The daughter of a well known Liverpool doorman who died earlier this week has remembered her dad as a "legend".
John Brum , who worked on the doors of some of the city's most famous clubs over the years, died on Tuesday aged 76. Now Melanie Gill has spoken to the ECHO about what it was like growing up as the daughter of the city's leading doorman. Melanie told the ECHO that she remembered her dad as a "fun loving joker" rather than an imposing hardman.
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She said: "My dad filled our lives with fun and laughter. And I think his ability to win people over helped a lot in the clubs over the years."
Mr Brum became one of the city's most well known doorman from the 70s through to the early 90s. He was first nicknamed 'Brummie' when he arrived in 60s Liverpool due to his Birmingham accent, and the nickname stuck - although John's real name was Gill, he took on the name Brum.
Mr Brum became synonymous with the Coconut Grove nightclub in Tuebrook during its heyday in the 1980s. He later ran the Pen and Wig in Liverpool city centre and worked on the door at Ferraris in Huyton.
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Melanie said: "My dad was such a nice guy. He used his personality to Teen stabbed 18-year-old love rival Eddie O'Rourke to death outside birthday party . He was not confrontational and used his charm to calm people down."
But Melanie also said that despite her dad's genial nature, there were Family dog slashed by masked men in terrifying knife raid on home
She said: "I remember someone pulled a gun on him once, which was obviously serious. And he was bitten badly by a dog in the face while working at Mr Smith's in Warrington.
Dad developed a blood clot after a woman kicked him in the leg and spent months recovering."
Melanie said that she remembered being ushered to the front of the queue when she started going out in Liverpool city centre with friends. She said: "Yes a lot of the doorman in town knew who I was and would send me to the front. It was a mark of respect toward my dad, who was so well known."
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Melanie said that she remembered her dad as a nightclub manager rather than a bouncer. She said: "Although he looked after the door he ran the Coconut Grove and looked after all the day to day running of the club."
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She said that her dad was a massive Liverpool FC fan, and remembers they had a very special guest at their home during the 1980s. She said: "When Jan Molby signed for Liverpool he came to live with us for around nine months. He was such a lovely person and was like an older brother to me. We used to say that Jan got his Liverpool accent from his time with us in Childwall."
Melanie explained that as her dad was heavily involved with Liverpool during the 80s, he tried to make sure the players did not get into trouble. She said: "He organised so many parties for the players and obviously made sure nothing happened when they were socialising with friends and family. He was kind of a fixer and was very close to big names like Ian Rush, John Barnes and Kenny Dalglish. I often came down in the morning and one of the players would be on the sofa in the front room."
Melanie also said that her dad was big fundraiser for local charities. She said: "He was always raising cash for good causes and organising fundraising events. I remember after the Hillsborough disaster he gathered all the city's doormen in the city centre and got them to pull a bus with a rope to raise some cash. I still have a video of that day. But that was my dad down to a tee."
Mr Brum loved the USA. Melanie said: "We used to go on holiday all the time, and at one point we lived in San Diego for a year. Dad worked for a shipping company." The family later returned to Liverpool.
Mr Brum separated from Melanie's mum and started a life with a new partner. He moved to the Isle of Skye in the 90s after stepping down from the Liverpool doorscene.
She said: "Dad started a new chapter of his life in Skye as a salmon breeder. All the locals knew him as 'Big John.' Dad always said he wanted three funerals because he such a legend, so we will give him what he asked for.
We have a service in Skye, one in Inverness and another in Liverpool."
Melanie told the ECHO that her dad been very supportive over recent years. She said: "My mum had cancer and then I was diagnosed. Dad spent a lot of time back in Liverpool with us.
I was always his princess and he will always be a legend to me."
Mr Brum had suffered from poor health over recent years. His family told the ECHO that he suffered a suspected heart attack on Tuesday and died at home.
