Tony Griffiths RIP

RIP Blue and condolences to his family and friends.
I'm sure he touched many, many people with his work with Sierra Leone MCFC.
God bless.
 
My dad's best mate. The old fella is really cut up about it! RIP Tony, the work you did for Sierra Leone blues is an inspiration!
 
vonksbignose said:
My dad's best mate. The old fella is really cut up about it! RIP Tony, the work you did for Sierra Leone blues is an inspiration!
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That's awful news. I knew Tony well in our teenage years. One of life's good guys.

If your dad is called Martin please send him my condolences.
 
Very sad news! Got to know Tony a little during the height of the fundraising for SL.
He spoke at our branch and was an inspiring and selfless character.
Condolences to his family and close friends. Will be sadly missed.
John C - Poynton
 
Very sad news, far too young, remember the work he did for S.L. a credit to City RiP Tony condolences to family and friends Hope the lads do him proud this evening
 
So sorry to hear of Tony's passing, a great guy, we had a few beers at Maine Road together years ago discussing the then demise of City. So pleased he was able to see our fortunes change RIP Tony
 
Although it was not unexpected it still came as a shock when Tony passed last Wednesday. Without doubt Tony was one of the kindest and most generous people I have ever met. He was also an exceptionally inspirational character who brought out the best in people around him. I first came across Tony about 10 years ago in my capacity as chair of the Centenary Supporters Association. I was approached by Howard Burr of the Reddish Branch who wanted to bring Tony to a meeting so he could explain why he wanted some support for a project out in Sierra Leone. Tony immediately won me and others over to his ideas and I suppose I could say the rest is history. The response we got for our fund raising efforts esp here on BM was nothing short of magnificent. Spare kits and other football items came rolling in none stop. Cash donations were gratefully received over a long period of time. After knocking on the door at the Etihad for some time eventually myself, Phil Holme of the Portadown Branch, Howard Burr the energetic leader of Reddish Blues and Tony Griffiths were invited in to meet Gary Cooke and Paul Lake to outline our fund raising ideas and hoping we could get the club on board. Gary Cooke was completely sold on what we were hoping to achieve and came on board immediately. Eventually we had enough funds to purchase a 30 seater bus to ship over to Sierra Leone in a large container along with tons of footy stuff for people and the football club out there. 6 years ago myself, Howard, Phil, and Tony accompanied Paul Lake and Neil the camera man from Endamol to deliver the bus, football equipment, 2 full suitcases of donated spectacles from you guys and other stuff. It was certainly an eye opening experience for all of us and Tony was the man who looked after us to some extent with his experience of the country which at the time was about the 3rd poorest country in the world. Since then Manchester City FC (Sierra Leone version) has become one of the biggest football clubs in the country. Thanks to the infectious enthusiasm of Armani Kamara we know have a number of supporter branches out there in different parts of Sierra Leone with some 4,000 members in total. The world is a poorer place with the passing of Tony Griffiths and for now our thoughts are with his ever supportive wife Liz and 3 grown up children. R.I.P. TONY GRIFFITHS
 
Alex the Blue said:
Although it was not unexpected it still came as a shock when Tony passed last Wednesday. Without doubt Tony was one of the kindest and most generous people I have ever met. He was also an exceptionally inspirational character who brought out the best in people around him. I first came across Tony about 10 years ago in my capacity as chair of the Centenary Supporters Association. I was approached by Howard Burr of the Reddish Branch who wanted to bring Tony to a meeting so he could explain why he wanted some support for a project out in Sierra Leone. Tony immediately won me and others over to his ideas and I suppose I could say the rest is history. The response we got for our fund raising efforts esp here on BM was nothing short of magnificent. Spare kits and other football items came rolling in none stop. Cash donations were gratefully received over a long period of time. After knocking on the door at the Etihad for some time eventually myself, Phil Holme of the Portadown Branch, Howard Burr the energetic leader of Reddish Blues and Tony Griffiths were invited in to meet Gary Cooke and Paul Lake to outline our fund raising ideas and hoping we could get the club on board. Gary Cooke was completely sold on what we were hoping to achieve and came on board immediately. Eventually we had enough funds to purchase a 30 seater bus to ship over to Sierra Leone in a large container along with tons of footy stuff for people and the football club out there. 6 years ago myself, Howard, Phil, and Tony accompanied Paul Lake and Neil the camera man from Endamol to deliver the bus, football equipment, 2 full suitcases of donated spectacles from you guys and other stuff. It was certainly an eye opening experience for all of us and Tony was the man who looked after us to some extent with his experience of the country which at the time was about the 3rd poorest country in the world. Since then Manchester City FC (Sierra Leone version) has become one of the biggest football clubs in the country. Thanks to the infectious enthusiasm of Armani Kamara we know have a number of supporter branches out there in different parts of Sierra Leone with some 4,000 members in total. The world is a poorer place with the passing of Tony Griffiths and for now our thoughts are with his ever supportive wife Liz and 3 grown up children. R.I.P. TONY GRIFFITHS
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Thanks for the insight into what all you guys did to bring joy to a lot of people in a very poor country.(Doffs cap.)
 
