Johnny Crossan

[West Gorton Blue]

Good player. silky skills. Had an eye for a pass. Lived in Wythenshawe.

 

[mcfcinprague]

One of my first heroes, a very gifted player who I loved watching play

 

[spider blue]

Good player. silky skills. Had an eye for a pass. Lived in Wythenshawe.

Was it Brooklands

 

[pirate]

Feared the worst when I saw the thread, so pleased he isnt dead.
Never saw him play but my dad and grandad loved him

 

[Chappie]

In Dublins fair City .
Where the girls are so pretty.
I first set my eyes on sweet Johnny Crosssan.
One for the old boys.

 

[JGL07]

to my shame i've never heard of Johnny Crossan so i had a google, and what an odd back story.....

"When [Sunderland] made a substantial offer, Derry City offered Crossan a payment deal which he rejected, offering his own. When the Sunderland negotiations broke down, Derry City dropped Crossan, who signed for Coleraine. Derry City ... reported themselves to the Football League authorities for technical breaches of regulations. In January 1959, a commission of inquiry imposed small fines on Derry and Coleraine, but banned Crossan from all forms of football for life"

seems he went of to the Netherlands and only came back to the UK to City when they lifted his ban. So he was banned for life for wanting to move? is this the whole story? is this really how beholden to clubs players were pre-Bosman?

He returned to the UK with Sunderland and participated in a 3-0 massacre at Maine Road in January 1964. I was delighted when City signed him the following season.

 

[the blue panther]

I just missed him, sadly. It's good to read those old stories about someone who rarely gets a mention amongst our plethora of absolute superstars. Glad to know that he's still with us.

 

[Cassandra]

I’ve heard two stories, Mike Doyle’s first game away at Cardiff (a bit of story how he got there as well). John Charles was giving him a bit of a work over. Crossan said to Doyle “Just leave him to me”. A bit later Charles got the ball with Crossan behind him, Crossan was dwarfed by Charles but somehow Charles found himself on the ground with Crossan walking none too gently over hIm with the warning as to what might happen if he didn’t desist. Few if any cameras in those days.
The other was an interview, I think with the Guardian, he described success as being like cigarette smoke easy to see but tending to vanish when you try to grasp at it.

 

[KS55]

to my shame i've never heard of Johnny Crossan so i had a google, and what an odd back story.....

"When [Sunderland] made a substantial offer, Derry City offered Crossan a payment deal which he rejected, offering his own. When the Sunderland negotiations broke down, Derry City dropped Crossan, who signed for Coleraine. Derry City ... reported themselves to the Football League authorities for technical breaches of regulations. In January 1959, a commission of inquiry imposed small fines on Derry and Coleraine, but banned Crossan from all forms of football for life"

seems he went of to the Netherlands and only came back to the UK to City when they lifted his ban. So he was banned for life for wanting to move? is this the whole story? is this really how beholden to clubs players were pre-Bosman?

N.I. was complete slavery for players at the time. Most players were amateur and a mafia of businessmen ran a system whereby they decided when and where a player could move. Money would change hands and owners enriched themselves at the players’ expense. When Crossan kicked against the pricks they banned him for life. Crossan did not take it lying down and explored legal remedies. The owners partially backed down and a deal was agreed whereby the ban would apply to home nations only. Crossan was thus free to pursue his career on the continent which he did successfully. The ban was finally lifted as the old retain and transfer system was abolished. (A story in itself).
He signed for Sunderland and later for City. He was hugely instrumental in our return to div1 under Joe Mercer. He was a schemer, today called playmaker. He made a few appearances for us in div1 but he was at the end of his career.
I absolutely adored him and his subtle game. So good to see him still going strong.

 

[ColinBellsjockstrap]

In Dublins fair City .
Where the girls are so pretty.
I first set my eyes on sweet Johnny Crosssan.
One for the old boys.

Yes, that was the chant,

Johnny was a very skilful player, we also had the dream ticket of Derek Kevan and Jimmy Murray, they were prolific goal scorers,

Always used to pretend to be Johnny when dribbling rings round the kids in the playground in Gorton. Lol!