EX football hooligan Barrington Patterson has died of a heart attack aged 56.
The community activist turned around his life from 1980s thuggery to charity work, helping to combat homelessness and knife crime.
Patterson has died at the age of 56 Credit: BPM Media
One Eyed Baz was a kickboxer in fights around the world Credit: Getty Tributes called him big-hearted, a good friend and an inspirational bloke.
He set up Birmingham’s Homeless Support team with wife Tracey after he saw a school friend sleeping rough on the streets.
And his final tweet last week before he died was a video sharing some of the community work for his Knives Down Gloves Up campaign.
Barrington, nicknamed One Eyed Baz after being blinded in his left eye when his sister threw a can at him as a youngster, also competed in kickboxing fights across the world.
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Ajax star Onana ‘in car crash’ on way to Cameroon’s World Cup playoff And he worked as a mentor, film actor and wrote a best-selling autobiography in 2013.
He rose to fame when he featured in the 2006 TV documentary The Real Football Factories and appeared in Danny Dyer’s Deadliest Men.
EastEnders actor Dyer, 44, described him as one of the most intimidating men he had ever met.
In 2014 he starred as himself in crime film The Guvnors, which was about a gangland warfare spanning two generations of families.
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Fellow former football hooligan Cass Pennant, 64, who was involved in producing the film, said: “I have lost my good friend and big-hearted Zulu warrior Barrington Patterson aka Baz.
“A life to celebrate but right now my heart weeps for his loved ones.”
Former professional boxer Frank Bruno, 60, wrote: “I am in shock. Thoughts with Tracy and family.”
Barrington died this morning after a heart attack at around 6am. Tracey wrote: “Paramedics worked for over an hour to save him. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be. Our hearts are broken.”
Birmingham City FC, which he supported, wrote: “The Club are saddened to learn of the passing of lifelong Bluenose, Barrington Patterson.
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Russia says 10K killed in Ukraine as pro-Kremlin paper reveals cost of war “All of our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time. May you rest in peace, Baz.”
Barrington grew up on tough streets in Handsworth, West Midlands, and led a lifestyle of crime as a young man with an addiction to violence.
Barry and guests at the Premiere of The Guvnors Credit: Getty
One-eyed Baz was a Birmingham City FC fan Credit: Alamy
He turned his life around from football hooliganism to charity work, helping to tackle homelessness and knife crime Credit: Alamy Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
