It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of well known Ormskirk League player Phil Duffy.
Phil, who has been ill for some time, was quizzing until very recently as a member of current Division 1 champions Unison. He joined the Ormskirk League when his team moved from the Warrington League, having previously played in the Liverpool League. Under the guises of Carr Mill, Top Nogs and Unison they were never out of the top two, winning the title on four occasions.
Phil won the MIMIR Trophy in 2004, having won it previously in 1997. He was a regular in the Ormskirk final, winning in 2008.
He also represented Ormskirk in the Presidents' Trophy on many occasions contributing much to the Ormskirk success in recent years.
A willing traveller around the country to take part in quizzes, he appeared on many TV and radio shows, including winning ITV's 'The Chase' shown below.
A nice man and a superb quizzer, he will be sorely missed.
A tribute to Phil:-
Sad news to relate, multiple-time winner of the Merseyside Quiz Leagues' MIMIR individual contest Phil Duffy passed away yesterday (Sunday 16 September) after a 10 month fight with cancer.
Phil exits this world far too early and leaves behind him a family as well as friends in the quizzing and football world. As good a quizzer as he was, his love of football and commitment to local youth teams meant he was never able to attend anything like the number of quiz events he'd have liked to. He did however compete in the World Championships a couple of times - including the very first one at Vila Park - and twice attended the Rainhill GP (2009 and 2011); on the first of those occasions his brother Peter attended also, tying with him in the individual contest!
Like myself, Phil was a former civil servant with the DHSS/DSS/DWP in its many incarnations and I had the 'misfortune' to face him and his team many times in HASSRA (sports & social association) events quizzes. Returning from one of these contests in West London I gave him a lift to Villa Park, for the very first World Quizzing Championships. I can well remember him chatting about some of the other Merseysiders who would be competing that day and his warm praise for the quizzing ability of his mate, Alan Gibbs.
Phil was a popular, likeable guy, always pre-disposed to smiling and enjoying a laugh with friends. He will be sorely missed by so many people!
Our sincere condolences to his family and friends.
R.I.P. Phil
Chris Jones
Director, Quizzing Ltd., BQA and iQa