# Johnny Crossan > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Johnny_Crossan > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Johnny_Crossan.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Crossan > Source revision: 1325469527 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Ex Pro Footballer Johnny Crossan Personal information Full name John Andrew Crossan Date of birth (1938-11-29) 29 November 1938 (age 87) Place of birth Derry, Northern Ireland Position Inside forward Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 1954–1958 Derry City ? (5) 1958 Coleraine 0 (0) 1958–1959 Bristol City 0 (0) 1959–1961 Sparta Rotterdam 20 (5) 1961–1962 Standard Liège 33 (6) 1962–1965 Sunderland 82 (39) 1965–1967 Manchester City 94 (24) 1967–1970 Middlesbrough 56 (7) 1970–1975 KSK Tongeren 108 (5) Total 370 + (80 +) International career 1959 Northern Ireland B 1 (0) 1959–1967 Northern Ireland 24 (10) * Club domestic league appearances and goals **John Andrew Crossan** (born 29 November 1938) is a Northern Irish author, radio sports analyst, entrepreneur, and former [footballer](/source/Association_football). His brother [Eddie](/source/Eddie_Crossan) was also a player. ## Club career Crossan began his career playing for [Derry City](/source/Derry_City_FC), where he played as an inside forward. His talent was spotted by several leading English clubs, including [Arsenal](/source/Arsenal_F.C.) and [Sunderland](/source/Sunderland_A.F.C.). When the latter 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](/source/Coleraine_FC). Derry City, still aggrieved by Crossan's actions, reported themselves to the Football League authorities for technical breaches of regulations, thus ensuring that Crossan would face disciplinary action.[1] In January 1959, a commission of inquiry imposed small fines on Derry and Coleraine, but banned Crossan from all forms of football for life. A partial lifting of the ban was allowed following an appeal, in May 1959 the inside forward signed for Dutch Champions [Sparta Rotterdam](/source/Sparta_Rotterdam),[2] where he was first called up to the [Northern Ireland](/source/Northern_Ireland_football_team) squad.[3] Crossan went from there to [Standard Liège](/source/Standard_Li%C3%A8ge), where he played in the semi-final of the [European Cup](/source/UEFA_Champions_League) against [Real Madrid](/source/Real_Madrid). In 1963, Crossan returned to football in the UK (following the lifting of his 'life-time' ban) when he was signed by Sunderland, with whom he made it to the old [First Division](/source/Football_League_First_Division). He then signed for [Manchester City](/source/Manchester_City_F.C.) who were playing in the old [Second Division](/source/Football_League_Second_Division). As team captain, he helped them make their way into the old [First Division](/source/Football_League_First_Division), before being sold to [Middlesbrough](/source/Middlesbrough_F.C.) after a loss of form following a car crash and other health problems. ## International career Internationally, he was capped 24 times by [Northern Ireland](/source/Northern_Ireland_national_football_team) and scored 10 goals. ### International goals *Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first.* # Date Venue Opponent Result Competition 1 28 November 1961 Belfast, Northern Ireland Poland 2–0 UEFA Euro 1964 qualifying 2 20 November 1963 London, England England 3–8 1964 British Home Championship 3 29 April 1964 Belfast, Northern Ireland Uruguay 3–0 Friendly match 4 5 14 October 1964 Belfast, Northern Ireland Switzerland 1–0 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification 6 17 March 1965 Belfast, Northern Ireland Netherlands 2–1 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification 7 7 May 1965 Belfast, Northern Ireland Albania 4–1 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification 8 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification 9 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification 10 2 October 1965 Belfast, Northern Ireland Scotland 3–2 1966 British Home Championship ## Management After his playing days, Crossan had a spell in management and took the top job at [League of Ireland](/source/League_of_Ireland) club, [Sligo Rovers](/source/Sligo_Rovers). He resigned soon after. ## Media career He also commentates for [BBC Radio Foyle](/source/BBC_Radio_Foyle) when they cover Derry City games. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Londonderry: Shutters to come down on Jobby Crossan's sport shop"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgx2gw109go). BBC News. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** *[The Irish Times](/source/The_Irish_Times)*. Dublin. 23 May 1959. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0791-5144](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0791-5144) [http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1959/0523/Pg003.html#Ar00307:78A3FB7A941080945A82746F7B43FC7F3411](http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1959/0523/Pg003.html#Ar00307:78A3FB7A941080945A82746F7B43FC7F3411). {{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: Missing or empty |title= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Jobby Crossan: Ban out of order, says ex-Man City man"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-48203125). *BBC News*. 12 May 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2024. ## External links - [Johnny Crossan](https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe69134/) at WorldFootball.net - [Johnny Crossan](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/36245.html) at National-Football-Teams.com - [Johnny Crossan](http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/johnnycrossan.html) at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database - [*The forgotten story of John Crossan's lifetime ban* by Simon Burnton, *The Guardian* 2 Nov 2011](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2011/nov/02/forgotten-story-john-crossan-ban) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Johnny Crossan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Crossan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Crossan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.