.
“Neither of them could believe the reception Eddie received. It was extraordinary. Perhaps the passage of time and being away from Chelsea for so long, and the fact Eddie is a truly humble man, made the impact greater.
“At the event, he spoke and everyone listened in hushed reverence. It was just like old times especially as his assistant at the time Ken Shellito had flown in from Malaysia and they were reunited.
“Eddie spent time with his former players and also with supporters. The next day he saw Antonio Conte’s Chelsea side crowned Premier League champions. A truly memorable weekend.”
Kelvin Barker said: “The night Eddie came home to Stamford Bridge for the tribute evening was extraordinary. We all remembered him both as a player and as a manger, and we knew how popular he was in both roles, but the amount of love in the room for Eddie that night was staggering. It was reverential. You knew you were in the presence of someone special.
“My dad John used to travel up and down the country supporting Chelsea throughout the 1960s and 70s, and Eddie was one of his biggest heroes. He loved having the opportunity to meet and chat to him before the event, and my photo of the two of them together is something he and I both cherish.
“After Eddie returned home to the States, he sent us all a lovely note of thanks for bringing him over. He wrote that he had ‘never experienced such warmth and respect in all of my life.’
I’m glad he was able to come over and feel that love and respect. It was the least he deserved for what he gave to our club.”
