Bit OT.
Paul Sykes was a dreadful man from what I’m told and probably got what he deserved. I particularly loath the way some people lionise him because he managed to write a book, one that basically excused himself and blamed everyone else.
I say he wrote it, he wrote bits of it but it was others who made it moderately readable. He was no thwarted intellectual or a sensitive soul crushed by the brutality of life. He was a violent bully and little more, that’s why boxing suited him as ultimately it allowed him to receive it back but only within the rules.
I personally came across him only once and didn’t like him though he was clearly a man you didn’t want to get on the wrong side of. My brother and his best mate, both coppers knew him well and disliked him intensely though that’s hardly surprising I suppose. I think they dislike him mainly because he cultivated the idea that he was the scourge of the constabulary, when in fact he was fairly easily tamed compared to some and many coppers where not the least bit frightened of him.
I’m sure he had his demons and he wasn’t all bad but why some people chose to worship these kinds of men baffles me. If you really must venerate so called tough guys then at least chose ones who did it with some purpose ie Rocky Turner or similar.