TREVOR – THE IRON MAN OF BOLTON
I waited in a service station on the outskirts of Coventry for the Iron Man of Bolton. Me and my boyfriend, Leo, were early. So we drank coffee, read the papers and waited and waited and waited …
After a long while, we decided to go into the amusement arcade to while away the time. We had great fun on the brightly-lit machines; we raced each other with the Formula One racing cars, we shot enemies with laser guns and had a go on the ‘electrocution’ machine. (This involves holding hands and sharing an electric shock!)
We had a great laugh, such a great time that we hadn’t noticed a large, stocky man watching us and shaking his head bemusedly. Yep … it was the Iron Man of Bolton.
Usually when I go to meet a tough guy, I try to be cool, calm and in control. But, oops, not this time. Still, at least it broke the ice.
‘Where,’ I asked Trevor, ‘did you get the name “Iron Man of Bolton”?’
He replied, ‘I used to practise Ki, a sort of controlled breathing. Then I used to let people bite me and poke my eyes out. After that, I had to wear glasses so I had to pack it in. But the name came from my eye-poking days!’
I see …
BACKGROUND
I’m from Bolton. I was 15 when I went into wrestling and I became a British wrestling champion twice. Then I started ju-jitsu and I won a British title and a European title. Then I went into a kind of judo which is very rough but it’s a good crack. Now I’ve got my own association, my own style – Tatsu No Otoko Ryu. When I was a kid, it was either judo or wrestling – there was nothing else for you. I was always crying if I didn’t win a prize!
My dad was the biggest influence in my life. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think I’d be like I am. He wasn’t a fighter, he was a nice fella. He was dead straight, worked all his life. Just like my mum.
LIFE OF CRIME
None really. I collect debts and things like that but I’m not what you’d call a villain.
DO YOU THINK THAT PRISON IS A DETERRENT?
Yes – I wouldn’t want it.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN CAPITAL PUNISHMENT?
It depends on the crime. People hurting kids absolutely, yes.
WHAT DETERRED YOU FROM A LIFE OF CRIME?
I think I’ve always had a fun personality and I’ve always done what I wanted to do. On the door, people worked to my rules or they didn’t work at all. I’ve lived my life that way. Maybe I’m just a lucky bugger.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN STABBED/SHOT?
I’ve been shot at. I’ve taken a few knives off people. I’ve been cut when I’ve taken a blade off people. When someone’s got a blade and you’re surrounded by people and your life is on the line, you’ve got to react. I’m 19 stone … my size and strength helps. But, initially, it’s a question of sensing trouble – I’ve been at it so long, I can sense trouble a mile off.
SCARIEST MOMENT?
We had a massive gang fight at a pub outside Bolton. It was a Sunday night so we got a few doormen together. There were four of us – and lots of them. It might sound like I’m bragging but, honestly, there were quite a few of them. We were fighting for 45 minutes but it felt like for ever. It seemed that it would never stop. They were coming at us in waves. You’d fight someone off, then another one was on you. They’d come in the pub doors and then go back out, then come in again. It was a real set-to.
Tables went up in the air, glasses were smashed, bottles were thrown. It was like the Wild West … and I’m no John Wayne.
SADDEST MOMENT
When my dad died last year. He had arthritis and hadn’t walked for three years. When he stopped walking, everything started packing up on him.
WHAT RATTLES YOUR CAGE?
Cruelty to animals. I hate fox-hunting and, especially, dog-fighting. People who hurt defenceless animals are bastards, pure and simple. I used to be an inspector for the Staffordshire Bull Association. Some of the cruelty I witnessed would break your heart. Bastards – pure and simple.
HAVE YOU EVER REALLY LOVED ANYONE?
Yeah, my second wife. I thought the world of her – still do. We’ve split up but we’re still best friends; she’s still my best mate.
WHAT FRIGHTENS YOU?
Spiders. I hate them … nasty little hairy buggers.
DESCRIBE A HARD BASTARD
Being a hard bastard is all to do with mental attitude. If you’ve got the mental attitude and you’re determined to do something – no matter what the odds – then you’re going to do it.
I’ve been in bodyguarding situations where I’ve been sweating, but if you’ve got that mental attitude … being a hard bastard is definitely a state of mind. I mean, I’ve got a bloke working on the door now … he’s 6ft 2in, a 23-stone body-builder, he’s a skinhead with one of those pierced things through his eyebrow and you look at him and think, Jesus Christ! But he’s as soft as shit. He’s definitely not what he looks! Being a hard bastard is not a physical thing – it’s definitely a state of mind.
NAME A HARD BASTARD
Frank Holt – he was an old wrestling champ of years ago. When I was first wrestling and I was 18 years old, he was the daddy of them all. He got away with murder. He broke iron bars – all sorts. He definitely wasn’t the full shilling. He befriended me.
He went inside for a while and came out with nothing. He’s got nothing now but he’s a great old man.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS?
We’ve got this company and if everything goes as it should in five years’ time I’ll be 57 and I’ll be just about thinking of selling up and retiring. Then I want to go to Italy, travel around for nine months. The people are fanatastic, the food’s fantastic, the weather’s just right – the whole place is fabulous. I love it there. Great place.
ANY REGRETS?
Dozens, I suppose. But the biggest regret is the failure of my third marriage. You know what us Northerners are like – we know what we like and we like what we bloody well know.