It was very sad to hear the recent news that Pat Kerrins is deceased. My 1950’s childhood hero. The goalscoring winger with the quasi Teddy Boy haircut, has passed away.
Yes, he made an early impression on me in my very first season of supporting the R’s in the 1957/58 Division 3 South campaign.
You will note that on the Independent R’s website and certain other QPR Supporters Groups message boards that I have taken the user name of ‘Kerrins’ as a tribute to his talent in that long-ago era.
Pat Kerrins served Rangers well. During his period at Loftus Road from 1953 to 1960 he played 158 first team games and scored 31 goals.
Although in that 1957/58 season we had good defenders and goalkeeper, unfortunately our forwards (Pat obviously excluded here), mostly did not meet the same standard.
In an attempt to improve the cutting edge and thrust of the forward-line in the 1958/59 season, Pat had a number of games in our problem centre-forward position, but alas this short-lived experiment proved a failure and was unsuitable to Pat’s style of play. I recall at the time I never did think that plan would work anyway.
Following Pat Kerrins’ departure from Loftus Road in 1960, he subsequently had a brief spell with Crystal Palace and went on to end his Football League days with Southend United in 1961.
Thanks for the memories Pat. Rest in Peace.
Bernard Lambert (Kerrins)
Pat was born in Fulham on 13th September 1936.
He progressed through the QPR Juniors and went on to sign professional forms in December 1953.
Pat made his first team debut as a 17-year-old at Exeter on 13thFebruary 1954. It was recorded that: ‘Albert Pounder received a kick on the calf, while Pat Kerrins, who had a very good game first-half, was beginning to feel the strain of the exceptionally heavy ground.’
In March 1955, it was noted in a match programme that Pat couldn’t get leave from the Army to play in the Leyton Orient game, so Mike Tomkys replaced him.
He went to make 158 appearances for the R’s and scored 31 goals. Pat was transferred to Crystal Palace in June 1960 and later played for Southend United and Romford.
I remember Pat being inducted into the ‘Forever R’s Club’ in 2017.
Patrick Michael Kerrins – May he Rest in Peace.
Steve Russell
Ahh Another local talent squandered by Manager Jack Taylor who preferred to bring his prospects down from the North. I remember a cup-tie against Hereford , I think, in which Ron Springett got injured and taken off with Pat Kerrins replacing him in goal.. We lost 6-1 !!
Yes Brian. Pat had to go in goal and face the music! We would never have lost that game away against non league Hereford had Ron Springett not gone off injured. No subs back then!