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How long have you been doing Kyokushin? Since 1978.What made you start? I had just finished school and was sporty across a range of activities when all of a sudden I had nothing, so by luck my brother and cousin had started to train karate in George Green School and said "it was really good" so I went along and was fortunate enough to find one of the best fighters in the country at that time (Sensei Bill Walsh) as the main instructor and the best prospect for the future as his assistant (Glen Sharp) then a brown belt. When did you achieve your Shodan and how did you feel about it? It was 1982 and I had been training for three and a half years, at least 5 times a week. I had also won individual clicker and knockdown tournaments, was instrumental in the Millwall and Bethnal Green teams winning the Team Clicker. I represented The BKK in wuko all styles and had not long come second in the European Knockdown Championships and I was only 21years old, so I have to say in hindsight that I was cocky enough at that time to feel I deserved it. Tell us about some of the peaks/highlights of your training . . . I think training alongside the likes of Michael Thompson, David Pickthall, Roy Banton, Glen Sharp, Trevor Marriot, Dave Greaves at Squad Sessions in the early 80s was a perfect nurturing environment for all involved. . . . and some of the worst parts too? Any time you lose in fighting. Missing social events when preparing for tournaments and illness or injury when in preparation. What is the funniest memory you have of Kyokushin? One of the funniest involved Glen Sharp, Noddy & myself doing a demo at a fire-station somewhere in Essex. We all did breaking of one sort or another. Glen kicked slates with his bare-shin and ended up with a stegosaurus leg. Noddy also injured his hand breaking and I was fortunate enough to break a brick and remain unscathed. The finale was me doing a jumping front kick and breaking wood that was being held by one person on the shoulders of another. The decision was up to Glen as to whether it was better to be on top or below. He cunningly decided the lesser of two evils was to have Noddy on his shoulders, which they did. I launched the kick. Broke the wood and my foot travelled through and eventually down. My heel landed squarely on top of Glens head. His legs buckled and to this day I can still see Noddy rodeo-ing to save himself from falling and Glens eyes rolled back in his head as he desperately tried not to drop Noddy. I know what your thinking! Yes, my heel was ok.What is your advice to karateka just starting out or anyone thinking of taking up a martial art? Don't judge it on one lesson. Make sure its a bona-fide club as there are many cowboys with jumped up grades. What is the most important thing you have learnt from Kyokushin? As a student or instructor it is perseverance. What are you future ambitions in Kyokushin? To improve my knowledge and my ability to convey it What is your favourite fighting style and why? Knockdown. Its completely different mentally getting onto the mat knowing you could be knocked down or out rather than being scored on.
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