Hands down the toughest doorman in Liverpool - The legend Gary Spiers
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- Paul Davies talks about life on the doors and old school doormen including his late friend Gary Speirs.
Episode 167
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Brilliant podcast. I met Gary on one occasion at a Thai Boxing tournament at Maxims in Wigan years ago. I saw him at the bar and told him I really liked his monthly article called “That’s the way it is” in combat magazine and it was the only reason I bought it. He was genuinely appreciative and bought me drinks all night. I’ll never forget that.
which mauy thai show was that?
I met Sensei Spiers in 1973, I was 12, when he opened his wallasey dojo on manor road, he called me the nipper, he use to take me to Southport , where he had a club at st Luke’s, on Saturdays and occasionally his Runcorn dojo. Gary lived at 4 cliff st Kensington then, and had 2 Great Danes Rangi,(Māori for chief) and lady. His dad was an American G.I , whom he never met, he was brought up by his Aunt, Gary and his family are from Hamilton on the nth Island. I emigrated to Australia in 79 and continued training and returned in 83 to be graded for my black belt at one of Gary’s senior students dojo. Peter McDowell 7th dan now, as of many visits since , and am still training to this day, 50 years now and 30 years of Judo.
My Goju instructor here was Garys, Tino Ceberano ,then from Melbourne, still training as well.
I attended Gary’s Funeral in N.Z when he passed and met the 5 guys who brought him home, a 3 day event at a Māori sacred site called a Mari , incredibly emotional time for us all as we helped dig his grave, carry him , laid him to rest and helped fill it in.
I since returned a few years ago, and visited his grave site, and presented his family with the Kizuna medal from Ronnie Colwell gm for Gary’s contribution to the arts.
I went to Okinawa October just gone and trained at Morio Higionna s dojo, I told him I was a student of Gary’s, he remembered him well.
Gary was truly unique, and so kind to me as he was to many of his long time loyal students, it’s nice to hear people talk about him still.
I miss him terribly. 🙏😔
Why lie
i know your telling the truth certain person got pics off you and the other guys at gary grave site nice to see you still remember gary
@@Adam-vz3mz lie???
You could imagine him in Heaven standing at the front of the Pearly Gates making sure Heaven runs smooth and no degenerates can sneak in and cause chaos lol
Rest In Peace Gary
✝️
@@AlanHesketh-n4c yes lie! You know like not tell the truth, telling fibs, LIES
What a lovely man this guy is. Great how he explains things and his martial arts knowledge. Got a great way of talking too
What a sound fella. Exactly the type of person you want on the doors and Gary too. Proper old school doormen.
Maybe your best podcast that Billy. Great to hear someone talk about these subjects without any ego, not bigging himself up at all. He obviously has a fantastic knowledge of martial arts as well. Looking in good nick for his age too.
💯 agreed
Terry o neil would be a great pod Bill. A real martial artist.
Brilliant, very interesting interview. Steve Morris is another legend who trained with Gary in Japan. A very, very dangerous man
Steve slagged to many people off . If it’s not his way it’s shite . He’s a formidable martial artists though 👍🏻
Came over very respectful Bill !! Cheers to both of you !! While away Bri shoey once spoke of mr spiers lot of respect shown no holding back the old skool !!
🙏👌
Herd shoeys brother was a handful. Was in walton when shoey was in there
@@davidmckay2386he was mate
@scousetony8618I’ve heard people say that he was a bully but people I’ve spoke to who have have been away with him
Years ago speak highly of him an that he was against bullies obviously everyone has different experiences with people like I suppose a lot of the hard fellas could be classed as bullies I mean to the fella they just knocked out he’s bully isn’t he 😁👍🏻
@scousetony8618 yeah I heard about what happened an it was a terrible thing he’d been on bender I heard obviously no excuse like but I don’t really wanna discuss it on here out of respect for the family I get it though 👍🏻
Billy, loved this, brought back so many memories. I work wirh Gary on a few venues, i also worked with Paul on several gaffs. After more than 25 years on doors, i can honestly say Paul was the man who i knew 100% had me back and i hope its vis versa LOL. He is a true gent as well as one of the best doorman i ever worked with ...... thise were the days, thanks for the memories flooding baxk from watching this, cheers. BTW .... Paul, you havnt aged .... WTF 🤣 🤣
Met gary loads of times at my late mates house in wigan in the late 80s and 90s he was a gentleman and a legend all the lads from liverpool would come down to maximes and gary would call back to the house for a brew at 4am in the morning happy times x
I have not had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Gary Spiers, but I do recall Mr. Terry O'Neil training with him quite frequently. I concur with Paul's assessment of Terry's kicks-they are exceptionally fast and powerful, and he exhibits remarkable flexibility for an individual of his stature.
