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Our memories of Salford’s Paul Mitchell go back to the late 1960s when he was one of a group of favourites on the northern independent circuit alongside Eddie Rose, Johnny Saint, Pete Lindberg, Ian Wilson and many others.
In those days there were independent shows every night in Manchester alone, and so there was no shortage of opportunities for those with the skill. All those mentioned did have the skill, and each went on to work for Joint Promotions.
Paul Mitchell was invited to train at the Wryton Stadium, under the guidance of the Cadman brothers and Martin Conroy. Four years after turning professional Conroy decided Mitchell deserved exposure on the Joint Promotions circuit and he became a regular and popular figure on Best, Wryton and Atherton bills.
The young middlewight combined skill with agility and speed; his flying head scissors and monkey climbs being the best in the business. Within a year he had made his television debut, drawing with another promising newcomer, Dave Barrie. His second televised contest, in which he defeated highly rated Bobby Ryan, was a demonstration of Paul at his best, with Conroy saying he was the most improved wrestler of the circuit with a bright future.
Paul Mitchell went on to near a dozen more television outings, in the opposite corner to the biggest names in wrestling at the time, Mick McManus, Jackie Pallo, and Steve Logan. Paul Michell also appeared in the January, 1973, special, Fanfare for Europe, recorded in our Armchair Corner section.
Paul disappeared from our rings in the mid 1970s. A wrestling mystery as he had so many more years to offer. We sense that he could sense the change that so many of us enthusiasts were witnessing, “I never wanted to do what I saw so many do, go on until your dates decrease and you lose mobility. But but to be honest I like many others loved the game and gradually the prophecy of many old timers that once gimmicks overcome skill believability goes.”
We owe a great deal of gratitude to Paul and his contributions to Wrestling Heritage and the Talk Wrestling Forum. From his fascinating posts we know not merely that he is that rare thing, a wrestler who is open about being a fan (so many remain in the closet), but also that he was clearly fascinated by the workings of the business and the various promoters’ angles right from his start.
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