Growing up in Cowcaddens, McCreadie was overlooked by scouts at local club Partick Thistle and instead joined Falkirk outfit East Stirlingshire.<\/p>\n
It was while there that he was spotted by Chelsea<\/a> manager Tommy Docherty, who took him to Stamford Bridge for just \u00a35,000, a transfer deal that included provision for Chelsea<\/a> playing two friendlies against East Stirlingshire – the second of which never happened.<\/p>\n McCreadie, though, would go from the Scottish Second Division to being hailed by Docherty as the best left-back in Europe and making 410 appearances for Chelsea<\/a>.<\/p>\n His combative, attacking style was reminiscent of modern-day wing-backs and he memorably stood in for the injured Barry Bridges as an emergency centre-forward in that 1965 League Cup final victory, scoring a fine solo goal where he ran almost the whole length of the field before slotting past England goalkeeper Gordon Banks.<\/p>\n McCreadie also courted infamy in their FA Cup win over Leeds<\/a> as an estimated television audience of 28 million watched him make a kung-fu style flying challenge into Scotland team-mate Billy Bremner, his feet at head height, but received no caution from referee Eric Jennings.<\/p>\n After retiring from playing, McCreadie joined Chelsea<\/a>‘s coaching staff in 1974, with Ron Suart’s side sliding towards life back in the second tier.<\/p>\n