Terry and his training partner at the time, Ms. Lorretta Lomax served as an inspiration for me to embark on a bodybuilding regimen.
Wonderful guest and interview. The pearl of wisdom at the end was amazing and so true.
Great stuff Bill. Love the old school stories of the Liverpool legends, fascinating tales. Love to see some of these types on, Brian Schumacher or Terry O'niell would be a great interview if you could get them on.
I think it's interesting as there was no internet back then so to go these places without much research ....was like the wildest back then
Gary sounds like he was one amazing person. A seriously hard man but knowledgeable amd respectful to his art and to people
Paul was a bouncer at a pub I worked at in 1988 - really lovely fella, always up for a chat and I’ve seen him in action and he was the real deal - polite but no messing around - he was (and still is I’m sure) the real deal. Top fella.
One thing is these exceptional martial artists always talk with a calm respectful tone of voice and always intelligent way of speaking too. Frenchy speaks in the same way
One of the nicest fellas I’ve met RIP Gary boss friend
Met Gary after trying to promote his 2 day self defence seminar in Victoria (after the Australasian Fighting Arts magazine interviewed him in a series. So this subject of street applied martial arts inspired by Gary was already Taboo amongst ‘traditionalist’. After hearing about my failed efforts (knock backs from his apparent friend’s and former training colleagues, to host Gary in Victoria) Gary and Jim Tierney insisted I get up there to do the seminar. After thanking me for my efforts on arrival, I spent over an hour ‘one on one’ with Gary, free to ask him anything. I’ll never forget that! The next 2 days of training and listening to more stories, solidified in my mind a pivot in how I viewed, trained and used martial arts. This stuck with me when I joined the Australian Army (Gary suggested the French Foreign Legion) a thru my 31 year career. Gary was ahead of his time, in his training methods, mindset and how martial arts was used in his application to security and personal protection. This video was great to finally see and hear other stories about Gary R.I.P. thank you for sharing.
Brilliant podcast I enjoyed every second of this Gary was next level I first seen him in Kirkby sports centre wrestling with Tony buck you knew you were watching something very special I was 15 then in 1986 he was lethal
Seen some of gary on TH-cam if you dont know of him or have no idea who he is just watch some of his footage, real hard man with phenomenal skills, great poddie really enjoyed that i love hearing doormentell their storys😉👌
I used to work behind a bar in Southport with Paul on the door, good man with some great knowledge and stories!
Gary Spiers. RIP. unbelievable spirit.
I read a book that a friend lent me, working with warriors, great read, proper tuff men, real deal, not fantasy. Gary Spiers was a machine, would have loved to have trained with him!
Penned by Mr Dennis Martin..................................🤔🤔
@@Theoriginalbigbrillo why put penned by Dennis Martin and then 🤔you probably don’t even know him …..🤔🤔🤔🤷🏽
Really enjoyed this 👌 read loads of interesting bits on Gary Spiers over the years! The Working with warriors book is fantastic.
I’ve seen an old magazine pic of Gary fighting full contact karate, ( kickboxing) early stuff. From the 70s. I was a very close friend of peter constadine. He trained with me almost every day for 2 years. I think Peter was one of the traditional karate guys to step in the kickboxing ring in the 70s. Gary was a great guy. I remember him once teaching me how to do a reverse headbutt. To be fair Gary’s personality was one in a billion.
Supreme doorman, and a very funny guy as well. Greatly missed.
A blast from the past Paul...we both started together at Doorsec employed by Stotty...doing the concerts ...and then Cindy's Night Club !!! ..that place was like Roadhouse !! .....then you worked the Manor after I left and I would come down and see you..then we would go to the Park Lane Club run by Lew Yates ( one tough guy ) ...Lew was going to fight Lenny McLean, but it never materialised...
Gary was a gentleman ...I had a VW beetle at the time and I would drive him to a few venues where there was trouble and then back to Cindy's...He wore that big long black leather coat and when he walked into a venue people would just disperse...He was a kind gentle man with many stories.
Remember Ian Chantler the boxer ? ....
Gary saved me a few times in Cindy's ....I wasn't the best but I had no fear which got me into trouble 😊....
Do you remember little Brian ? The black lad ...feck me ..hard as nails that man...We both worked the CF Mott for a concert one night and half the Hillside pub in Huyton decided to try and get in...well that's history !!! Dunno whether you were there that night ?
Be good to catch up..
.Oh and the Fleece Hotel ! .....Jesus I have some stories about those days .. and after !
Take care fella...but as said be good to catch up
Rip Gary got some good memories he was a very good friend of my dads they both trained together doing multiple martial arts and lived on and off with us for while top man ❤
A man from my town called Danny Chaganis who is possibly in his 80s now. He was a karate practitioner and did full contact bouts he was lethal and would take on anybody at all.
