My Dad the Guvnor


Book Description

Lenny McLean, better known as The Guv'nor, was a legendary and sometimes terrifying figure: a bare-knuckle fighter, bouncer and, in later life, an actor. He was a formidable force in the East End and across London, but behind his towering demeanor was a loving father who provided a safe haven for his children. For his only daughter, Kelly, his status brought with it a reputation both to live up to, and sometimes escape. Kelly experienced the old East End way of life, often lived just outside the law, first-hand and equally the uncertainty that came with her father's mood swings and the "black dog" that followed him around, despite their close bond. The connection between father and daughter became even more apparent as Kelly began to battle her own mental health issues that, as a mom to two young children, would threaten to destroy her life. In this incredibly frank and poignant memoir, Kelly McLean provides a unique insight into life growing up as the daughter of one of the last old-school fighters, featuring many previously untold stories. This is the story of East End life from a woman who has seen it, lived it, and sometimes been plagued by it.




The Guv'nor


Book Description

THIS IS THE CLASSIC BOOK THAT STARTED AN ENTIRE GENRE – THE STORY OF THE MOST ICONIC HARDMAN OF THEM ALL. Lenny McLean was one of the deadliest bareknuckle fighters Britain has ever seen. He had dear, powerful friends, but he also had terrible enemies. So much so that he had two bullet wounds in his back – each from a different attack. He was also stabbed repeatedly – always from behind. But Lenny was also a warm, big-hearted grizzly bear of a man, whose main weakness was an overwhelming desire to put the welfare of his mates ahead of his own well-being. In his extraordinary autobiography, he tells of how the mafia flew him to New York to take on their greatest bareknuckle boxer in a multi-million pound illicit bout. The Mafia’s man lasted less than three minutes. When the IRA fronted up a London gang in a money-laundering scam, Lenny was brought in to intimidate the terrorists. The IRA, not surprisingly, backed off. . . His most serious trial came when he was accused of murder. Fighting to prove his innocence against a minimum sentence of twenty-five years, Lenny never gave up – and went on to be found not guilty. This is a tale of one man’s triumph against almost insurmountable odds, in a battle that Len fought every day for himself, and to ‘put steam on the table’ for his wife and kids.




The Guvnor Tapes - Lenny McLean's Unpublished Stories, As Told By The Man Himself


Book Description

A bare-knuckle fighter by profession, Lenny McLean was one of the most notorious figures ever to emerge from the East End of London. His untimely death in 1998, following a battle against cancer, was a tragic loss for family and friends and left his legions of fans shocked and bereft. Now those fans have a unique opportunity to learn more about their hero in this sequel toThe Guv'nor. Packed with adventures, bouts, fights, and amazing stories, these conversations between Lenny andnbsp;the author revealnbsp;the parts of his life that haven't been knownnbsp;until now.




Guvnors


Book Description

A first-hand account of how Michael Francis and his brothers ran the Guvnors, a Manchester City based hooligan gang that wreaked havoc on the streets and terraces of Britain. Hard hitting and atmospheric, the story recounts Francis' childhood in the notorious Moss Side area of Manchester, his initiation into soccer thuggery, his rise through the ranks of the hooligan hierarchy, and the bitter clashes with other football gangs.




The Guv'nor and Me


Book Description

Don't cross The Neck. As the right-hand man to 'The Guv’nor' himself, Lenny McLean, John 'The Neck' Houchin is a living legend and is now telling his story for the first time. John trained daily with Lenny in the gym to achieve his huge bulk and neck, all 23 inches of it, required to frighten the hell out of troublemakers. As the enforcers for the Krays and the Richardsons, they worked together regularly over many years 'sorting out' whatever needed sorting. These are the mean streets of London back when swift justice as well as fearless loyalty were the order of the day. A new insider take from one of the most notorious characters of the time, this book is full of chippy dialogue, gangster banter, the biggest brawls, old school honour codes and pithy reflection on the changing times – from the hard men to the high life.




The Mumper


Book Description

Seven drinking buddies decide to buy a racehorse and embark on the journey of a lifetime in the book that inspired the film Outside Bet. It's 1985 - Thatcher is in power, Sade is on the radio and the print workers have gone on strike. A motley rabble of seven firm friends: Thimble, Gudger, O'Sh, Fred the Shoe, Dave, Alfie and Bax meet every Sunday in their favourite South London boozer for banter of the highest order and a lot of taking the mick. Then, out of the blue, one of their number receives some news which knocks him and his merry band for six. Reeling from this shock and confused about how to deal with it, the boys meet and rally in standard fashion, in the Dutchman with a few light ales and an aim to set the world to rights. One day an unknown character approaches the crew and asks them a most intriguing question...'Does anyone here want to buy a racehorse?!' From that simple but surreal question unfolds the story of seven likely lads who embark on a unique journey in the name of their mate, and what happens when they just decide to go the whole bifta.




