Penya Blaugrana London

Dear PBL members

The new PBL membership cards are now available!!!  

Please come to Bar&Co to collect your membership card!

This year we felt it was time to print higher quality cards.  It has taken a bit longer than usual to get them ready, but we are sure it has been worth the wait!

From now on, you will need to show your membership card to Bar&Co staff to get the 10% discount and gain free entrance at high interest matches.

Patrick O’Connell was FC Barcelona’s manager between 1935-1940 during the difficult Spanish Civil War years. He died penniless and destitute in London on 27 February 1959.

Penya Blaugrana London has joined the campaign organized by the Patrick O’Connell Memorial Fund to raise awareness and monies to restore his unmarked paupers grave in North London and build statues and/or busts at each of the clubs he played for and managed.

Johan Cruyff , Franz Beckenbauer, Martin O’Neill, Ronald Koeman, David Beckham and Luis Figo are just some of the football luminaries who have also expressed their support for the campaign.

One of football’s forgotten heroes, were he alive today, “Don Patricio’s” achievements would be unprecedented. The former Ireland and Manchester United captain who saved Barcelona from extinction, also guided Real Betis to their only La Liga title.

The Irishman moved to the Catalan capital as a result of his success in Andalusia and as Spain was edging closer to civil war, thus positioning himself firmly on the wrong side of Franco. With the political and economic situation worsening, Barcelona were struggling to stay afloat. They asked some of their foreign players, including the Uruguayan forward Enrique Fernández and Hungary’s Elemer Berkessy, not to return from holidays home. O’Connell was asked to stay and he agreed.

Many people incorrectly assume that because FC Barcelona is a Catalan club, most PBL members must be Catalans.  

In fact, Catalans only make up 38% of our membership, closely followed by 30% UK nationals and 22% from Rest of the World.  PBL is a very diverse and socially integrated fan club, and we are very proud of it!

Did you know that Penya Blaugrana London is not only the oldest official FC Barcelona penya outside of Spain, but also proudly the most multi-cultural penya?

Below the list of nationalities outside of Catalonia and Spain that make up Penya Blaugrana London.

To join Penya Blaugrana London, visit www.pblondon.org/join 

After many years in service, we have given the PBL badge a well-deserved full makeover with a cleaner and simpler look, official FCB colours and two stars. And in case you were wondering, each star represents a Champions League title won in London: 1992 and 2011.

No words can describe the sadness of losing such a fighter, inspirational figure and devoted family man. Cancer decided to rob his life and dream job at just 45. Today FC Barcelona has lost a much loved family member. Today, we all mourn.

Forever with us. 

RIP Tito.

Penya Blaugran London