Bristol City Fan Dies From Injuries Trying To Put Up Union Flag on Lamppost

A prominent figure in the South Bristol community has died after falling from a lamppost while attempting to hang a Union flag, an act that friends say was emblematic of his passionate, and often controversial, advocacy for patriotism.

Paul Lumber, 60, suffered serious head injuries in the fall on 23 November and was placed in an induced coma, but he succumbed to his injuries earlier this month, leaving behind a complex legacy as a football cultural historian and a local character.

From Football Casual to Author

Lumber was known for being a lifelong fan of the Bristol City football club. He was also a member of the City Service Firm and a published author, having written books about football casuals during the 1980s. The 'casual' subculture, which emerged in the late 1970s, was characterised by an obsession with designer clothing and organised hooliganism.

Lumber was also a painter and decorator.

His debut publication, a memoir titled It All Kicked Off in Bristol, featured a photo of him on the cover standing in the doorway of the Three Lions pub. The memoir chronicled his experiences as a football casual during the 1970s and 1980s and his departure from the culture. The book became an influential title amidst the modern literary movement on the subject.

His time as a football casual led to the wide belief that he was among the first people to be issued a football banning order upon its introduction. Lumber is also believed to have served multiple prison sentences during his youth due to football-related violence.

The Legacy of Football Banning Orders

Lumber's notoriety in the casual scene led to the widespread belief that he was among the first individuals to be issued a football banning order upon its introduction in 1989. These civil orders were designed to prevent known troublemakers from attending matches. Additionally, they were a key component of the government's crackdown on hooliganism following the Heysel and Hillsborough disasters.

While it remains unconfirmed whether he was the first, his name is synonymous with that era of enforcement. Lumber is also believed to have served multiple prison sentences during his youth due to football-related violence.

The 'Raise the Colours' Campaign

In October, Lumber started a fundraising campaign to raise money for more flags and was among the residents in South Bristol who would spend time putting up Union and St George flags on lampposts. Lumber's online fundraiser was full of donations from people who supported the 'Raise the Colours' campaign for unity and patriotism. Such campaigns have become increasingly common in post-Brexit Britain, often seen as a grassroots expression of national pride, though they are sometimes criticised for fostering a divisive brand of nationalism.

Lumber's campaign has raised over £1,000 ($1,300) so far.

Friends Reactions to His Death

Following Lumber's fall, his close friends have set up an online fundraiser for him and his family. They were able to raise £5,000 ($6,700).

'He was widely regarded as one of the area's most colourful and recognisable characters,' a close friend of Lumber's stated. 'A painter and decorator by trade, Mr Lumber was a lifelong Bristol City and England supporter who followed both club and country with unwavering devotion.'

'Friends described him as a man whose world revolved around those he loved,' the friend added.

'All his stories' situations were unique and unbelievable, and if in a trench in a situation, you wanted Paul to be shoulder-to-shoulder with you–that was Paul,' said Paul Donnelly, a landlord of the Three Lions pub in Bedminster, who claimed to have grown up with Lumber. 'But of all his achievements, marrying Michele was his biggest achievement. It was a wonderful day celebrating the good, the bad, the ugly, but most importantly, the best people.'