Action Promotions

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In the 1970s professional wrestling came to the forefront of interests for Mancunian Harold Weller and in 1978 he formed Action Promotions. Action Promotions were the north western arm of the British Wrestling Alliance, an innovative grouping who organised their own championship contests and only those champions were recognised in the halls of their dozen or so members. Championships were contested not just for the men, but for the ladies, tag teams and mixed tag teams which featured on their bills. It was the ladies of the ring that brought the BWA to national attention, and Action Promotions specialised in female wrestling.

Action Promotions presented wrestling at large social clubs, sports halls, Belle Vue’s Cumberland Suite. even open air venues, for example Altrincham FC. Additionally, they also built three wrestling rings which they hired out to other promoters.

Eddie Rose and Mark Wayne were amongst the trainers who helped train their roster of wrestlers, which included around thirty females during the twelve years the company existed.

Following the closure of Salford’s Carlton Cinema in 1986 Action Promotions took it over as a base. Training took place in their gym and regular shows in the main auditorium. Monthly club tournaments were held in the mini-cinema upstairs complete with tiered seating. These monthly all female bouts were a huge help where trainee`s would learn how to wrestle to a far smaller audience before adapting to a large public gathering .

Eddie Rose told us, “Harold had a handy gym and encouraged local wrestlers and a squad of good girl wrestlers, notably Terri Kruger from South Africa and a Bury girl called Jodie Lee.”