Biography
Fionan “Paddy” Fagan, the Dublin-born son of Irish international John Fagan, cut his teeth as a young footballer at Dublin bus company works side Transport FC. In the late 1940s Transport competed in the League of Ireland and won the FAI Cup in 1950, beating Cork Athletic in a second replay. In March 1951 Hull City manager Raich Carter travelled to Dublin to secure Fagan’s signing, such was the promise shown by the wiry outside left. Paddy debuted for City in September 1951, shortly after Carter had resigned from the manager’s post, and played occasionally during the rest of the 1951/52 season. His appearances were similarly sporadic in the 1952/53 season as Fagan failed to dislodge City’s regular outside left Eddie Burbanks, though he did score his first Tigers goal in a December 1952 victory over Notts County. In the 1953/54 season Fagan again began the season on the sidelines but by mid-September 1953 he had forced way into the first team and scored his second City goal against Brentford. A run of nine starts in 11 games meant Fagan was now coming to prominence and his form was attracting the attention of First Division clubs. He left City in December 1953.
On Christmas Eve 1953 Manchester City paid £3,500 for Fagan’s services. He immediately slotted into the Sky Blues’ first team on Boxing Day and made a handful of further appearances that season. The 1954/55 season was Paddy’s most successful at Manchester City, he started 42 League and Cup games, scored eleven goals and played in the FA Cup Final (which was lost 3-1 to Newcastle United). He played less often in the 1955/56 season and missed the 1956 FA Cup Final that Manchester City won – the “Trautmann Final”. Fagan was restored as a first team regular for the next three seasons and he again hit a double figures goal haul in the 1956/57 season. When his time at Maine Road came to an end in March 1960 Fagan had established himself as a valued and loyal member of the Manchester City squad who scored 35 goals in 165 appearances.
In March 1960 Fagan joined Derby County for an £7,000 fee and in the next season and a bit he scored six goals from 24 starts for the Rams. In June 1961 he returned to the North West to become player-manager at Cheshire League side Altrincham FC. He scored fifteen goals for Altrincham in his first season but stepped down from the manager’s post in the 1962 close season to be replaced by Charlie Mitten. Fagan stayed on in a playing capacity for one more season before seeing out his playing career at Northwich Victoria, Mossley and Ashton United. When his playing days ended Paddy retrained as a driving instructor, a job that saw him through to retirement. Fagan helped set up the Manchester City Former Players Association in the 1990s. He died in Manchester in November 2014.
Fagan was an Ireland international who won eight caps between November 1954, his debut against Norway, and May 1961, his last cap against Scotland. Seven of Fagan’s eight caps were won between November 1959 and May 1961, a period during which he scored five international goals in four consecutive appearances – a May 1960 winner against West Germany and further strikes against Sweden a week later, a brace against Wales in September 1960 and a fifth and final goal in November 1960 against Norway.
Details
Nationality: Ireland
Date/Place of Birth: 7 June 1930, Dublin
Hull City First Game: 22 September 1951, Bury A (Division Two), 21 years, 107 days old
Hull City Final Game: 21 November 1953, Fulham A (Division Two), 23 years, 167 days old
Clubs
Transport FC, Hull City (1951-1953), Manchester City (1953-1960), Derby County (1960-1961), Altrincham (1961-1963), Northwich Victoria (1963), Mossley (1963-1964), Ashton United (1964-1966)
Hull City Record
Career: 26 apps, 2 goals
Paddy Fagan| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950/51 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1951/52 | 6 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1952/53 | 8 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1953/54 | 12 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |