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Eddie Large, comedian and Man City bench regular, has died

The comedian Eddie Large has died because of coronavirus at the age of 78.  Born Hugh McGinnis i...
Richie McCormack
Richie McCormack

15.47 2 Apr 2020


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Eddie Large, comedian and Man...

Eddie Large, comedian and Man City bench regular, has died

Richie McCormack
Richie McCormack

15.47 2 Apr 2020


Share this article


The comedian Eddie Large has died because of coronavirus at the age of 78. 

Born Hugh McGinnis in Glasgow, he would grow up in Manchester's Moss Side.

Large was one half of comedy duo Little & Large along with Syd Little, and they were mainstays of British television in the 1970s and 80s.

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More than that - Large was a Manchester City fanatic.

Indeed, it was the Premier League giants who were among the first to pay tribute when news of his passing broke, saying "our thoughts are with Eddie's friends and family at this difficult time.

Large was so beloved at City that when John Bond took over at Maine Road in 1980, the comedian was regularly invited to sit on the bench during games.

Such was his status as a 'lucky mascot' at the club in those days, Large even made the bench at Wembley for City's FA Cup final date with Tottenham in 1981. City would lose the replay in a game Large watched in Spain.

"He loved having me on the bench", said Large of his connection with Bond.

But at the 1981 semi-final with Ipswich Town, Large nearly came a cropper, telling ManCity.com, "You go to Villa Park and it's like a dug-out with a concrete roof.

"So you're sat down like this [hunkered down], and of course when Paul Power scored that free kick in extra-time... BASH! [hits head on roof], and Rob Elliott the physio had to give me smelling salts."

But it's a recollection from (former City midfielder) Paul Lake's autobiography I'm Not Really Here that encapsulates just how woven Large was into City's fabric.

In May of 1989, City were at home to Bournemouth and looking to seal promotion back to the old First Division.

By half-time at Maine Road, City were 3-0 up and not only about to gain promotion, but according to Lake the squad were "promised us an immediate no-expense spared holiday abroad if we were to secure the three points".

Manager Mel Machin warned against complacency, but as Lake recounts:

"From the direction of Roy Bailey’s physio room toddled Eddie Large, the Mancunian funny man and City fanatic who, in those days was a huge primetime TV star with his weekly sidekick ‘supersonic’ Syd Little.
What followed was the most surreal half time team talk I’ve ever experienced.
Eddie wearing a shiny grey showbiz suit with rolled up sleeves, proceeded to dole out individual advice to each of the players using his well known repetoire of celebrity impersonations.
So Deputy Dawg ordered me to keep tight in defence; Frank Carson told Nelly to use the width and pace of Whitey; Cliff Richard advised Trevor Morley to shoot on sight; Harold Wilson told Bob [Ian] Brightwell to keep it simple and Benny from Crossroads told Andy Dibble to stay awake.
If only the cat had heeded Benny’s advice. He conceded three goals in the 2nd half (no thanks to a defensive horror show in the final ten minutes, and a Bournemouth midfielder by the name of Ian Bishop running rings round us) and the sure fire win that we’d assumed at the interval finished up as a sorry score draw. Mel’s mystifying decision to take off in form Paul Moulden at the interval probably hadn’t help matters, but we were all to blame for a pathetic 2nd half display.
After the match we sat in the changing room dumbstruck, half expecting Eddie Large to com back in and do his Oliver Hardy Impression.
“Well Boys, that’s another fine mess you’ve got yourselves into…?”"

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1981 FA Cup Final Eddie Large John Bond Maine Road Manchester City Mel Machin Syd Little

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