‘You’re going to Manchester United, do you know?’

The 82-year-old signed from Celtic in February 1963 and has become a name synonymous with United, making over 300 appearances for the club, before hanging up his boots eight years later.

The 1968 European Cup winner is a bona fide Reds legend from his playing career, but he has also coached the first team and, of course, become a much-loved face on MUTV since its inception in 1999.

Paddy and United appear the perfect match, but even he would never have seen that being a possibility, as he tells our podcast co-hosts Helen Evans, Sam Homewood and David May during our latest episode.

During the new release, which you can listen to via the Official App and other podcast providers, Paddy discusses how his move to United came as a complete surprise.

“I didn't know anything about it until a newspaper reporter [told me], he knew everything that was going on in Scottish football," the Scotsman says.
 
“He came to my mother’s house, knocked [on] the door, how he got the address I had no idea. He was a lovely man. 

“He came in and said, ‘You’re going to Manchester United, do you know that?’

“I said, ‘what are you talking about?’ I had no idea.”

In no time, Crerand was embarking on a journey south from Scotland to begin the next chapter of his career at United. 

But what did he know about the Reds, prior to arriving in Manchester?

“I followed Manchester United, they were the team we all followed because of Matt Busby.

“So, I came to Manchester with a newspaper reporter, nobody from Celtic! He wrote for the Daily Record in Glasgow, and in his playing days he was a great centre forward that played for Celtic, John McPhail,” he recollects.

“I was upset I’d been forced out of Celtic but going to Manchester United was something special.”

Upon arriving in the north west, it was Sir Matt that was the first to greet him at the train station. 

The former United manager was a man that Paddy says he was already in true admiration of, upon meeting.

“I was in awe of Matt Busby,” he tells our UTD Podcast co-hosts.

“Matt came to the station to meet us. I never opened my mouth, I was too in awe of the man. He spoke about where he wanted me to play and I was in total awe. 

“It went in one ear and came out of the other because he was such a public figure in those days. Not just to United fans, but to the whole of Britain.”

Listen to the full UTD Podcast episode with Paddy Crerand now in our Official App.