The police wouldn't even bother with him as they knew he was too much to handle.
Its laughable now when people mock martial arts but someone like him and gary Spires lived it and took it to another level .
Great one bill as ever fella
Probably the most likable character you have had on, not saying much like but seems like a good man
absolute diamond paul and as i said on another vid he was a pleasure to work with
When I saw diamond mentioned it reminded me of cumo, and it was you ste cumo. Hope your well mate
The pleasure was always mine Ste … you were one of the best doormen I ever worked with never a bully and always a laugh
ah thanks pablo,i commented more in depth on the teaser about you mate.that night me and you got put on the bottom garls door facing gbar was a breathe of fresh air,me and you hammering each other and everything around us haha.pair of us just laughed our balls off all night haha,miss all that mate.i'll get down and see you soon paul but due to the injuries i'm in stan ogden handmedowns haha gone like a barrel,boss listening to you as always my mate and stay safe pablo@@PaulDavies-zk9vr
@@PaulDavies-zk9vr thanks for keeping garys memory alive were all big gary spiers fans here in merseyside my mates freind from birkenhead sent gary home to new zealand we love to hear more off you stories about gary thanks again paul
@@johnpeterson-m2f haha well in john,soz mate only just seen this.hope you're well too my mate
Was a humbling experience that great stuff 👍
One of the hardest men from Liverpool!!!!! Thats some title that.
Brilliant Billy , Paul was cool 😎 👍
Next get Alfie Lewis and Terry O’Neil on
Not seen Alfie for over 40 years, he was very young when i first met him, so was I to be fair lol 👍👍
Terry not the same anymore and Why Alfie not the same league as Terry , Den Martin or Gary 🤷🏽
@@Theoriginalbigbrillowhy even comment that FFS 🤦🏽♂️
Great stories ,Paul seems like a nice bloke
My sensei was good mates with Gary and Terry O'Neil. He told me a story on Saturday about them fighting a load of squaddies in Cambridge. Needless to say the squaddies came unstuck😂
Did he go to Hope St Dojo, zen class around 2004?
Worked with Paul on the Montrose. A top lad.
Brilliant video could watch it all night
Another belta mate.
Gary lived in Wallasey in his later years and used to drink in the Le Banque in Seacombe.
gary spiers was a legend . gary died in arrowpark hospital in birkenhead
Yer Sound like me Dad , Birkenhead🤔🤔🤔
@paulwilliams4420 yea he lived here.
22.00 minutes onwards is spot on it is down to the person 💯
Did anyone else notice the cold cold silence when frenchys name was mentioned, every time 😂
Yes Joe exotic fella 👍
Legends bill good listen 👂
excellent billy, thats what your good at.
Great listen billy & Paul 👌👌.
Great information loved it🥊
Top man
Really top blokes, old school!! Great documentary
I was a door man and by no means legendary.
The man of legend at our establishment was a Viet Nam vet we called "Biker Billy". He was armed with a Harley, a camel wide, and a .45 that he always kept in his vest.
If it weren't for him, a few times I would have surely been stomped by belligerents.
Cheers Billy, RIP.
Paul seems like a decent guy
I can remember Gary working on the door of the Kinsway in Southport, he was a fair bouncer but tough as nails, he was someone who you had to respect if you wanted to get in and out in one piece
Enjoyed that nice one .
🙏
Met Gary a few times in Ritchie Herberts house. Hartismere road days. Wallasey.
Ritchies daughter was eating her tea siting on the floor watching telly. Gary walked in and stood in her dinner accidentally, she was obviously put off by this and went to throw it in the bin. He grabbed it off her and proceeded to tuck in to it 😂
I really enjoyed this.
Your enthusiasm is contagious Billy, i buzz off you buzzing.
A great watch as always.
Hows Juder pal ?
He’s doing well thanks 🙏
I think Terry O’Neill has got to be up there
Terry was LEVELS above Gary in the street but to be fair Terry was levels above everyone on the street 💯👊🏻
get mike lyons on your podcast he got a good story to tell and he worked with gary spiers they were good friends
Is Mick lyons still about? Remember reading an interview type thing with him years ago. Interesting man.
Looking forward to this 1!!!!
Paul seems like a right nice guy , is it me but he seems to have a calm voice proper mellow
Hello Billy lad glad to see our judder but worried about ur kidder Joe the absolute legend he is honestly how is Joe we love him too bits I live in Bournemouth now original from Holt Rd L7 area lol and got a uncle with down syndrome and some but always went out on a Sunday night the Holt the pawn shop and the grapes then the liver vaults on gilead st lol and now and then the moly
I trained with Gary for a couple of years in 1973 at St Mary's Church on Withens Lane, Wallasey, Merseyside. 17 at the tim
17 at the time didn't realise at the time you good he was, goju ryu
gary was always in my m8s jimmy greys in speke after hours wen we got back from wigan pier around the end of the nineties always gave us the garys hed took off people ha ha
What a Humble guy, Paul Davies, clearly a good friend of Gary Speirs......................
