Eddie Mac Eddie Mac: Life and times at Chelsea under Eddie McCreadie

Some great insight by the players. They all loved the support, especially the away mob.

Every Chelsea fan needs to be aware that our club has history. Despite what the jealous, trophy-starved supporters of the red clubs say, Chelsea has history. Okay, maybe in our 112 years, we haven't won multiple European Cups on the bounce or we can't fawn over sepia-toned photos of cup double winners, but our history, in my opinion, is much more fun than that. Books like this one that describe the near apocalyptic times at Stamford Bridge make winning trophies in the here and now, that much more enjoyable.Antonio Conte famously distributed holiday cards in 2016 with a quote from Hannibal: "Either we will find a way or make one." This brilliant story is about a team that did just that. Relegated at the end of the 1975 season and with no transfer money available, former player, Eddie McCreadie, molded a team of young academy products and a few veterans into a promotion side in less than two years. After finally ascending the mountain, sherpa Eddie Mac suddenly disappeared under dubious circumstances.The format of this book begins with a month-by-month chronology of the 1974-75, 75-76 and 76-77 seasons. The scene is set by briefly describing what was in the news at the time these matches were being played and what tunes were in the pop charts. My favorite part is the interview with Eddie Mac himself. Reading about his experience in his own words and learning once and for all, what drove him away from the club he loved is worth the price of purchase itself. Rounding off the book is an interview with most of the players who played for Chelsea during this trying and triumphant time. You get a true feeling of how they believed in and played for Eddie Mac and bought into the vision he had for Chelsea's salvation from financial ruin.It cannot be stressed enough that all Chelsea supporters - whether you were there when we were sh*t, or just jumped aboard in recent years - need to know the club's history. This is another fine addition to the Gate 17 lineup and fits in well on the bookshelf next to Kelvin Barker's "Celery! Representing Chelsea in the 1980s"

Clearly a labour of love for all concerned.Great read,& lots of memories invoked for those of us who watched Eddie revive the team amid the financial gloom surrounding Chelsea at the time. Interviews with nearly all the main protagonists still around (sadly nothing from big Bill Garner) & lots more besides.The launch at Stamford Bridge must have been quite something! For producing this gem, & luring the man himself back home for the first time in 40 years, all involved should be mightily proud.Take a bow chaps.

What a great book for the Chelsea faithful of the seventies. Wouldn't be a bad book for the fans who weren't born until later, to see how the now successful team was in the second division and perilously close to going out of business. I particularly liked the way the authors added relevant information about politics and popular culture at the beginning of each month, which helped to evoke the memories.

I grew up in the seventies a Chelsea fan all my life, just love this book.Brought back memories.Highly recommended. Love it.