One-eyed Baz - The Story Of Barrington 'zulu' Patterson, One Of Britain's Deadliest Men

by Barrington Patterson, Cass Pennant

Barrington 'Zulu' Patterson is not a man to mess with. Blinded in one eye by a childhood incident, 'One-eyed Baz' grew up on the tough back streets of Birmingham while his father served as eight-year prison sentence. He could have become a victim, but instead he became a fighter. In his turbulent teenage years, Baz adopted a criminal lifestyle. There were the tense early 1980s, when friction between police forces and ethnic communities often exploded. So it was in Birmingham, where Baz and other members of the black community took a stand that resulted in the Handsworth riots. A child of his time, he also became a leading figure in Birmingham City FC's Zulu Warriors--then the only hooligan 'firm' with a very visible black contingent. As well as fighting with hardcore rival fans, his love of a pound note led him to ambushing some of his adversaries--before he became a club doorman and began to be paid legitimately for his physical fearsomeness. But for all his ferocious reputation, One-Eyed Baz reveals a character of great warmth and loyalty, a charismatic figure strong enough to turn his back on street violence and embrace the combat sport of cage fighting.

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Paul Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

A man who's actually more than just a heavy handed lump at football from the Midlands... He's one in a cage too!
Quite enjoyed it. Speaking about his family life and his lad character too.

[Duncan Campbell-Cave · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was bought for me as I am, like Baz, a Blues fan. I was intrigued by what I would read...and i was disappointed. The book is badly written and full of contradictions.

[Tony Hatwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 4* purely because I met him when I got the book and he's a top man.