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Here's to you Rory Patterson

Following Rory Patterson’s departure from FC United of Manchester, the official website would like to pay tribute to the man with no name who’s stylish, no-nonsense, maverick performances over the last three years have come to epitomise exactly what our club is all about.

Few players can lay claim to making a literally instant impact with their team’s supporters but that’s exactly what Rory did, even if was somewhat accidentally. The young Irishman made his first appearance for FC United during the club’s third ever game in a friendly against Stalybridge Celtic as a substitute with no number on the back of his shirt.

Due to his numeral evasion the crowd quickly dubbed him Mr Mystery, which in turn became ’The man with no name’. God knows why, he had a name, just not a number but it made sense at the time and besides name rhymes with game, making it a lot easier to get it in a chant. A chant which of course went on to become that chant, the one still being sung by the FC United faithful three seasons later and possibly forevermore.

That introduction was the sign of things to come as Patterson created almost infinite magical moments during his time at the club. As the song goes (more or less); he kicked off and scored, he got sent off after being substituted, he went in goal when Sam Ashton was injured at Newcastle Town, he cockily stood on the ball at Colne and Newcastle Blue Star and he generally just kicked off if anything stood in the way of an FC United victory.

There’s no need to mourn his decision to move on, as a wise man said ’tomorrow’s heroes are being born today’ but as a final homage we’ve decided to celebrate just three of Rory’s highlights with links provided so you can watch them once again.

He kicks off and scores
Whilst waiting to kick-off following a goal by Silsden, Rory sees the goalkeeper off his line and decides to shoot (and score!) from the halfway line. The Irishman at his incredibly audacious best:
click to view

Wonder strike
Congleton take a 3-2 lead in the Challenge Cup semi-final and with FC United down to ten men they look like they could go crashing out. Rory has other ideas though and his strike propels the Reds onto a 4-3 victory and their first ever cup final, which they win to complete a league and cup double:
click to view

FA Cup euphoria
With FC United trailing in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup to UniBond Premier favourites Fleetwood Town, Rory does what he does best sending the travelling army of supporters in to raptures:
click to view

With thanks to the supporters who filmed the goals.

FCUM.



First Posted ~ 21:15 Thu 19 Jun 2008
News ID ~ 1687
Last Updated ~ 01:52 Tue 16 Feb 2021