Another Derry Boy



LeChatNoir said:
My first SAFC hero, Johnny Crossan. Part of that unforgettable team that took us back to the First Division, and who went on to captain Man City to promotion soon after. His goals, alongside Nick Sharkey and George Mulhall, combined with the defensive qualities of King Charlie etc. made us proud again, following the indignities of the 1950s.

I went to an England U23 game at SJP and met him and Neil Young (Man City, not CSNY.) He was signing autographs for everybody and came across as a real good bloke. I got a few canny autographs that night including Shack, Jackie Milburn, Cloughie and loads more.

Last I heard he was still running a sports shop in Derry and involved in youth football. Hope he's ok, must be a canny age!

Proper Sunderland legend!
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Was that the game between England and Scotland where the Mags booed Monty and Sharkey?
 
Kingdom Bhoy said:
You're very welcome wish I'd been old enought to see him play my dad and elder brother speal very highly of him.



https://www.theguardian.com › sport › blog › 2011 › nov › 02 › forgotten-story-john-crossan-ban
Green domain

The forgotten story of ... John Crossan's ban from football​


John Crossan's ban from football Banned for 'life' in 1959, the former Northern Ireland forward can consider himself the most harshly treated footballer of all time John Crossan,...
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I find thatGuardian article disturbing, on two counts:
(1) It puts Jimmy Hill in a good light:
As he became something of a cause célèbre in the world of football the then PFA chairman, Jimmy Hill, got involved. "Unless I am mistaken," he wrote, "the cruel situation into which this talented Irish minor has blundered has more than any other single event in the history of soccer illustrated to the public the fundamental illogicalities and restrictive practices which a professional player is forced to accept … One day, when the archaic regulations on which he foundered are finally and irrevocably abolished, I hope that the members of our association will express their everlasting thanks to John Crossan, the unwitting scapegoat of a feudal system."

(2) the money men bought what they wanted: and we were the money men
In May 1962, two months after the Irish League had discussed the issue and decided to take no action, England played a friendly in Peru, on their way to the World Cup in Chile. There the Sunderland chairman and England selector, Syd Collings, whose club had a long-standing interest in Crossan, bumped into Harry Cavan, the president of the Irish FA. Collings took Cavan out for a drink, and wondered aloud how the ban could be conveniently ended. With a couple of powerful friends on his side the wheels moved swiftly: in July the Sunderland manager, Alan Brown, flew to Belgium to discuss a deal; that September the Irish League agreed to lift the ban and on 20 October, the very day that it was lifted, he moved to Wearside for £27,500, the start of a successful eight-year spell in England that also took him to Manchester City and Middlesbrough.
 
Ark said:
Was that the game between England and Scotland where the Mags booed Monty and Sharkey?
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Not sure if it was England v Scotland. Long time ago!

I know we all hate Jimmy Hill because of the dodgy relegation issue but to be fair he did a lot for players working conditions and apart from the Crossan situation was involved with similar issues including the George Eastham case which changed contract rules in a big way.
 
Jobby
One of my first hero's and a one of George Bests hero's
Met him many moons ago over in Coleraine sports bar. Such a great man and player.
I've talked about the MANU goal for years
RIP fella and thanks for being part of our club history.
 
JAZMAN2 said:
Jobby
One of my first hero's and a one of George Bests hero's
Met him many moons ago over in Coleraine sports bar. Such a great man and player.
I've talked about the MANU goal for years
RIP fella and thanks for being part of our club history.
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It’s not Johnny, it’s his brother who has died.
 
Scored the first goal I ever saw, V Southampton in 1963, ran Man Utd ragged in the first away game i was allowed to travel to with my dad - the sixth round game that ended 3-3, and scored the winner V Charlton at Roker in the 89th minute that guaranteed promotion.

Plus his whole history of being banned and managing to come back with us is quite remarkable. Tough as nails as well. Still teaching kids to play football back in Ireland the last i heard of him.

Your first love is always special.
 

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