Bill McCracken


William "Bill" McCracken was a Northern Irish footballer who played as a defender. He was a cousin of Robert McCracken who also had a career as a professional footballer.

Career

During his career, McCracken captained both Newcastle United and internationally.
McCracken played for English club Newcastle United from 1904 to 1924, helping them win three League titles and the FA Cup. McCracken is one of just a few players whose actions have brought changes to the Laws of the Game when, as a centre-half at Newcastle, he masterminded the technique of making opposition forwards ruled "offside" when the rules stated that three defenders must be between the attacking player and the goal line. So successful was McCracken's defensive ploy that the Offside Rule was changed to "two defenders" between the foremost attacker and the goal line".
In total he played 432 games for Newcastle, scoring eight goals. After leaving Newcastle he went on to become Hull City manager in 1923, and he took them to the FA Cup semi-final in 1930. He left the club a year later.
He later had a short term in charge of Gateshead, before managing Millwall from 1933 to 1936. He went on to manage the now defunct Aldershot, and later returned to Newcastle as a scout. In the 1970s, with McCracken in his 90s, he was scouting for Watford.
McCracken gained sixteen international caps, scoring one goal. His team mates while playing for Ireland included Archie Goodall, Billy Scott, Jack Kirwan and Robert Milne.

Honours

As a player

Newcastle United