Later in his life he served as a bodyguard, minder and manager to the Pet Shop Boys, appearing on albums and in music videos by the duo.
At the same time, he was influential in ensuring that the BNP – then trying to infiltrate football firms – failed to gain any foothold at Arsenal.
For the next eighteen years, he assisted the duo on tours and appeared in music videos, including "So Hard" and "Jealousy".
In 1997, Connell appeared as one of the subjects of Sam Taylor-Wood's piece Five Revolutionary Seconds XIII, after meeting whilst she was directing the Pet Shop Boys' residency at the Savoy Theatre.
His funeral was held at the Mary Magdalene Church in Holloway Road and was attended by 3,000 people, including Janet Street-Porter, former Arsenal players Ian Wright and Lee Dixon, comedians Matt Lucas and David Walliams, artist Sam Taylor-Wood and boxer Frank Bruno.