Shades - If only we had more like him (merged)

[MSK]

As we near Christmas , lets spare a thought for this guy who so tragically cut short his life ..one of my greats ..if only we had some of his guts & determination in the current team ..

Tom Brogan Remembers Hibs Fullback Erich Schaedler
August 29th, 2006 by Tom Brogan

A superb full back who never really got the recognition he deserved in the game. - Pat Stanton.



THE son of a German Prisoner of War who had played for Borussia Moenchengladbach, Biggar-born Erich Peter Schaedler signed for Stirling Albion from Juvenile side Melbourne Thistle in 1969. After 24 games for the club, he moved to Hibs in a 7,000 deal. A left-back, nicknamed
Shades, he was famed for his no-nonsense style.

When Hibs boss Willie McFarlane signed Schaedler he described him to his senior players as, a cross between [legendary Italian defender] Facchetti and [Lisbon Lion] Tommy Gemmell. He also added that that he could, “take really long throws as well.

Hibs legend Pat Stanton told hibs.net; “We didn’t quite know what to expect and when Erich arrived we could tell pretty quickly that Willie’s assessment was really spot on, at least in relation to the long throws! He went on to say, What Erich did though was to make up the skills shortfall in his game by being ultra good at everything else. A tremendous tackler and a tireless worker up and down that left side, Erich was a fitness fanatic and when you played alongside him he never let you down”.

In 1971 Eddie Turnbull, one of Hibernians Famous Five, took over as manager. Schaedler became a mainstay of the side that came to be known as Turnbulls Tornadoes.

The early seventies were a particularly successful spell for the club. The side finished 3rd in the league in 72-73 and were runners-up in the 1974-75 season. Erich won a League Cup medal in 1972, was a Scottish Cup Finalist the same year and a League Cup runner-up in 1974. He was also part of the Hibs sides that won consecutive Dryburgh Cups in 1972 & 73, most memorably beating Celtic 5-3 in the former. Erich also played in the team that beat city rivals Hearts 7-0 on New Years Day 1973, a match that is widely considered to be the greatest victory in Hibernian?s history.
Although his father was a German who had married and settled in Scotland after World War II, Schaedler only ever considered himself a Scot and was said to be fiercely patriotic about his Scottish nationality.

He played for the Scottish national team only once, in March 1974 in a 2-1 defeat to West Germany, at Frankfurt’s Wald Stadion.

Schaedler did not actually receive a cap from the Scottish Football Association for this game.

Under the rules that were in place from 1929 until the start of the 1976-77 season, players only received a cap from the SFA if they played in a Home International Championship fixture.

It was only earlier this year that the SFA began to correct this oversight.

The book “My Father and Other Working Class Heroes” by Gary Imlach brought the situation to light. His late father Stewart, a former Nottingham Forest winger had played for Scotland at the 1958 World Cup Finals, but had never been awarded a cap to commemorate his service.

A campaign called "The Cap Fits" was then started by the Edinburgh Evening News. Hibs chairman Rod Petrie took a personal interest and wrote to the SFA’s chief executive David Taylor, calling the rule arcane. The SFA finally buckled under the pressure and decided to award retrospective caps in April of this year.

In total 83 Scottish internationals were denied caps.

Erichs brother John accepted his cap on 30th of April 2006, at a ceremony organised by Hibernian to honour Schaedler and the 5 other Hibs players denied caps.

That game in Frankfurt wasnt the only time Erich was involved with the national team however. He was a member of Scotlands 1974 World Cup Squad in West Germany. As cover for full-backs Sandy Jardine and Danny McGrain he was allocated the squad number 22. He didnt play a game as Scotland were knocked out of the competition on goal difference.

In November 1977, Schaedler moved to Dundee. The fans there took to his committed playing style and he became a firm favourite on the terraces. He helped the Dens Park side to the First Division in 1979, was a League Cup finalist in 1980, and went on to play 101 league games.

During the late 1970s and early 80s his love for the game was such that he helped out at Edinburgh side Salvesen Boys Club which then included future Hearts stalwart Gary MacKay.

He returned to Hibs in 1981. He was a hugely popular player with the fans in both his spells with the club. With the Hibees he made a combined total of 282 league appearances.

Schaedler owned a pub called Shades in Easter Road, not far from the Hibs ground. In 1984 he helped two police officers disarm a shotgun raider who had tried to rob his establishment. For this act of bravery he was awarded the Lothian Police Meritorious Award, presented to him by Scottish Secretary George Younger.

He moved to Dumbarton on a free transfer before the start of the 1985/86 season. He turned part-time and in total made 14 appearances for The Sons.

A few weeks before Christmas of 1985 Erich and his wife divorced. On Christmas Eve he went on a shooting trip alone. A field sports enthusiast he regularly took his 12 bore shotgun to go rough shooting in the Borders.

