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Eddie Rose reflects on his long wrestling career.

Wrestling Heritage welcomes memories, further information and corrections.

Most wrestlers can recall one, or more, established wrestler who influenced their decision to become a professional wrestler. I had several such influences from when I first saw a televised bout on a small screen in cloudy black and white, to watching a first live bout at Manchester’s Belle Vue, interviewing wrestlers in my role as a young sports journalist for local newspapers and magazines (including the Wrestler Magazine around 1960).

I used to travel by bus around the greater Manchester area in the late 1950s and I became aware of the giant posters on the walls that surrounded the now defunct Belle Vue Zoo and Gardens on Hyde Road. The names of the wrestlers included Jack Pye, Hassan Ali Bey, The Farmers Boy, Alf Rawlings, Jim Foy and they fascinated my imagination. Who were these men with exotic names and how did they earn their living? I was to find out very quickly

In 1959 I took a job at Belle Vue (The Showground of the North!) prior to going to college and, one evening as I was finishing work, it was suggested that I go into the King’s Hall for a (free) look at the wrestling. I was immediately taken by the atmosphere of the 6000 strong audience and the sheer theatre as the two wrestlers were introduced for the main event: a championship bout for the British light heavyweight title between Ernie Riley of Wigan and Eric Taylor from Bradford. The superb class of the wrestlers greatly impressed me and the thought that one day I would share the ring with Eric never entered my head!

I used to supplement my income by free lance sports writing for various publications and newspapers (an uncle just happened to be F-O-C, a union official I believe, at the Daily Express in Manchester and he gave me good advice and useful leads). I soon established myself as a regular journalist at Belle Vue for the wrestling and had access to so many wrestlers and officials. One man was to have a huge influence on my future: Bert Jacob of the British Amateur Wrestling Association who attended show regularly. He persuaded me to join the wrestling club at the YMCA in Manchester and learn to wrestle from the basics as an amateur.

I spent six happy and very useful years at the YMCA learning to wrestle under Bert’s supervision and getting a lot fitter before the next step: professional wrestling. I was introduced Jack Atherton at an amateur wrestling championship meeting. Jack was an old professional from the Wigan Gym which was run by Billy Riley (Ernie’s dad). Jack lived near me and he kindly invited me round for a chat at which he explained the professional side of wrestling and suggested what my next step could be. I also found out that Jack was a promoter and ran a number shows around the country. He became a good friend and mentor and when he found out that I wanted to become a professional he pointed me in the direction of a certain Grant Foderingham who was also a near neighbour.

I went along to a gym in Openshaw in east Manchester that was run by Grant , who I discovered was the famous Black Panther! As soon as I mentioned Jack Atherton’s name he welcomed me with open arms and I began my education as a professional wrestler at Panther’s Gym. Grant never charged me a penny for all his help and tuition and use of the gym for which I was always so grateful. I was at this gym that I met and trained with Bert Nuttall, Peter Lindberg, Ezra (Sugar Ray) Francis, Wally Delmar, Micky Coen, Ian (Mad Dog) Wilson, Mark Wayne, Jim Moser, Tiger Delmonte, Mike ‘Flash’ Jordan, Paul Mitchell, Johnny South and so many other fine wrestlers.

Grant gave me my first wrestling show as a professional versus Micky Coen, a rugged Irish wrestler who lived and worked in Manchester at the time and he carefully coached me, gave me advice on my first bookings during the next two years. Grant was a big West Indian, quietly spoken but full of humour and so easy to get along with.

I worked for other promoters as I became more experienced particularly Cowboy Jack Cassidy, again a near neighbour in Manchester and he, too, became an influential friend over many years. Jack was a big man in many ways and for several years he was a very busy promoter and limited himself mainly to the clubland scene in the Manchester area. He sometimes gave me five bookings in a week all within the aforementioned geographical area of Manchester and, on one occasion, he gave me three bookings for one evening carefully spaced at three separate clubs all within easy reach.

This huge turn-over of wrestling bouts against many experienced mat men was a great learning curve and I am eternally grateful to Jack for supplying the opportunities. Gradually other promoters started to offer dates: Jack Oatley and Count Bartelli had a brief partnership, Orig Williams came on the scene as did Josef Szabo and several others especially a young lad I had known for a while as a fan club organiser/ second/ referee and eventually he became one of the most successful promoters: Brian Dixon of Birkenhead. He was pleasant, straight and well organised and put on first class wrestling events with excellent wrestlers.

There was one dilemma: stay near home and wrestle several times a week without the hassle of travel or try the bigger promoters who ran shows all over the country and involving hours of driving. Over all, the money worked out pretty much the same and staying local was much more convenient. Sometimes the choices were difficult.

About this time Jack Atherton gave me some bookings and suggested I attended the Sunday morning training sessions at the Wryton Stadium in Bolton run by Ken Cadman and Jack and which were supervised by Martin Conroy for Wrytons. This was a further step in my wrestling education for not only was I training with other young hopefuls like Paul Mitchell. Ian Wilson, Harry Duval, Hippy Anderson, Pete Lindberg, Bobby Ryan. Spice was added by the inclusion of some of the best wrestlers from Riley’s Gym in Wigan. I remember especially Alan Woods and Jack Fallon who Jack Atherton matched us with to learn the Wigan-style!! My word, under Jack’s direction did they introduce us to Wigan-style submission wrestling! I’ve still got bruises and bumps sixty years on!

After quite a long induction time we were ready for work and I began to get bookings from Joint Promotions and worked mainly for Wryton Promotions, Bill Best and the Atherton-Riley banner with other bookings sent along on an occasional basis. This was when Jack Atherton called Pete Lindberg and myself and proposed that we form a new tag team. He had already selected the name for the team: Les Diables Rouges, a mysteriously named masked team with a French flavour to it. And, for the next seventeen years we appeared regularly at venues all over the UK and with the addition of Ian Wilson so that for the first couple of years it was perm any two from the three members. We met all the leading tag teams, including the Royals, the Borgs, the Cadmans, and remained undefeated except for the occasional disqualification during the whole of that time. It was an exhilarating experience that we all enjoyed so much. Ian and I became firm friends and I regard him as the best wrestler I ever met – and a very good and dependable friend.

This indirectly led to another development right at the end of my wrestling days: a partnership with Abe Ginsberg in the Black Diamonds tag team. What a high note on which to finish my career! I’d known Abe for years and, during a discussion in he changing rooms at a Cheshire venue, he let it be known that he was looking for a new partner. The promoter on the night (and I think it was Brian Dixon) suggested that I could be the new team member and Abe and myself shook hands on the deal there and then. It was a brief but hectic time because “Ginsy” was all action in everything he did. Again, we met all the leading teams including the Royals! During this final years And I thoroughly enjoyed my time with him before a severe back injury ended my wrestling aged forty four – and I’m still suffering with residual problems even now at the age of eighty one!

Looking back at those exciting times I can honestly say that the wrestlers and promoters I encountered were friendly and honest with only one or two exceptions and I can reflect with great pleasure over the years and the experiences I shared with them.

Eddie Rose (Manchester) and also a Red Devil and a Black Diamond.