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Fullname: William Cringan
aka: Willie Cringan
Born: 21 April 1890
Died: 12 May 1958
Birthplace: Muirkirk, Ayrshire
Signed: 5 May 1917 (loan from Sunderland); 18 Sep 1917 (full)
Left: May 1918 (RFA); 5 Oct 1923 (Third Lanark)
Debut: Rangers 0-2 Celtic, Charity Cup, 12 May 1917
Position: Defender/Centre-half
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 5 caps, 3 as captain
International Goals: 0
Biog
Big hearted Willie Cringan originally joined Celtic on loan from Sunderland in May 1917 when he returned to his native Scotland to assist the war effort by working in the mines. Despite this he got caught up in bureaucratic red tape and was arrested at least twice by the police for so-called ‘desertion‘ after Celtic matches (would be interesting to know which ones). He was briefly in the RFA (Royal Field Artillery) from May 1918 before returning in August 1918.
The centre-half made his competitive debut in a Charity Cup tie at Ibrox on 12th May 1917 when the Bhoys defeated Rangers 2-0. Willie Cringan was outstanding that day and by September 1917, Willie Cringan was with the Bhoys full time. A fantastically committed and whole hearted Celt, Willie Cringan was a most dependable defender who gave his all for the Hoops, and would become captain of the first team.
His commitment was so great that he was said to be the sort who would fight the flu just to play for the club. He was dubbed “the finest pivot in Scotland“. Not very tall yet still good in the air but brilliant on the ground, prepared to run himself into the ground for the club, plus had a great understanding with the exceptional goalkeeper Charlie Shaw.
He made a significant contribution to the league championship triumphs of 1917, 1919 and 1922 and was a key member of the 1923 Scottish Cup winning side (in which was said of this last victory that “too high praise cannot be given to the Celtic centre-half“). That cup victory was Celtic’s first since before the war, which was incredible taking in the dominance Celtic had during that era.
He was made captain in season 1921-22, and became part of the great half-back line of Gilchrist, Cringan and McMaster which helped win Celtic the league title.
Possibly one of Willie Cringan’s greatest challenges on the park was trying to work with the mercurial Tommy McInally, a task that also challenged the great Willie Maley.
Sadly in October 1923, after years of faithful and unswerving commitment to the club he loved and bled for, Willie Cringan was transferred to Third Lanark after he spoke on behalf of his team-mates who were merely requesting that directors considered a new bonus system having just accepted a cut in basic pay.
It was a spiteful and unjust way to end the Parkhead career of such a committed Celt but typically Willie Cringan – who made 214 league & Scottish Cup appearances and scored nine times for the Bhoys – took it with good grace stating:
“Celtic are strengthening the side. They don’t need me any more“.
He deserved a lot better treatment than he received from the board at the end. The club was to suffer as was shown by the results in the following season. On saying that, he ended up developing a tendency for picking fights with managers/directors, and one occasion was suspended sine die when at Third Lanark, despite being their club captain.
Additionally, at 33 years of age he was now at an advanced age for a footballer for the time, and with Celtic having lost their prior domestic hegemony in the game, changes were needed to be made.
Willie Cringan went on to play for a variety of other clubs till retiring from playing football in 1925. He then spent time in the summer of 1925 as a coach in Belgium.
Away from football, he was a fan of the sport of ‘quoits‘ and became Scottish Champion on 1st September 1926.
After playing, he went on to became a landlord of the Star Inn (Bathgate).
He passed away in 1958, and is buried in Boghead cemetery, Bathgate.
A great Celt who played a strong role for the club at a difficult time in Scottish social history.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1917-23 | 202 | 12 | n/a | n/a | 214 |
| Goals: | 8 | 1 | – | – | 9 |
Honours with Celtic
Scottish League
Scottish Cup
Pictures
Link
Articles
Notice of passing away
Direct quotes from James Kelly, this time about Cringan’s ultimatum with the perpetrators response;
