Anyone know Paddy McGrath?
70s veteran, original ESCLA member when he lived in that London.
Returned home to his native Belfast in the 80s and for the next twenty years hardly missed a match, home or away.
He finally moved to Liverpool about five years ago and to this day is to be found at every first team and quite a few youth games.
I first came across Paddy in the old Westminster Pub....then we moved to The Elm Tree over the road.
Paddy became a regular in the Blue House then The Wilmslow when the former closed.
After the latter's demise Paddy moved on to the Royal Oak and he now travels to away games on a chara from that pub, organised by another contender for "biggest blue", the legendary Big Barry Murray.
Sadly, I don't travel away much these days.....one match on a London weekend when visiting my sister per season or the odd trip to a Wigan or a Burnley....but I miss all those guys I used to come across all over the country.
Paddy and Barry obviously....and other good lads like The Reverend and The Growler from ESCLA, Brian King and his mob from around Maghull, Pat Conneely from London, Stephen Burns from Belfast, John Appleyard from near Coventry, Big Dave from Leicester.
The unforgettable Cockney John, one tough sonovagun who pulled us out of many a scrape when teds from Chelsea or Hammers tried to get nasty back in the 70s and 80s
Oh, happy days when I was young, carefree and happy (i.e. before Mrs. K and K juniors came to dominate my life).
Great thread, Chico.....
Any of you younger lids whose all fella was a travelling fan in that era.....mention a few of those names and I bet they will some of them.