He failed to pick up his dogs that evening, from neighbours who had been looking after them, and a search was launched. On the 27th of December his body was discovered in his car in a remote wood at Wallace Hill, Cardrona on the banks of the Tweed. He was 36.

Naturally, his death shocked Scottish football. His Dumbarton team-mate Gordon Arthur told the Daily Record at the time, ?He seemed a bit down before Christmas…but I never thought for a minute he was so depressed?.

Dumbarton?s New Year game with Alloa was postponed and Hibs fans observed a moving moment?s silence before their match with Clydebank.

Hard as nails, eccentric and loyal, the Hibs fans who remember him in the green and white still regard him as one of their greatest ever players.

[ronaldo7]

Great post and it brought back so many memories of Shades tackling at Tynie in the 7-0 game, and many more.

[bawheid]

Too young to have seem him, but I'll take my Dad's word for it: Legend.

[EasterGreen]

A fascinating post and such a tragic story about him. Yes definetely a hibs legend and could with more like him nowadays!

[Monts]

That is a great post. A lot i didnt know in there especially since i wasnt born yet when he died. Its really good to be able to read history like that.

Tragic story, but one worth telling

[stu in nottingham]

Erich had tremendous heart and commitment. He would have run through a brick wall for the Hibs Jersey. Sadly missed.

RIP Shades

[MSK]

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Erich had tremendous heart and commitment. He would have run through a brick wall for the Hibs Jersey. Sadly missed.

RIP Shades

Indeed ..my best memory of "shades" was against rangers at Easter rd ..i was squashed right down at the fence on the bottom of the east terrace ..big Colin Mcadam had the mis-fortune of trying to run past shades on the flank ...big big mistake ..shades systematically dismantled him in front of my own eyes !!!

Colin was a big guy & shades no shirker ..a mismatch if ever i saw one ..bang !!! the wee man went in for the kill ..he knocked big Colin about 5 ft into the air , Colin spun & landed hands first ..the rest of him "followed"..he came back down in installments ..pain etched on his face as he lay crumpled on the turf ....he had just been nailed by a guy described as "hard as nails"...

[Jack]

Yup one of our greatest ever players.

[irene macdonald]

To young to remember him play but one tackle in the 7-0 game sticks out,am sure it helped create the 6th or 7th goal.His brother John still stayes here in Peebles.

[poolman]

Quality post HNA6, I'm 54 so of course remember Shades well.

His death was tragic, I always seem to remember him playing with a smile on his face (except when he was getting torn into a tackle)

He was also a part of one of the best Hibs sides I have seen

Eric was class

[Hibs On Tour]

Only met him once when I visited the ground for a Hibs Kids night. Always sad when someone so young and who had given so much feels that is the only way out.

Hibs legend. RIP.

[mim]

Great post.
Erich was not only a great Hibs player, but also a complete gentleman.
There are more than a few right wingers who may not agree about the 'gentleman' bit.

[gringojoe]

Legend has it he bit John MacDonald in the tunnel after the diving hun won a very dodgy penalty

[hibbybrian]

I was ordering drinks at the bar in the Elm Bar in the late 1970's when Shades entered the pub wearing a Hibs top and walked up to the bar beside me. I started chatting to him and he told me he was on his stag night and although he was playing for Dundee at the time, he was wearing the Hibs top as he was a Hibby through and through and desperate to come back to play for the Hibees. He was a real Gent and invited me to join the stag party - unfortunately I had to decline as I was with my girlfriend so he insisted on paying for our drinks. Having later married and even later getting divorced from said girlfriend I should have saved myself the hassle and joined Shades on his Stag doo!

The worst thing I've ever heard at a match was the ****s singing "Erich Schaedler bang bang bang" at the Derby a few weeks after he died

Shades didn't score many goals but I think he scored in the 1-1 replay against the tic after the match at parkhead was abandoned when the soapless ones invaded the pitch with 5 mins to go and Hibs winning 2-0 at the time

Great player and a great Hibby and as Stu said would run through a brick wall for the Hibees

[gringojoe]

Saw Shades score a screamer of a goal against San Jose Earthquakes

[Bostonhibby]

Absolutely brilliant post, and reading through all the others it didn't half bring a lump to my throat, had the privilege of seeing Shades play more times than I can remember, his fitness levels and commitment to the cause in particular would make a few of our recent performers hang their heads............ he was part of the best Hibs side I have ever had the pleasure to watch. A hibby through and through and an absolute gem off the pitch as well, would get into any Hibs best 11 in my 42 years following them and would have got plenty caps if it wasn't for the fact that Danny McGrain played for Celtic as shades was a better tackler and athlete but he had the wrong green jersey on.

