The incredible story of Patrick O’Connell: the Man Utd player who led Real Betis to La Liga glory

“He really should be famous,” said Fergus Dowd, of the Patrick O’Connell Memorial Fund, when he spoke to our matchday programme, United Review, five years ago.

 

O’Connell signed for United from Hull in May 1914, for a then-huge fee of £1,000. The First World War would limit his Reds career to just 35 appearances, but he also excelled at international level, where he skippered a pre-independence Ireland side to the 1914 British Home Championship.

 

When his playing career ended in 1922, O’Connell was recommended for the job of Racing Santander manager. 

 

Thus began an incredible voyage through Spanish football, which would see Patrick take the reins at Real Oviedo before driving Real Betis to their only La Liga title in 1935.