Patrick Christopher Ratcliffe (born 31 December 1919 – died March 1986) was an Irish footballer who played as a full back. His career as a professional started later than most because of the Second World War. He was injured in combat while serving for the

Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

and spent two years in a Prisoner-of-war camp before returning home."Paddy Ratcliffe"
Greens on Screen. Retrieved 25 June 2010. After hostilities had ceased, he briefly played for

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in his homeland before moving to England to join Notts County, and moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers less than one year later. Ratcliffe made two league appearances in the 1946–47 season before joining

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, where he would eventually finish his career. A cultured, attacking full back, who was also a capable penalty taker, he made 246 appearances in all competitions for the Pilgrims between 1947 and 1955, scoring ten goals, before retiring from the professional game at the age of 35. After leaving English football Paddy and his family decided to move to the United States. Paddy had married a Dublin woman named Olive Privett in 1946 and they set off for a new life in Los Angeles in 1957. They moved to the Lawndale area of Los Angeles with their four children (two girls and two boys) and Paddy began a career in the printing business, becoming print foreman of Palos Verdes newspapers and occasionally penning articles in its pages about football. Paddy also continued playing for a Los Angeles Danish side well after his 40th birthday, only hanging up his boots in 1962. He was also involved in coaching young American talent in football."A Bohemian Sporting Life"
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ratcliffe, Paddy 1919 births League of Ireland players Republic of Ireland men's association footballers Men's association football fullbacks Bohemian F.C. players Notts County F.C. players Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players Plymouth Argyle F.C. players English Football League players Year of death missing Association footballers from County Dublin