FITZY – THE STORY OF MY LIFE

Tony Fitzpatrick’s life is more than just a football story.

Sure, there are plenty hilarious tales from the dressing room and behind-the-scenes boardroom battles.

But behind the football banter and bust-ups, there’s an amazing story of being brought up in one of the poorest and most violent areas of Glasgow and how he used his football skills to escape that life.

While at the top of his football career, tragedy struck when his six-year-old son, Tony Jr. died after cancer struck down the young boy. And on the day of his funeral, callous thieves ransacked the family home stealing anything and everything they could load on to a furniture van.

Sir Alex Ferguson, in only his second managerial job, made the teenage Tony Fitzpatrick the captain of St Mirren FC.

But not before Tony’s dad had to phone Fergie pretending to be the family doctor assuring him the young footballer was fit enough to play after suffering pleurisy!

Tony not only won a league title and a Scottish Cup medal with St Mirren, he also had two spells as manager and now he’s the club’s chief executive.

Tony lost a fortune after he put money into Livingston FC and the club went into administration.

But he bounced back and as part of a groundbreaking police initiative, worked with some of the most violent young men in Glasgow’s gangs encouraging them to give up the blade and the gun.

This is a must-read heart-warming story of personal triumph over adversity.