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Radcliffe’s Mickey Gold’s first contact with professional wrestling, we were once told, was when he was just five years old. That was just after the war and mum and dad took their young son along to the Belle Vue stadium to watch the likes of Jack Pye, Man Mountain Benny and Bert Assirati. Fifteen years later, from 1960 onwards, he was stepping into the ring himself, the start of a twenty plus year career.
Weight training and a day job as a builder until he turned full time professional made Mickey into a muscular light heavyweight. He took up weight lifting and trained at the Manchester YMCA where he met a number of young wrestlers. They encouraged him to join them on the mat and learn a few moves. Those few moves increased until Mickey made up his mind that he too wanted to be a professional wrestler.
In 1960 he turned professional, initially for the independent promoters, and could be seen throughout the north and midlands swapping holds with established mat men such as Billy Graham, Fred Woolley, and Pete Lindberg. In March, 1962 he had gained enough experience to be signed up by Arthur Wright to work for Wryton Promotions and the other Joint Promotions members. He made his television debut in June, 1964, losing to Alan Dennison.
Another highlight was his appearance at the Royal Albert Hall in November, 1964. Dale Martin Promotions did him no favours, though, by matching him against Steve Logan. Despite losing it was certainly an occasion to remember and one he said he enjoyed.
Mickey Gold was to remain a northern favourite for the best part of two decades, and we note that he had the distinction of being the last opponent for Ivan Penzecoff in November, 1978.
Wrestler Eddie Rose was an admirer and friend, “I’ve known Mickey Gold for over 40 years and worked with him on many occasions. We are both Mancunians and became good friends during our wrestling careers. Jack Cassidy, as only Cassidy could, used to bill me as “The Jewish Lightweight Champion” for years. Not only was I not Jewish but also a long way off being a lightweight, I was always over 13 stone. This, however, brought me in to contact with Mickey more often as we were frequently billed as the Jewish Tag Team Champions. Mickey always said “Leave all the talking to me!” whenever we worked on a Jewish charity show.”
Mickey was landlord of the Lord Lyon public house on Claremont Road in Moss Side, perhaps the nearest pub to Manchester City’s old ground at Maine Road. Ian ‘Mad Dog’ Wilson, Mark Wayne, Roy Fortuna and Eddie Rose were Sunday lunchtime regulars.
Eddie Rose again, “He was a great talker (Three Bouts Micky he was dubbed by colleagues) but an interesting and amusing one all the same. Good to work with, too. Very experienced and more skilful than often given credit for.”
When he finally left the ring Mickey enjoyed his retirement in Spain.
Mickey Gold died on 1st April, 2010.
Page added 31/03/2024
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