Paddy O'Neill One Of The Kippax Finest Dies

[oakiecokie]

This is one for the old school City fans who knew or had heard of Paddy in the 60s and 70s
Just been told that Paddy died in August but due to his circumstances it's only been made known now, he ended his life on the streets as a beggar and I understand he had been like this for 15 or more years
Us older Blues will remember Paddy as one of the top lads who followed City everywhere and his reputation as one of Citys 'hard lads' was legendary...and before the namby pambys start you had to fight to follow City back in them days....he was up there with Les Tate, The Muirs and Les Cracknell he was also gay which was a bit of a shock to a young kid like myself at the time
A rotund jolly faced Irishman he might have been but he was fearless and hated the rags with a passion it's a pity he ended up as he did and even though I have not seen him for decades I will miss him as I am sure a lot of older blues will
R.I.P. Paddy

Do you ever remember Mark Bitner from Heald Green,bu ?

I'v heard the name and most probably know him by sight but not personally

Mark was one of the original mods with short cropped hair,Doc Martins and a Crombie Coat.He owned (later on) a superb sports car with the Reg Plate "K1PPAX" and became a school teacher.He moved to Saudi and then owned a pub in Staffs on a Golf Course.I met him again in the 1980`s and he invited me and the missus over to his pub and we spent hours looking at his photos on the wall,where he became a Football Coach in Saudi and won numerous trophies.
He was a hard lad and it was great knowing him.A mate of his "managed" to get 12 British Rail Tickets for our 1969/70 League Cup Final game v WBA for £2.00 each and he was going with my first wifes mate,so we had a great weekend in a London hotel and then back to Manchester on the Sunday for the Welcome Home Parade.Happy Days !

 

[Tbilisi]

Do you ever remember Mark Bitner from Heald Green,bu ?

I'v heard the name and most probably know him by sight but not personally

Mark was one of the original mods with short cropped hair,Doc Martins and a Crombie Coat.He owned (later on) a superb sports car with the Reg Plate "K1PPAX" and became a school teacher.He moved to Saudi and then owned a pub in Staffs on a Golf Course.I met him again in the 1980`s and he invited me and the missus over to his pub and we spent hours looking at his photos on the wall,where he became a Football Coach in Saudi and won numerous trophies.
He was a hard lad and it was great knowing him.A mate of his "managed" to get 12 British Rail Tickets for our 1969/70 League Cup Final game v WBA for £2.00 each and he was going with my first wifes mate,so we had a great weekend in a London hotel and then back to Manchester on the Sunday for the Welcome Home Parade.Happy Days !

Is he the fellah that owned bar or still owns a bar in Spain?

 

[oakiecokie]

I'v heard the name and most probably know him by sight but not personally

Mark was one of the original mods with short cropped hair,Doc Martins and a Crombie Coat.He owned (later on) a superb sports car with the Reg Plate "K1PPAX" and became a school teacher.He moved to Saudi and then owned a pub in Staffs on a Golf Course.I met him again in the 1980`s and he invited me and the missus over to his pub and we spent hours looking at his photos on the wall,where he became a Football Coach in Saudi and won numerous trophies.
He was a hard lad and it was great knowing him.A mate of his "managed" to get 12 British Rail Tickets for our 1969/70 League Cup Final game v WBA for £2.00 each and he was going with my first wifes mate,so we had a great weekend in a London hotel and then back to Manchester on the Sunday for the Welcome Home Parade.Happy Days !

Is he the fellah that owned bar or still owns a bar in Spain?

Yes Mark did have a bar in Spain and was a regular sponsor in the City Programmes at Maine Road.

 

[scotty123]

Do you ever remember Mark Bitner from Heald Green,bu ?

I'v heard the name and most probably know him by sight but not personally

Mark was one of the original mods with short cropped hair,Doc Martins and a Crombie Coat.He owned (later on) a superb sports car with the Reg Plate "K1PPAX" and became a school teacher.He moved to Saudi and then owned a pub in Staffs on a Golf Course.I met him again in the 1980`s and he invited me and the missus over to his pub and we spent hours looking at his photos on the wall,where he became a Football Coach in Saudi and won numerous trophies.
He was a hard lad and it was great knowing him.A mate of his "managed" to get 12 British Rail Tickets for our 1969/70 League Cup Final game v WBA for £2.00 each and he was going with my first wifes mate,so we had a great weekend in a London hotel and then back to Manchester on the Sunday for the Welcome Home Parade.Happy Days !

I remember the car with K1PPAX reg plates, it was always parked on that little car park next to the old City Social Club on matchdays, always took it that it was one of the Directors, glad a decent Blue made something of himself

 

[Gaz's Dad]

Knew him well in the 70s. He used to drink in the pubs in Rusholme mainly around Claremont Rd. Had a few memorable away days with him especially at Elland Rd. He had a habit of grabbing your cheek (on your face) as a greeting.

 

[lancs blue]

Did he go by the name Finbar as well?

Top character around town in his day.

Yes I think so, he was a rum fucker and if he said my name is Finbar then it was Finbar lol
He went through a phase of wearing a City suit, the pin stripe ones that had Manchester City running down the stripes, he looked a twat but you daren't tell him lol

I didn't know him personally but I know who you mean now, he had to be a hard case to wear that outfit! Sad that he ended up like that. RIP Paddy.

 

[tlmsosi]

RIP brother.Tommy and John

 

[billfromthehill]

Rip paddy sounds like a character god bless him

 

[mancyman]

oh yeah. paddy was a character all right! too much alcohol and advancing years may have messed up my memory but i reckon he was no more than 5 foot 5 or 6 but scared of no one. of course it is different these days but in the 70's every away game was or could be scary stuff. well apart from ipswich and norwich which were great fun days out. the coach from aytoun st. was a regular thing to long away days which i will always remember as good times. good piss ups with the likes of les and ian tate. johnny hutch tommy and johnny muir. mad steve the scouse city fan and of course crazy paddy.

 

[scotty123]

RIP brother.Tommy and John

The Silver Dollar Norwich :-)