[Jonnyboy]

Wonderful memories of a wonderful servant to Hibs.

A personal tale of Shades goes as follows ......

After games some of the players could be found unwinding with a beer or two at the Wally Dug in Northumberland Street. I was in there one Saturday night and was chatting to John Blackley whilst Pat Stanton, Shades and one or two others were just having a quiet drink at the bar. Suddenly there was a commotion as a drunk guy started giving Paddy dogs abuse. The guy proclaimed himself to be a Hearts fan and was loudly telly King Paddy that he would never get a game at Tynecastle because he wasn't good enough.

Immediately a number of Hibs fans started to make for the guy but before any of them could get near him Shades invited the guy to leave and accompanied him outside. Moments later Erich returned, rubbed his hands together and announced that the drunk would not be bothering Paddy any more Not verbatim but Shades' words were something like this "The guy was drunk and talking crap and we've all been there at some time but there was no way I was going to stand back and let him insult a Hibs legend"

RIP Erich

[HibbyAndy]

If he was good enough for ma auld man ( delabooze in they days) he will do for me


Oh aye Delabooze..my auld man got married on the friday and went to ibrox on the saturday and didnt return hame till Tuesday..his words

[erskine-hibby]

A true Hibs legend and sorely missed

[New Corrie]

Shades and Sloop were my Hibs heroes. I was lucky enough to have met Shades on a few occasions in the 50 club etc. Quality man who had lost his way a bit. At the time of his death he was playing with Dumbarton, training at Hearts and only the "sons of the rock" had the courtesy to cancel their game. Poorly treated by Hibs, fondly remembered by proper Hibs and Dundee fans.

I still shed a tear thinking about Shades. Only days before his passing I chatted with him as he walked those monstrous dogs of his.

RIP Erich...My Hibs hero.

[IWasThere2016]

Top top player

RIP Erich

[Www1875hfc]

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Shades and Sloop were my Hibs heroes. I was lucky enough to have met Shades on a few occasions in the 50 club etc. Quality man who had lost his way a bit. At the time of his death he was playing with Dumbarton, training at Hearts and only the "sons of the rock" had the courtesy to cancel their game. Poorly treated by Hibs, fondly remembered by proper Hibs and Dundee fans.

I still shed a tear thinking about Shades. Only days before his passing I chatted with him as he walked those monstrous dogs of his.

RIP Erich...My Hibs hero.

snap...

Remember erich well, lived next door to him in the latter stages of his career,he used to give me 10 bob for retrieving the balls he skied over the bar at the old penicuik athletic park..

A true gent,and a legend i will never forget..R.I.P Erich

[New Corrie]

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snap...

Remember erich well, lived next door to him in the latter stages of his career,he used to give me 10 bob for retrieving the balls he skied over the bar at the old penicuik athletic park..

A true gent,and a legend i will never forget..R.I.P Erich

Sorry to namedrop, but I was sat having a pint with Jimmy O'Rourke when we heard the news. Jimmy used to bleat at me for going on all the time about "Erich this and Erich that". He was genuinley my Hibs hero.
I stilll shed a tear all these years on.

[YehButNoBut]

I remember Schaedler well as part of that great team of the early 70's.

What a back 4 we had then in Brownlie, Blackley, Stanton & Shades.

If we had them now we would p*ss this league.

RIP Shades they don't make them like you any more.

[Biggie]

I think we all had a soft spot for shades, as he showed great committment everytime...what a great athlete he was.....in a team that was renouned for playing great football, there was also a fair bit of steel about that team, and no-one typified that more than shades.
He went through a few wingers in his time and his athletisism shone through....I count it one of the few advantages of being an old git having been fortunate to watch shades and the tornadoes play.
Murphy is easily the closest LB to Erich I have seen in my 38 years of watching hibs.
RIP Erich

[sauzeesteeth]

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I remember Schaedler well as part of that great team of the early 70's.

What a back 4 we had then in Brownlie, Blackley, Stanton & Shades.

If we had them now we would p*ss this league.

RIP Shades they don't make them like you any more.

[PapillonVert]

I cut my Hibernian teeth on watching the Tornadoes. Including the 0-7 game and some European crackers!!

Foolish me, I assumed that what I was seeing was just the norm for Hibs and it would always be like that.

RIP, Erich. Hibernian legend.

[TPAKA]

What a superb post. Recall watching him play as a lad, putting wing backs over the fence with a "shoulder charge" & also being in his Pub a few times with my big brothers, their mates etc. Was a great guy.

RIP Shades.

[Just Jimmy]

never saw him play, but if the stories are even half true he musta been some player.

Another thing, this time of year its easy to forget others, just think for a minute. Not everyone has everything rosy.

[ozziehibbie]

When they made Erich, they broke the mould.