'All for one and one for all' - This has been the motto of Collyhurst & Moston Boxing Club for a century and it rings as true today as it did when Harry Fleming founded the club during The Great War. Across the decades the club has trained local tearaways, many of whom went on to become champions, yet perhaps the greatest tribute to the club is that it has remained at the centre of a community that has undergone huge changes in the last 100 years. During the twenties and thirties the club was the base for great Mancunian fighters such as Jackie Brown, Jock McAvoy and Johnny King, proving it could nurture champions as well as provide refuge from an uncertain world. More recently Brian Hughes turned the club into a title-winning factory with the likes of Pat Barrett, Robbie Reid and Michael Gomez proving themselves at British, European and World level. Yet the club isn't somewhere to just 'hang out' - a strict code is adhered to. Once there you help, learn, listen and behave. If you don't possess the talent to be a champion boxer, you will almost certainly leave with the tools to become a better human being. Heading into its second century, The Collyhurst & Moston Boxing Club continues to adapt with boxing training for boys and girls and a female champion in the ranks and it is through former pros such as Thomas McDonagh and Pat Barrett that the original ethos of Harry Fleming is kept alive - the beating heart of a tough but passionate community.
John Ludden is an acclaimed author from Manchester. He has written over twenty books and his work has been translated into several different languages. His cult classic 'Maradona: Once Upon a Time in Naples' is currently the basis for a forthcoming documentary film by Oscar winning director Asif Kapadia due for general cinematic release in 2018. A Manchester United fan, John's work has chronicled the history of his club with the highly acclaimed 'A Tale of Two Cities' and 'From the Stars'. John has also written a series of well-received novels and factual works, these include the intriguing Quality gangster series mixing fact with fiction that take in the Manchester crime scene from the 60s,70s and onwards. John worked closely with Michael Gomez on his acclaimed biography in 2016 and has now moved on to study the history of one of the most famous boxing gyms in the world.
John Ludden was born and raised in Moston, Manchester and spent his formative years obsessed with football and writing to the extent that as a kid he used to write reports of Match of the Day. A former builder, John was inspired by the likes of Hugh McIlvanney to write several acclaimed books on the game including Fields of Fire: The Greatest Football Matches Ever and Once Upon a Time In Naples about Diego Maradona's time in Italy. His work has been translated into several languages. Of a 'A Tale of Two Cities' John comments, "I was fascinated with how United came back after the Munich disaster. How just ten years after the crash they actually finally won the European cup. Also it was a chance to write about the team whom I regard as the greatest ever; the Real Madrid team of Di Stefano, Puskas and Gento. They were not just wonderful players but great characters. The opportunity to tell both stories in one book proved too good an opportunity to let go. I just hope I have done it justice".