Married to the Guv'nor


Book Description

When his autobiography The Guv'nor was published, it turned bareknuckle champion Lenny McLean into an unlikely cult hero. His widow here takes up the pen on his behalf, to reveal more colourful incidents - Lenny's winning match against the Mafia's best boxer, and his acting career.




One Man, Two Guvnors


Book Description

Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small time East End hood, now in Brighton to collect £6,000 from his fiancee's dad. But Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who's been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers. Holed up at The Cricketers' Arms, the permanently ravenous Francis spots the chance of an extra meal ticket and takes a second job with one Stanley Stubbers, who is hiding from the police and waiting to be re-united with Rachel. To prevent discovery, Francis must keep his two guvnors apart. Simple. Based on Carlo Goldoni's classic Italian comedy The Servant of Two Masters, in this new English version by prize winning playwright Richard Bean, sex, food and money are high on the agenda.




Birdsong


Book Description

#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • A mesmerising story of love and war spanning three generations and the unimaginable gulf between the First World War and the 1990s In this "overpowering and beautiful novel" (The New Yorker), the young Englishman Stephen Wraysford passes through a tempestuous love affair with Isabelle Azaire in France and enters the dark, surreal world beneath the trenches of No Man's Land. Sebastian Faulks creates a world of fiction that is as tragic as A Farewell to Arms and as sensuous as The English Patient, crafted from the ruins of war and the indestructibility of love.




Unlicensed


Book Description

UNLICENSED WHO''S THE GUV''NOR The True story behind the phenomenon of Unlicensed Boxing The Men - The Fights - The History... True and astonishing accounts of how London''s gangsters took control of the UK boxing scene and created a billion-dollar worldwide industry. TEN REASONS TO BUY THE BOOK. 1. All the Guv''nor fights explained. 2. The truth about the ''fixed gloves'' in the 1st Roy Shaw vs Lenny McLean fight. 3. How unlicensed boxing began. (The Mafia connection for the Ron Stander fight) 4. The Guv''nor title explained. 5. The men who almost fought for the title, John Bindon, Dave Courtney, Billy Isaac, Mark Potter, Paul Sykes. 6. Norman Buckland and the truth about Roy Shaw handing down the belt, plus Buckland''s fights for the title. 7. Welsh Phill Davies vs Decca Heggie, why the fight never happened. 8. Why Mike Tyson''s former opponent decided to have an easy night. 9. The men outside of boxing, my experiences with Roy Shaw, Lenny McLean, Alex Steene, Joe Pyle 10. My views on who was the best and worst Guvnor. GET READY FOR WORLD WAR 3 THE DISTINGUISHED title of the meanest, roughest, toughest, hardest, most brutal - not to say dirtiest - fighter in Britain will be awarded to one of two gentlemen tonight. The runner up will very likely be on his way to the infirmary, an oxygen tent, the crematorium, or at least the title role in sleeping beauty. Colin Dunne - The Sun newspaper (Sept. 11th, 1978) write-up by the Sun newspaper''s boxing columnist on the day of the third epic battle between Roy Shaw and Lenny McLean. UNLICENSED - Who''s the Guv''nor Setting the record straight on five decades of the most notorious title in boxing. From its humble beginnings in London''s underworld to the associations of the world''s leading boxing promoters. The dark and dangerous world of illicit boxing has created legends and myths, bestselling books, documentaries and Hollywood movies... Now! Hear about it from the men behind the scenes.... ROY SHAW & LENNY MCLEAN had three epic battles that set London alight. They fought to be The GUVNOR. To hold the most Notorious position in the fighting world. - The most dangerous man on the planet... Three fights that have gone down in history and created legends and cemented the Guv''nor title as royalty! This book is about that title, it''s how it began, and the fighting breed who lost blood fighting for it. UNLICENSED - Who''s the Guv''nor As boxing promoters go, Joey Pyle is the best, he is a silver-tongued, charismatic, dangerous f**ker. He has the ability to hold everyone at arm''s length, and you''re only in Joey''s company if invited. He''s a good friend but a bad enemy. WARNING! This book can seriously alter your views on the boxing world! Copyright © 2020 Joseph Arnie Pyle Gary Dennis ★★★★★ Can''t put the book down mate, absolute classic best book in a lotta years Rob B ★★★★★ Fantastic Read - No other book can compare on the Unlicensed Game Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 September 2020 Loved this book, a lot of nostalgia, stories from the heart of the scene. Especially liked the write-up on Alex Steene. Jacko the Monkey ★★★★★ Very Interesting book Verified Purchase if you are interested in the unlicensed boxing scene and the famous names involved this is the book for you Ivor Batey ★★★★★ The truth at last about the Guv''nor. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 September 2020 At last a book that tells the truth behind Unlicensed Boxing. Written by the man who knows better than anyone about the truth. So well written and I couldn''t put it down. This is a book I guarantee you won''t regret buying. J.A.Dunsmore ★★★★★ Great Read! Rev