Paul, did you ever walk up my Dads concrete steps of the RRPC shooting Club in Liverpool?
You mentioned two people who had..............................🤔🤔
Henry street .. yes many times, at one point I was vice chairman of the club … have some memories from there lots of them with Gary
@@PaulDavies-zk9vr Blimey Paul, if that’s really you would love to see some pictures if you have any of the shooting club back in the day?
Dad started out in 1977 and sold in the end to two local businessmen in May 1984 , I've still got Dads original Contract of sale with conditions and all signed signatures 👍👍just wished me and my younger brother Mark were a little bit older to have taken over the reins of the club from Dad !!
He must have been one rough tough tough man
This will be good
Every martial arts has its benefits, Iv trained in lau gar kung fu / kick boxing , shotokan karate, and also went to the Manila Philippines to study panantukan And I can tell you that panantukan is the best martial arts for the streets or for doorman
It’s not though mate that’s your opinion…a good boxer with strong BJJ skill or wrestling..now we’re talking 🤷🏽
I remember Gary very well legend and his best friend was big Mick Green both doing the doors in heaven now god bless them both
I went to austria in 94 fighting fir England kickbixing with alfie lewis who i think was a student of spiers
I was there in Vienna. My late mum and he partner had a kickboxing club and were very good friends with Alfie and Donna and the team. Some awesome fighters from over their. 👌
they just trained together alfie and gary alfie wasnt a student of garys
@@billy71201 yesssss billy lad hope your nlt 1 who beat me in final 🤪😂😂
Was a good podcast that mate .
Remember gary on the door of squires club in woolton in the 70s
Gary was 6'2''
Would have his work cut out with Ronnie Pickering 🤣🤣🤣
This guy's interesting. Well spoken.
Mike lyons known as Hooker. Used to run and own MYL security in Wigan and surrounding areas. Very notorious in the day.
👌
Paul Cahoon ?...........................................
@@Theoriginalbigbrilloon the run isn’t he
Mick.lyons be a good one
@@Potbellypugilist is he still alive. Must be getting on a bit now. He would have some good stories.
Met you in the room's B4 mate. My name is Glen I'm a addict. My pad was rushed by some lads who tried to kill me. I woke up to the red dots on me by the bizzies. They were saying that it's a crime scene. I was took the hospital fucked off to me mam's home coz I had some more bits stashed. I'm struggling with myself. Ment to be going to a 12 step rehab. Shitting it?
i thought he passed away in 2001 or something i most be mixed up or this someone he worked with? either way looking forward to it
its a podcast on someone who worked with gary spiers
My dad worked the doors with Gary and was a close friend of his
I live in Southport and heard of him, very well known guy, would u what it him against Lenny McLean
Terry O’Neil would be a good person to interview
Would you have Joe Owens on, if youve heard of him?
All I’m bothered about is who was the hardest… Spiers or O’Neil ?? This Paul Davies is the only man that can answer this !! Paul please put my mind at ease who was the best out of these legends ???
A gentleman x
Spyers was said to have sparred with bruce lee. Thats what he told some of my mates who trained with him.
I taught Gary to become a black belt in origami.
Pancreatitis is awful yes its so painful too
The world has changed now Billy . No such thing as the hardest doorman anymore. Its about safety now of the customers. But believe me, I remember hard arse doormen. Had a few slaps from them. Gave the scars to prove it. Lol. The good old days .
Have*
loved it
He was warming up more it went on. Seems a sound fella
Barry Grant was way harder 😀
😩
Gary was good but Terry O’Neill was untouchable the best traditional martial artist to ever work on the door fact . A one man gang 💯🔥🔥🔥👊🏻👍🏻
You have to interview Terry O Neil!
died 2001 ..billy says nearly 19yrs ago
what years was Gary Spiers about ?
Soft Lad Jimmy Corkhill was the 'ardest lad! And Terry!
👀
Did Gary ever work on the door of the Old Queens Head in Chester?
He worked a few doors in Chester
Cinderellas
What about Ernie shavers
Good shout that. Wonder if they ever had it haha
Seems a very quiet fella
What about the Murphys at Quadrant Park? Bums tried to run me outta town.
Spenno,s old place Harry??............................
I think Garys dad was American. Didnt he also nearly get done for murder after chasing/throwing a guy out of a 2nd floor window who then got hit by a car on the way down? I think it was a soldier. ✌️