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Former Hammers boss on mercy mission

I’ve always remembered Lou Macari for one special reason – he gave us the great midfielder Ian Bishop.

The former Hammers boss had a short and undistinguished career with us joining in July 89 before parting company with the club eight months layter.

To his credit he also gave us Ludo Miklosko and Trevor Morley – great signings – but being knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by Torquay was one of our most miserable memories.

Life could hardly be more different for the Scot these days the driving force  behind the Macari Centre, a shelter for rough sleepers situated in Hanley near Stoke-on-Trent that he founded just over five years ago.

The 1977 FA Cup winner has fitted out a warehouse in Stoke-on-Trent with 48 ‘pods’ for homeless people. Each of the pods is fitted with a brand new TV, secured from the League Managers Association after Macari issued an SOS to its chief executive.

He has also had support from food firms like Sainsbury’s and Greggs in his quest to use the centre to offer a fresh start in life to the people who need shelter.

Commenting in https://sortedmag.com/ he explained: ‘The LMA has donated 48 televisions, so everyone’s got an LG television for themselves, We bought 40 pods .

 It’s more or less a little house of their own, that’s probably the best way to describe it. For the 48 people we’ve got, it’s probably the first time in their lives that they’ve had something of their own.

‘They’ve come to the Macari [Centre] from a background of probably always being on the streets and never really having anything. So for once now they’ve got their own little place to look after to keep nice and tidy, to keep clean.

We hope to improve and try to keep improving the lives that they’re leading. I do think the individual buildings [they’ve got] gives them a good start. It’s that independence that they need.

 ‘They’re a good bunch who need help, and anybody’s help – whether it’s mine or it’s the council, whether it’s the people providing food.’

 

 

About Hugh5outhon1895

Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!" Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

9 comments on “Former Hammers boss on mercy mission

  1. Macaroni is doing a great job of helping humanity , good in him . Does he have a website or a way to donate Hugh . Do you remember Bishops hair , he was like an advert for a hair salon 😂. He was a fantastic player for us , even with the flowing locks lol ⚒

  2. Seem to think he picked up Martin Allen as well from memory.
    I always wonder how he would have done over the long term, from memory he left under a cloud.

    Good for him for the role he’s doing.

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