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| Patrick O'Connell |
Patrick Joseph O'Connell (1887-1959), also known as Paddy O'Connell was an Irish footballer and manager. He played as a defender, most notably, for Belfast Celtic, Sheffield Wednesday, Hull City and Manchester United. He has the distinction of being the first player from what is now the Republic of Ireland to play for Manchester United.
As an international, he captained Ireland and was a member of the team that won the 1914 British Home Championship. However, O'Connell is probably best remembered for managing several clubs in La Liga. In 1935 he led Real Betis to their first La Liga title and during the Spanish Civil War he took FC Barcelona on a tour of North America. Despite these successes, he died destitute in London in 1959.
More information: The Guardian
O'Connell was born in County Westmeath in 1887. However the O'Connell family moved to Dublin and young Patrick lived in Mabel Street, Drumcondra, not far from the modern site of Croke Park. From age 14 he worked at Boland's Mill. He also played junior football with several local Dublin clubs, including Frankfort, Stranville Rovers and Liffey Wanderers, before joining Belfast Celtic. In March 1909, together with left-back Peter Warren, he was transferred from Celtic to Sheffield Wednesday for a combined fee of £50.
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| Patrick O'Connell and Futbol Club Barcelona |
O'Connell's success with Real Betis attracted the interest of FC Barcelona who appointed him as successor to Franz Platko for the 1935–36 season.
With a squad that included Josep Escolà, Domènec Balmanya, Joan Josep Nogués and Enrique Fernández, O'Connell guided Barça to the Campionat de Catalunya and the Copa de España final. In the final they played Real Madrid and with Real leading 2–1, Escolà was denied a late equaliser after a spectacular save by Ricardo Zamora.
During the 1936–37 season La Liga was suspended because of the Spanish Civil War. However clubs in the Republican area of Spain competed in the Mediterranean League. In early 1937, FC Barcelona received an offer from a businessman, Manuel Mas Serrano, via one of their players, Josep Iborra. Serrano proposed that the club travel to play a series of exhibition matches in Mexico and the United States. According to the offer, the club would be paid $15,000 with all costs covered. An FC Barcelona party of 20 – 16 players plus O'Connell, Ángel Mur, Rossend Calvet, the club secretary and Modest Amorós, the club doctor. In Mexico they played against, among others, Club América, Atlante F.C., Necaxa and a Mexican XI. In the United States, they played against Brooklyn Hispano, Brooklyn St. Mary's Celtic and an American Soccer League XI. They finished the tour with a game against a Hebrew XI.
More information: Daily Mail
Due to the financial success of this tour, FC Barcelona cleared their debts and saved the club, however O'Connell returned to Spain with only four players after the others chose to go into exile in Mexico and France.
By the 1937–38 season the Republican area was reduced in size and a second Mediterranean League was impossible to organise. However a Lliga Catalana, featuring just Catalan teams, was organised. Despite a depleted squad, O'Connell and FC Barcelona won both the Lliga Catalana and the Campionat de Catalunya.
Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.
Joseph Chilton Pearce
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