Pat Crerand
Patrick Timothy (Pat / Paddy) Crerand was born on the 19th of February 1939 in the Gorbals area of Glasgow to Irish émigré parents. His father, Michael Crerand, hailed from Newtonstewart, County Tyrone and his mother, Sarah 'Tim' Boyle was from Gweedore, County Donegal, where he spent much of his childhood. His father was killed during the Second World War in Glasgow by a German aircraft whilst Patrick was still a child.
In 1963, he married, Noreen Ferry, a Scottish girl of Irish heritage. They have three children and eight grandchildren. In 2007, Crerand released his autobiography titled, 'Never Turn the Other Cheek'. He began his youth football career at Duntocher Hibs in 1957, a year later; he was to sign for Glasgow Celtic. Patrick spent five years at Glasgow Celtic making 120 appearances and scoring five goals. He then signed for Manchester United in 1963 aged 23. He was a tenacious and technically gifted midfielder who would go on to make 401 appearances for Manchester United scoring 19 goals and winning four major honours, 2 league titles, an FA Cup and a European Cup. He also gained 16 International Caps for Scotland as well as 7 appearances for a Scottish Football League select.
Mr.Crerand was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in November 2011. After his playing career, he became a coach at Manchester United, becoming the assistant manager to Tommy Docherty in December 1972. He left Manchester United in 1976 to become manager of Northampton Town for a brief spell until 1977. He then diversified his career, by switching to the media. Throughout the 1980's and 1990's, he covered Manchester United matches on local radio, gradually, in the 2000's, he would switch from radio to TV in the guise of Manchester United's own TV station 'MUTV' where he would star in his own football pundit show entitled 'The Paddy Crerand Show'. On the 7th of June 2013, Patrick was honoured at a civic reception in the County House in Lifford in recognition of his sporting achievements as well as his long career in radio and television broadcasting. Speaking before the reception on Highland Radio, Patrick stated that 'the reception was a great honour for him and his extended Donegal family'.