Crossan joined Hearts from Arniston Rangers on 8 Nov 1911,[4] aged 17, alongside Willie Wilson.[5] He lodged at Wilson's family home which was very close to the Tynecastle ground. He was powerful and an extremely fast runner, and supplemented his income occasionally by racing under pseudonyms.[6] Crossan was considered by many to be very good looking and it was said that although he could pass a ball, he could not pass a mirror![7]
After the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, Crossan enlisted in McCrae's Battalion of the Royal Scots.[2] Around the same time he was selected for the Scottish League XI with teammates Peter Nellies, James Low and Harry Graham.[8]
Once on active service, he was hit in the leg by shrapnel near Bazentin, France on 9 August 1916, during the Battle of the Somme.[2] The leg was marked for amputation but was saved after being operated on by a German POW surgeon.[2] After recovering back in Britain, Crossan was posted to the 4th Battalion to serve in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign and he was present during the Battle of Jerusalem.[2] He was posted back to the Western Front in 1918 and was gassed in April that year.[2]
He returned to Hearts after the war and featured in another six full seasons, receiving two benefit games and bringing his total number of competitive appearances to over 300[3] before being release on a free transfer in 1925, aged 31.
Paddy signed for Leith Athletic in August 1925. He scored against his old club in a 7–1 defeat on 19 August 1925.[9]
Paddy married the sister of Harry Wattie on 30 July 1926.[10]
After his retirement from football, he opened Paddy's Bar on Rose Street in Edinburgh.[11] Crossan died of tuberculosis in 1933 and was buried in Mount Vernon Cemetery.[12]
