Con Phillips & Paddy Daly

We have only recently heard of the deaths of two Southport players who passed away in 2020.

Cornelius Patrick Phillips died on 1^st April 2020. Con, as was known, was signed by Southport as nineteen years old outside right from Liverpool for the all-important 1957-58 season. He was one of three Liverpool footballers to live within seven doors of each other on Penrhyn Street – the others being former Southport Manager, Jimmy Melia, and Bobby Campbell.

Con was educated at St Anthony’s School and represented Liverpool and Lancashire County Schoolboys. He joined the Liverpool ground staff on leaving school turning professional in June 1955. He made his Central League debut against Barnsley Reserves on 18th October. He went on to make around twenty Central League appearances before being freed. He became Southport’s seventh close season signing for the all-important 1957-58 season.

Con scored a hat-trick on his Lancashire Combination debut against Chorley included two goals in the last ten minutes after he had been switched to centre-forward. He made his Football League debut the following Saturday at outside-left at home to Oldham Athletic. Indeed Con was a lucky mascot as he was not on the losing side in his first nine appearances for the club – three with the League side and six in the Reserves.

Con, a stockily built red headed winger scored twice in a 5-2 win over Chesterfield. He had a good run in the first team at centre-forward in the middle of the season. He possessed a powerful shot scoring 7 goals in 19 League appearances. On being released by Southport he signed for Witton Albion in the Cheshire County League. He was released from his contract in September 1958 after a job he had been promised failed to materialise. His football career effectively ended before his twenty-first birthday, although after a break of nine years he had a couple of seasons with a junior club, Cholmondeley.  Con continued to play works football until turned forty. He also ran an under 16 side which included his son, Neal and continued to follow Liverpool FC.

Con worked for an agricultural firm for twenty-eight years. He settled in Winsford with his wife Sybil and three children. He died in the Leighton Hospital aged eighty-one.

We have recently learned that Paddy Daly died in November 2020 aged 79.

Geoff and I got a shock when we went to visit Paddy Daly in his home in Burnage, Manchester around forty years ago.  We both remembered the diminutive Daly who was 5ft 5ins and 10st 2lbs in his playing days some twenty years earlier. We were greeted at the door by someone who was at least three stones heavier!

Patrick John Daly was born in Withington, Manchester on 5^th January 1941. He played for Manchester and Lancashire Schoolboys and was an England schoolboy trialist. He appeared to have a bright future when he was a member of the Blackburn Rovers FA Youth Cup winning team which defeated Bobby Moore’s West Ham in 1958. His opportunities at Ewood Park were limited to just three League appearances in four seasons. On 13^th October 1960 I saw him playing for the Rovers in a First Division game when he deputised for Ally McLeod although of course I did not realise the significance of it at the time.

Lem Newcomb signed Paddy in February 1962 as a possible replacement for Peter Harrison but despite an excellent debut against Chester when he laid on a goal for Johnny Fielding, he managed only ten Fourth Division appearances – four at inside left and six on the left wing. Released at the end of the season Paddy embarked on a tour of the Cheshire County League over the next six seasons. He had only a month with Hyde United before having his contract cancelled as he couldn’t get time off work in September 1962. He was signed by Runcorn following a trial and enjoyed two good two spells with Witton Albion as well and playing for Rhyl. He concluded his non-League career with a game for Altrincham in the Northern Premier League.  Paddy was a popular Manchester Black cab Driver for over thirty years.

MPB

With former players scattered all over the world we rely on any information anyone has on any of our players and appreciate any contacts we get.

Whilst it is always sad to hear of anyone who has passed away, we do appreciate being kept informed so we can keep our records up to date.