Friends and fellow Arsenal fans have been paying tribute to a “one of a kind” supporter who was a legend among those that knew him.
Danny Bailey, 39, from Hatfield died on Friday July 30 after a two week battle with Covid-19 after he picked up the virus while watching England in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley.
But according to those that knew him best, he wouldn’t have done things any other way.
My London spoke to Mike Televantou, 32, a good friend of Danny’s who first met him in 2011 while supporting Arsenal, he said: “Danny for me was one of a kind, I’ve got lots of friends at football, but no-one was quite like Danny, it’s quite hard to put into words, he was just a very unique personality.
“He was someone you’d recognise from a mile off and as soon as he sees you, even if it’s from a mile off, he’ll shout your name at the top of his lungs no matter where you are, whether it’s in a train station, pub, or library.”
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Danny was hugely popular and loved by his fellow Arsenal fans, including his good friend Mike (left of the group wearing yellow)
He continued: “He was just a big, big personality. No-one could really replicate what he was about or the passion he had for life.
“He was one of those people who everyone knew, who everyone bumped into and had a story about.
“I always knew he was popular but I don’t think I fully realised the extent until after he passed when all the comments and posts were coming in.”
Perhaps the secret to Danny’s popularity was his fun loving nature though, as Mike explained: “He wasn’t the most complicated guy, he just wanted to have fun.
“He enjoyed doing silly things and was always up for a laugh and a joke, even just making silly faces and dressing up.
“He did what he wanted to do and didn’t worry what other people thought.”
A genuine guy with a passion for life
Danny was a big animal lover and enjoyed visiting as many zoos as he could
As well as football Danny had a real passion for animals which he pursued all over Europe.
Mike said: “He loved animals and going to zoos on away days, he used to sometimes get stick for going to these zoos by himself but he didn’t care because it was something he really wanted to do and he enjoyed doing it.
“He was just a very genuine guy, what you see is what you get.”
Danny’s will to follow his own road led to some eccentricities and some of Mike’s best memories of Danny came from his stubbornness to do what he wanted: ” We went to all the cup finals together, spent so much time on trains and on journeys, there were a couple of silly things that he would do.
“H e had this thing where he’d try and anticipate where and when games would be before they were announced so if Arsenal got drawn in the champions league he’d try to anticipate that before anyone knew.
“We’d tell him ‘Danny, don’t book the flights, you’re gonna end up wasting your money’ and it would always end up the flights were after the kick-off or whatever.”
” He liked to think he was a bit of a master of travel,” Mike added with a grin. “But it was all part of a laugh, he just did what he did.”
Danny’s passion for life came after experiencing kidney problems as a teenager, receiving a transplant that gave him a new lease on life.
Danny loved a pink hat and could be seen wearing one often, simply because he thought it was funny and wanted people to laugh with him
Mike explained: “After the transplant I think from his point of view he was always on borrowed time, everything was a bonus, so he lived life to the max.
“You can kind of see that, he did take a risk going to Wembley (for the Euros final), he was fully vaccinated but after the transplant he had to be on immuno-suppressants and it makes you vulnerable.
“But you could never persuade Danny not to do something he wanted to do, there were no regrets for him.”
Mike has set up a fundraiser to help Danny’s family cover funeral costs which has already exceeded its £10,000 target in just one week.
Danny’s family have decided the excess money raised will be donated to the Lister Hospital Renal Unit who saved Danny’s life on multiple occasions as well as carrying out his transplant.
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Friends of Danny have also been leaving touching tributes, one reading: “I hope you knew how many people loved you.”
In a word of warning for others Mike added: “I would say for me personally, be aware there’s still a risk with Covid, it’s not gone away despite things opening up.
“Be careful and take precautions because I wouldn’t want anyone to go through what we’ve been through in the last week, it’s been horrible.
“He was taken too early, a good friend and a big personality, you don’t want to lose people like that in your life.”
Have you lost someone and would like to pay tribute to them? If so, email [email protected]
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