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Wednesday to honour Paddy O'Connell?


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Grandad asked:

Well done Peter - is this a Wednesdayite thing then, or is it a club event? (Its just the article I saw tweeted today said its the club?)

Neither Nigel. Fergus Dowd from Dublin contacted me about this event as well as contacting the Club and asked both the Club and Wednesdayite (through me) whether we could help support the Paddy O'Connell Memorial Fund by holding an event at Hillsborough. Some very famous names in the world of football are involved and the POCMF also wanted a Club historian to be involved. After consulting with Lee (Kivo) we decided on John Brodie. This gentleman's knowledge on SWFC is unbelievable and it is humbling just speaking to him. He even has photographs of Paddy O'Connell and I think he even has his first international cap for Ireland. Anyway both the Club and myself were happy to offer assistance on the basis it is a privilege to assist in upholding the memory of former players, particularly as in this case he had such a tragic and inauspicious end.

I knew John would come up with the goods - frightening knowledge on SWFC.

Sounds like this is gathering quite some momentum - well done to you and everyone else involved - hope I can attend any event planned.

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So, we have a possible chance to play in a tournament/event with exciting teams like Barca but some on here would rather look forward to playing Rochdale in the League cup.

 

I say bring it it on. It's our tradition, history and future that will be explored.

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So, we have a possible chance to play in a tournament/event with exciting teams like Barca but some on here would rather look forward to playing Rochdale in the League cup.

I say bring it it on. It's our tradition, history and future that will be explored.

We're playing in a tournament as well?

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Fergus Dowd here from The Patrick O'Connell Memorial Fund - we've launched our official website see attached - www.pocfund.com

The fund launched in Belfast @ The Belfast Celtic Museum on Saturday 30th of August.

 

As you'll see from the pics on the website we have had fantastic support from the world of football with 35 signed shirts donated by the likes of Cruyff,Beckenbauer,Maldini,Van Basten,Rjikaard,Kahn,Pirlo,McCalliog,McGrath,Keane,Hagi,Lineker,Shearer and many more.

 

Our group is made up of football fans from Sheff Wed,Ireland,FC Barcelona,Real Betis,Real Oviedo,Atletico Madrid,Belfast Celtic,Manchester United.

 

The project has been covered by The Real Betis Official Website,Treca Berras(Betis digital magazine),Inside Spanish Football magazine,The Irish News Belfast,Irish Independent,Kilburn Times,The Irish Post in the UK,TG4 Irish TV.

A couple of national UK newspapers will cover the story in the coming days/weeks.

 

Gerry Armstrong has agreed to be the Fund's Ambassador he scored a famous goal v Spain for Northern Ireland in WC 1982.

 

Thanks to Peter,John Brodie and Trevor Braithwait for their help and support to date with the fundraising event next February.

 

For every Irish footballer getting to play in England is always the dream and Sheffield Wednesday is where Patrick O'Connell's football journey began in the UK, so it is fantastic to have the clubs support.

 

The event in Hillsborough will be followed with an event in Seville next Apr/May commemorating Mr. O'Connell's 80th anniversary of winning La Liga (1935-2015).

At the time Betis had a crowd capacity of 1,000 people  and were an extremely unfashionable club so an amazing achievement,which led to his arrival @ Barca.

Our group is working with Jordi Penas @ FC Barcelona re an event at the Camp Nou at present.

Without O'Connell there would be no Barcelona - No Cruyff,No Maradonna,No Messi in claret and blue colours.

 

Gary Connolly and Gillian Grant from the Seafield AC Belfast have agreed to run from Windsor Park to Lansdowne Road on Nov17th & 18th to be in time for the Ireland v USA match, this fundraising event will be known as Un Paseo Por Don Patricio(A Walk/Run for Patrick).

As we are shining a light on a life Gary and Gillian will take with them a battery operated candle.

 

The event  commemorates Ireland's British Home Championship victory in 1914 a century ago - Patrick O'Connell led Ireland to their first British Home Championship @ Windsor Park v Scotland;earlier in the campaign O'Connell had played with a broken arm @ Ayrsome Park in the 3-0 win v England.

The game was infamous as Ireland had one men sent off and with O'Connell playing with a broken arm the Irish in effect played with 9.5 men as subs weren't allowed.

 

As detailed we are just an ordinary group of football fans who feel passionately about this project - all support is very much welcome.

Thanks for your time.

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Without looking it up, didn't one Fred Spiksley also manage Barcelona, and 'line-out' for us with considerably more success than this gentleman.     I believe Fred did some really fine lining out when we won T'Coop in 1907.

 

Statue to him please --- and statue for Andrew Wilson.

 

Seeing Franco's Guarda Civil henchman with the 3 cornered hat reminds me of when I went to a match in Spain in 1974.  Members of the Guarda Civil stood by the turnstiles, complete with machine guns.   They also used to stand outside Spanish banks in those days with m/c guns.  Anyone remember?

Seems to be some disagreement on whether Fred Spikesley was ever a Coach at Barcelona although Barcelona and Wednesday did have a manager in common - Vic Buckingham.

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We should honour him along with the other teams and we should have equal billing amongst the teams honouring him.  You know what its like in the media "He captained MANCHESTER UNITED and played for Sheffield Wednesday". 

 

Thanks for your support and hopefully you are happy with this article from backpagefootball.com yesterday, the author has described Hillsborough as a true cathedral of English football.

 http://backpagefootball.com/patrick-oconnell-forgotten-saviour/84017/

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Guest DubOwl

The Guardian newspaper has confirmed in the last two days the story has had over 250,000 hits.

 

We launch the first of our fundraising events tomorrow - former Wednesday player Jim Magilton will be at the launch amongst others - see attached - http://www.pocfund.com/events.html

 

All donations very much welcome.

 

Thanks for your time.

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I actually read that over someone's shoulder on the plane to Spain yesterday.

What are the Spanish clubs doing for him? Towards the fundraising.

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