RIP, Tommy.. you’ll never walk alone Rangers supporter barmaid launches pub fundraiser for Hoops-daft regular’s farewell
DRINKERS at a pub are raising cash to give a Scots regular a proper funeral.
Devoted Celtic fan Tommy McConnell, who was in his 70s, charmed staff and punters at the King Street Run pub in his adopted home of Cambridge.
And he enjoyed hours of banter with bar supervisor Rebecca McCoy, 25, a Rangers fan.
So when Tommy, who had no known family, died suddenly on July 31, his friends decided they wanted to give him a proper send-off.
Rebecca said yesterday: “This was a heartbreakingly sudden death of a lifelong Celtic fan.
“Tommy was originally from Glasgow, and was a regular at the pub. He was formerly homeless and had been living in a local hostel for the elderly homeless for 17 years.
“As a Celtic fan, he used to love coming into the pub proudly wearing his green and white scarf and calling me over to show me it as he knew that I am a Rangers fan.
“As you can imagine, we had a lot of fun trading banter on this and many other subjects.
“We all miss him very much and as he has no family that we know of, I and a colleague have set up a Just Giving page to raise money for his funeral.
“Without it, the council will provide a basic ceremony and we feel he deserves so much more. We want to give him the send-off he deserves.”
Tommy was such a regular in the pub that tourists would be introduced to him.
Rebecca added: “Tommy was such a great and gracious guy.
“Being a Rangers fan after the last few years has not been easy, and he would rib me about it. But he had such as nice way of doing it.
“He never said why he had moved to Cambridge all those years ago and he never spoke of family, so far as we know.
“We just want to make sure that Tommy is remembered with the love and affection everyone here at the pub felt for him, because he really was a legend.”
Kate Harrison, who has worked at the pub for 19 years, said: “He had his own little corner and my colleagues have put some flowers there.
“He was the loveliest chap and had the kindest heart.”
Many people took to social media to express their grief.
Cinnamon Francis-Burnett wrote: “Rest in peace Tommy, such a lovely guy.”
The Just Giving page was last night almost halfway to its £5000 target with donations from 106 supporters.