David Hay joined Chelsea at the beginning of the 1974/1975 season,
having just returned from the World Cup in West Germany. Hay left
Scottish giants Celtic for Stamford Bridge after picking up a number of
trophies with the Hoops, and departed with his status as a Celtic legend
secure. The £225, 000 move brought Hay from a club challenging for
honours in Scotland to a side which was relegated to the Second Division
of English football by the end of the 74/75 season, as Chelsea suffered
a lack of team spirit off the pitch, and fighting spirit on it. A
financial crisis at the club also compounded the Blues' problems, but
Hay remained steadfast in his belief that he had made the correct
decision to join Chelsea.
A contract dispute had brought about the move, with Hay explaining:
"As a Celtic player I enjoyed a decent lifestyle but I felt my basic
wage should have been higher. I went on strike for two weeks after that.
In a strange way, it was also brave as well, since everything at that
time was stacked in favour of the club. After the World Cup, I came home
and withdrew my transfer request, having decided to stay with Celtic,
but I got a call one day to come in to see Big Jock {Stein} who told me
there had been a bid from Chelsea."
Hay joined the club as a midfielder and in his debut season at the
club he made 34 appearances, beginning with a defeat at home to Carlisle
United. After the club dropped down a division, Hay saw injuries limit
him to 28 games in Division Two as Chelsea struggled to a mid-table
finish under manager Eddie McCreadie, who had taken over from Ron
Stuart, himself deputising for the departed Dave Sexton.
Chelsea were promoted in 1976/77 under McCreadie and by this time Hay
had dropped back into defence, ably partnering the young Steve Wicks.
Hay put in 31 shifts at centre-back and helped the club to a runners-up
spot in Division Two, just two points behind champions Wolverhampton
Wanderers. Although he fought to get Chelsea back into the First
Division, Hay could only manage seven games in 1977/78. He was
eventually forced to retire from the game after suffering a knee injury,
and a problem with a detached retina which gradually cost him the sight
in his right eye. Chelsea fans bemoan the fact that they only saw Hay
at the club after he had reached his peak, but he did manage to leave a
legacy during a bleak time for the Londoners, making 120 appearances and
scoring three goals in four seasons at the club. (Rowan Farnham-Long)
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