Stamford Bridge? It is more like the Forth Bridge! Chelsea have a strong Caledonian Connection

In the last post I paid my respects to the ‘agony and ecstasy’ life story of Chelsea and Newcastle United Scottish football icon Hughie Gallacher. Concluding my celebration of Chelsea’s Scottish heritage today I doff the cap to 3 more Scots who wore the famous blue jersey with pride: Tommy Walker, Eddie McCreadie and Charlie Cooke.

Tommy Walker in the blue of Chelsea circa 1947

Tommy Walker only played for Chelsea for a couple of years, specifically the two seasons immediately after World War II. Hence he can not really be described as a Chelsea legend, however I have my own reasons for including Tommy is this mini hall of fame. He starred for my beloved Hearts immediately prior to WW II and there is a link between Tommy and the current Hearts squad in that his great nephew Jamie Walker is Hearts player of the season for 2016-17.

Jamie Walker: Many years later a strong family resemblance

 I am heading to my spiritual home Tynecastle later today to see if Jamie can help the Jambos defy the odds and re-ignite the campaign to qualify for Europe next season by leading the team to a win over Aberdeen. His great uncle Tommy played 103 times for Chelsea scoring 24 goals. He also represented Scotland on 23 occasions and is one of a very exclusive club who can claim to have scored the winning goal for Scotland against England at Wembley. His link with Chelsea started during WW II when he guested for the Blues in a number of war time friendly matches. When the war ended Chelsea paid Hearts £6500 in September 1946 to secure his services. The years caught up with Tommy and he hung up his boots in December 1948. He was far from finished with football though and far from finished with Hearts. He returned to Tynecastle and joined the management team as assistant to the boss Davie McLean. He was appointed manager in 1951 and held the position for 15 years. During this time the Hearts, led on the field by the ‘Terrible Trio’ Conn, Bauld and Wardhaugh, won everything in Scottish football and dominated the game north of the border. Hearts won the league in 1958 and 1960. They won the Scottish Cup in 1956 and won the League Cup 4 times in this era. The fifties are acknowledged as the most successful period in Hearts history. Good things never last forever and after a slump in results Walker resigned in 1966. Tommy returned to Tynecastle for a third time in 1974 to take up a place on the board. He retired from this position in 1980. In 1993, following a short illness, Tommy sadly passed away at the age of 77.

Eddie McCreadie can certainly be described as a Chelsea legend. The craggy Scottish full back from Glasgow had a brief spell with East Stirlingshire as a youngster before signing for Chelsea in 1962 at the age of 22.

The Craggy McCreadie: Chelsea and Scotland legend

He went on to play for Chelsea for 11 years and represented the club on 410 occasions. He also played for Scotland 23 times including the 3-2 win at Wembley against world cup winners England when Scotland were declared (north of the border anyway) as unofficial world champions.

Eddie’s highlight during his time at Stamford Bridge was when he played in the FA Cup Final of 1970. This final is famous for being the only final tie in the modern era that was decided outwith Wembley. Initially Chelsea drew 2-2 with Leeds United at Wembley but the replay was staged at Old Trafford Manchester. The Blues got the better of their Yorkshire rivals in the second game and won 2-1 after extra time giving McCreadie his only winners medal to show for a commendable career at Stamford Bridge. After hanging up his boots in 1973 Eddie joined the coaching staff at Stamford Bridge and later managed Chelsea between 1975 and 1977. His time in the hot seat was successful and he guided the Blues to promotion back to the top division in season 1976-77. Having won promotion Eddie went to see the chairman and asked for a company car. This request was refused (changed days!) and the proud Scot resigned as a matter of principle. He left for the US of A in the late seventies to coach in the States. He settled on the other side of the pond and still lives there, now aged 77. There is still one piece of unfinished business relating to Eddie McCreadie’s links with both Scotland and Chelsea. When he was signed from East Stirling part of the deal was that Chelsea would play two friendly matches with the Shire (home and away) to raise funds for the impoverished Falkirk based club. The first of these matches did take place at the now defunct Firs Park in 1963 but the Shire are still waiting for the invite to play the return match at Stamford Bridge!

Charlie Cooke, or ‘Bonny Prince Charlie’ as he was known, was a good friend and team mate of Eddie McCreadie’s at Stamford Bridge. Both Scots starred in the FA Cup final win over Leeds in 1970.

Bonny Prince Charlie sporting a 70s hairstyle

Cooke served a useful footballing apprenticeship with Aberdeen and Dundee before signing for Chelsea at the age of 22. Between 1964 and 1978 in two spells at The Bridge he made 373 appearances scoring 33 goals. In addition to picking up an FA Cup winners medal Charlie also starred in the 1971 Cup Winners Cup final against Real Madrid when Chelsea defeated the famous Spanish team. The tricky winger from Fife played for Scotland on 16 occasions winning his last cap in 1975. Like McCreadie, Cooke also settled in America after his playing days had ended. Now 74 years old he is still involved in the beautiful game and runs a soccer school in Cincinatti Ohio.

There are many other Scots who have contributed to the development of Chelsea as a football club and it is clear that the Blues have a strong ‘Caledonian Connection’. It is just a pity that the current squad does not contain any Jocks. Maybe Antonio Conte will sign Jamie Walker in the next transfer window!

Getting back to the here and now, the two 2017 FA Cup finalists Arsenal and Chelsea are both in action over the next two days. Later today Arsenal host Manchester United at the Emirates and tomorrow evening Chelsea host Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge. Will Wenger be whistling or whining later? Will Conte be doing cartwheels tomorrow night? Come back here on Tuesday to find out how the two FA Cup finalists are gearing up for their showdown at Wembley on Saturday the 27^th May … and keep reading.