Ex-football hooligan One Eyed Baz who became community hero dies of heart attack

Barrington Patterson, known to many as the One Eyed Baz, died today of a heart attack at the age of just 56, revealed his devastated wife.

A once-feared football hooligan and member of the notorious Zulu gang, who turned his life around to become a film star, mentor and dedicated charity worker, has died.

Barrington Patterson, known to many as One Eyed Baz, died of a heart attack, his devastated wife revealed.

The 56-year-old was a huge Birmingham City FC fan and the club pays tribute to the man who later worked across the Midlands to fight homelessness and knife crime.

The club tweeted: [We] are sad to learn about the past of lifelong Bluenose, Barrington Patterson.

“All our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time. Can you rest in peace, Baz.”

His engaged wife Tracey has revealed that her husband died with a message on social media that saw homage.

She tweeted: “This morning at 6am my dear husband had a massive heart attack.

“Paramedics worked for over an hour to save him. Unfortunately, it was not to be that our hearts were broken.”

West Midlands Ambulance Service Operations Commander Taff Duggan said: “Oh no, I’m so sorry to see this.

“Such a Lord always a joy to see him. Send my best for you and your family.”

Barrington revealed last year when he was left “absolutely devastated” by Covid-19.

He wrote on Twitter: “I thought I would take precautionary measures against Covid while I was working and putting down food parcels.

“Squirting the van, cleaning my hands, distancing myself socially, I still brought Covid home.

“I thought to myself, ‘I’m not coming from this home,’ while I was blue-lighted on the QE.”

He added: “It’s true that I had covid and sepsis. I’m fit and active and it totally destroyed me.”

His shocking death, just days after he posted details of his anti-knife crime work on Twitter, came after a traumatic last four years for the couple, with Tracey subject to troll abuse, Birmingham Live reported.

Barrington’s flashy last tweet showed him that he was campaigning for a better Birmingham by the end.

Last week, he posted, “A bit of what I did, I hope our work in the community will make a difference #knivesdownglovesup.”

He added: “I came to Longdon Hall School to talk to children about gangs, violence, behavior at school and everything.

“Some of the kids are fine, man.

“I was hit by one or two of the kids.

“I hope they see sense and I hope they take what they learn today.”