Fight the Good Fight

Step into the world of the Snakepit Wigan and learn about one of the most remarkable wrestling stories ever told.

From the unlikeliest of settings, a dilapidated, tin-roofed building with few facilities tucked away in an allotment at the bottom of Pyke Street, Whelley, Wigan, Billy Riley built a legacy that reshaped professional wrestling forever. A master of Wigan catch wrestling, Riley trained some of the world's toughest and most legitimate fighters, including Billy Joyce, Karl Gotch, Billy Robinson, Roy Wood, and Kendo Nagasaki, men whose remarkable skill and resilience are still recognised today.

This book delves deeply into the sociological roots of wrestling in Wigan, tracing the Riley family's history long before the Snakepit gym opened its doors. It exposes the brutal training conditions within those legendary walls and reveals Riley's coaching philosophy for crafting some of the greatest wrestlers in history.

However, for every celebrated champion, there were the unsung greats, exceptional wrestlers whose talent never got the recognition they deserved, wrestlers like Tommy Moore (AKA Jack Dempsey), Harold Winstanley (AKA Melvyn Riss), Alan Wood and many more. This book brings their stories into the light, honouring the forgotten ones who helped define the gym's legacy.

After Riley, Roy Wood took the reins as head coach, and throughout the book, he provides an intimate look at what really happened behind closed doors at the Snakepit. His story is remarkable and one of triumph against the odds, a relentless battle to preserve Wigan catch-as-catch-can wrestling and keep Riley's legacy alive.

And beyond the sport itself, the Snakepit has always been about more than wrestling. Through her writing, Andrea Wood, daughter of Roy Wood, shares her remarkable journey and philosophy, offering insight into how the gym's principles continue to impact lives and how she is shaping the future of the gym and Wigan catch-as-catch-can wrestling for the next generation.

This book contains never-before-seen information, including letters from Billy Robinson and Ian Bromley, as well as images of Karl Gotch, Billy Riley, and many other wrestling legends.

Whether you're a lifelong fan or a newcomer to the sport, this book will transform how you see wrestling forever and maybe even change you in the process.

Are you ready to step inside the Snakepit and discover the truth behind its legendary walls?