Alex the Blue said:
Although it was not unexpected it still came as a shock when Tony passed last Wednesday. Without doubt Tony was one of the kindest and most generous people I have ever met. He was also an exceptionally inspirational character who brought out the best in people around him. I first came across Tony about 10 years ago in my capacity as chair of the Centenary Supporters Association. I was approached by Howard Burr of the Reddish Branch who wanted to bring Tony to a meeting so he could explain why he wanted some support for a project out in Sierra Leone. Tony immediately won me and others over to his ideas and I suppose I could say the rest is history. The response we got for our fund raising efforts esp here on BM was nothing short of magnificent. Spare kits and other football items came rolling in none stop. Cash donations were gratefully received over a long period of time. After knocking on the door at the Etihad for some time eventually myself, Phil Holme of the Portadown Branch, Howard Burr the energetic leader of Reddish Blues and Tony Griffiths were invited in to meet Gary Cooke and Paul Lake to outline our fund raising ideas and hoping we could get the club on board. Gary Cooke was completely sold on what we were hoping to achieve and came on board immediately. Eventually we had enough funds to purchase a 30 seater bus to ship over to Sierra Leone in a large container along with tons of footy stuff for people and the football club out there. 6 years ago myself, Howard, Phil, and Tony accompanied Paul Lake and Neil the camera man from Endamol to deliver the bus, football equipment, 2 full suitcases of donated spectacles from you guys and other stuff. It was certainly an eye opening experience for all of us and Tony was the man who looked after us to some extent with his experience of the country which at the time was about the 3rd poorest country in the world. Since then Manchester City FC (Sierra Leone version) has become one of the biggest football clubs in the country. Thanks to the infectious enthusiasm of Armani Kamara we know have a number of supporter branches out there in different parts of Sierra Leone with some 4,000 members in total. The world is a poorer place with the passing of Tony Griffiths and for now our thoughts are with his ever supportive wife Liz and 3 grown up children. R.I.P. TONY GRIFFITHS
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Great post Alex, it's a brilliant story and as you say, the world is a poorer place without Tony.

For anyone unfamilar with the Sierra Leone story, there's quite a few videos on City's official YouTube channel:

 
Further to my previous post re Tony's fantastic enthusiasm for the Sierra Leone project there's other experiences I've had of this man's humanity. After the 6-1 mauling of that lot at OT I was daft enough to badly tear the calf muscle in my left leg and much more seriously rupture my right Achilles tendon. I was hospitalised for one full month. That story was well covered on here and subsequently in the MEN. As a divorcee and the kids having flown the nest I came home to an empty house with a wheelchair and zimmer frame for company. I was literally almost completely helpless and feeling abandoned and unable to leave the house. Sure enough I soon got a telephone call from Tony and on hearing my predicament he shot down here to Swinton from his home in Stockport and did some shopping for me. A week later he repeated the task but was able to push me about in the wheelchair in my local Morrison's. Soon after he came down here again and took me out for a meal with two others who were heavily involved with Tony's support of Educaid in Sierra Leone. Acts I will never forget. Further to that 30 months ago I had a catastrophic heart failure episode and major surgery. As soon as I was out of the Critical Cure unit and onto a general ward Tony was the first none family member to visit me, something he repeated and also a few telephone calls whilst in there. My run of medical episodes continued and 18 months ago I was again hospitalised again for two weeks with a chronic back problem. Probably no need for me to tell you now but yet again Tony gave up his time and came to Salford Royal to check on my well being and talk all things City. Tony's involvement with the Sierra Leone project are well publicised but acts of personal kindness go under the radar. Tony is with out doubt one of the most kind and generous people I ever met and the most human of human beings. His kind are indeed rare and he will be sorely missed by all who knew him. R.I.P. BIG FELLA and long may your legacy live on.
 
As a friend of Tony's it is heartwarming to read all the posts on what a great guy he was not just here but on many different sites and Facebook pages and from people of all walks of life as well as from all parts of the globe it is the the measure of the man that so many thought so highly of him and there are hundreds expected at the funeral again showing the regard with which he was held For me personally it is like losing a favourite family member

I am as I have said elsewhere proud to call Tony a friend but he was much much more than that as Alex has said the under the radar things that Tony undertook are too numerous to mention and I have also benefitted first hand from Tony and Liz's generosity and open house policy

Tony was a true gent a confidant , a dependable rock even at his own expense
No bigger example can be cited than his pet project Sierra Leone through his enthusiasm and dedication literally hundreds of
People got involved and raised thousands and thousands of pounds to make a difference out there you all know the story

I was fortunate enough to meet Tony through his generosity and lucky enough to get involved with the Sierra Leone project
Which launched a great friendship I have stayed at the Griffiths hotel many times and always felt welcome

Apart from our trip to Sierra Leone where we were room mates we have also done European road trips to away games
Attended all sorts of home and away games together as well as many functions Tony has visited our house in Spain at least twice the last time with the lovely Liz

I think this gives me enough insight into the man to be able to say believe me this is one one of the best if not the best
He will be sadly missed by hundreds but especially by Liz and the whole family and the Sierra Leone family

I could also get annoyed and play the why always the good guys card but I won't go there for today

I am simply going to miss this giant of a man a gentleman of the first order

Love you big guy R.I.P. Tony my mate. Always SL
 
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