Did you arrive at the show early to see the wrestlers come in, or just as the show was starting?

Well, looks like I have to go for a drive next time i'm over in Melbourne to visit Dudley's.

Dave & Shirley Cameron told me a funny story about getting on a bus to go to the wrestling and Danny Lynch was also on it (the bus & the bill).

Good recall about the Dandenongs from James but we were all a bit slow regarding the, with hindsight, rather obvious restaurant name:

Named after the man himself!

He features in their video, too:

Is that an injun's head-dress he's wearing bottom right?

No train or bus connections, I'm sorry to say, however...

One one occasion at a Butlins holiday camp, my son and I sat around a couple of hours early, watching two wrestlers go through their paces, under the watchful eye of another guy, who from time to time would stop them and give them pointers, or actually lay a hold on one of the guys in demonstration. One of the two guys wrestling, was either Chic Cullen or Greg Valentine, I can't remember which. Later on, in the show, it was announced that Chic (or Greg) was held up on a motorway somewhere and so that was the excuse used to embarrass a very young and nervous 'Redcoat', using him in the main event tag match. Of course at the death, the delayed wrestler turns up and wins the match for his team.

I was always hours early to the Sydney Stadium, as I took a bus to it, directly after finishing Tech.college, on Friday afternoons. I saw interactions with wrestlers sometimes at a cafe I used, to while away the time for the box office to open. Lewin, DeNucci, Bob Nandor, Bobby Hercules Graham, and Sammy Menacker were among those I remember.

Years ago, I recounted trips to Brighton, where on one occasion, our family joined the crowd that hung around Jackie Pallo, on the seafront and on another occasion, said family followed the Donleveys, Semus and Mike around Brighton (at a discreet distance) for half an hour, before giving up on them, when they settled themselves into a cinema showing cartoons. I remember sitting a few rows behind them, alternatively watching the boys and Mickey, Minny and Goofy, for a short while, before my dad must have decided that Semus and Mike were there for the duration and we left.

So, that was nice!

Always about an hour early at Northampton. Got to meet Jack Dale many times. The wrestlers came in by a side entrance.

I think it was out in the Dandenongs -have I spelled that right ? Just outside Melbourne

I always arrived at St James Hall early, to see the wrestlers come in.

Often I was lucky if three or four arrived in one car. Sometimes they would talk to me when unloading the gear out of the boot.

Once I was lucky enough to be picked up by Norman Walsh and sat in the back seat with Felix Kerschitz.

That reminds me on one very enjoyable moment. Half way along Hastings Pier, I spotted Alan Garfield with wife and two children in tow. What was interesting was he wasn't billed, he was to be a sub. So I was surprised and said "I'm delighted to see you'll be wrestling tonight," He puffed out his chest in pride and signed whatever I proffered.

My clearest memory of that encounter was his daughter, about 15, with her very big fuzzy fair hair. She looked on incredulously at my excitement, clearly seeing dad in a new light. A few years ago we tracked her down to being a Sydney restaurateur with photos of Alan Garfield in her eatery.

In 1971 I once met Jackie Pallo and Mike Marino in the Winter Gardens Cafe, Morecambe prior to an event. I'd come on the train straight from sitting my accountancy exams at Preston and they both signed my study notes, Jackie said I was bound to pass now!

Earlier in 1964 or 1965 I met Mike Bennett walking towards Preston Queens Hall on his way to a televised bout with Eric Sands.

It reads like you, Romeo, had the luxury of attending a venue where the wrestlers all arrived very visibly and through an accessible entrance.

My experiences, with autograph hunting in mind, were frustrating. Venues with multiple entrances and back doors. Croydon, Royal Albert Hall and smaller venues alike - impossible. Even Hastings Pier was a challenge even though it should have been easy with them all trapped at the far end with a funnel through which to arrive.

These days some promotions get fans to buy a backstage pass to do that