Hi Darren. You may not remember me, I used to be Glen Thompson's girlfriend and trained in both boxing (at Rick Manners) and with the Golden Team when Glen and Steve ran it.
? have just found you on the Martial Arts TV Network and hope you receive this email. I will be moving to Manchester within the month and would be greatful if you would keep in touch. Am doing all my training from home and looking to get a freestanding bag for my spare room once I move.

Hope you are keeping extremely well and may the good spirits stay with you.

Diane Colley

I really wish that someone would come out with a book about the history of Thai Boxing in the UK. All I know, is that if it wasn't for the orginal Thai master's, and the likes of Ronnie Green, Kevin Lloyd, Shaks, etc, the west would have only just been introduced to Muay Thai.
I know for a fact that I would have never known, or be into Muay Thai if it wasn't for men like Master Ronnie Green.
To my knowledge, Masters Toddy, Woody, Sken, were some of the orginal Thai masters in the west, but are there any more? Were there any Thai instructors in the UK before?
Any info on that last question would be appreciated.

I train because I feel like I have nothing else that I can...I guess succeed at? I was always told I had great potential, but I never dedicate myself fully, we never spar like I want to. By that I mean, we spar little-none, and so I feel like I'm just working out, instead of, I'm actually training to become a better fighter. I always will respect martial arts in general, but I respect full contact systems even more, because they perform what they teach.

I once met Ronnie Green, I was a nervous pupil of his and he put me at ease. A very nice guy. i couldnt understand why he had/has such a weak handshake for a boxer so successful lol. Peace n Health to all martial artists...JB [Vinny Logan]

I studied Lau gar Kung Fu Under Master Jeremy Lau in stockton on Tees aged 4 with my estranged father, from there I studied Mu Gen Do Karate and kickboxing Under world Champion Paul Sexton from the ages of 6 to 19, during this time I also Studied Judo in Stockton under Joe Glynn for three years. I was a gymnast for five years and also represented England Under 16's as a goal keeper in field hockey.Also at the age of 16 I was competing in Triathlons all over England, playing Ice Hockey, figure skating and rockclimbing. My fighting career was just about to lift off when the club split and I fell ill. I am now 35 and have been to the odd Mu Gen Do class between this time but 6 months ago I met Master Sean Dooney at our Spennymoor gym. I originally went to the gym to check out the Kyokushin Karate class but the night I attended there was a Muay Thai class using the gym. I stayed and participated in the class under the guidance of Master Sean. At the time I had been diagnosed with rheumatiod Arthritis and weighed in at 21 stone, after pushing myself and learning great lessons from master Sean and all of the Kru's six months later I now weigh 17 stone. I continue to get fitter, more flexible and more at peace with myself through learning the Art of Muay Thai, I feel like an empty vessel and am continously on the path of self improvement, I have made many great friends and hold them all in the highest of regard and respect. I hope to continue this journey for as long as I can and look forward to spending some time in Thailand and hopefully meeting Master Ronnie Green, of whom I have heard so much about, at some point in my career. I am now focused on my training in a way in which I did not fully appreciate as a young martial arts student and this is as much a mental and spiritual journey as it is a physical one.
Thanks to all the guys I train with for their continuing humility and support and I will be passing on the disciplne and art to my two baby daughters who have already started on there path in learning the art of Muay Thai.

My name is Daz, I work for the Simingdam Team.

I trained first for 16 years in Karate. For the last 19 years a have studied Muay Thai. When I was 9 years old I saw Alan Wicker on TV 'Wickers World' he did a special on Thailand and it showed Muay Thai or as it is now known Thai Boxing. I was motivated to search for it.

Didn't find it only Karate and Judo (I did 2 years Traditional Judo! You only learn 12 moves, its known in Japan) Later when I was a young teenager I read about a man from Manchester called Ronnie 'Machine Gun' Green, and it said he was beating all the Top Thai's, that motivated me more, a westerner can do it, how, who is he?

Thai boxing only came to Leeds when I was 24, the search was over so I join in, it was fun but not real, no Thai's, so the search was still on. Some years later in Oldham, thanks to a great friend, boxer 'Rick Manners' (68 fights unbeaten), Rick introduced me to Ronnie, I did not believe that it was him, the pictures in the old martial arts mags did not ring any bells, I searched on. Rick and the man carried on their conversion.

A few weeks later Rick brought the same man to our gym in Leeds, it was him! Machine Gun aka Black Tiger. I did not understand, I still scratch my head, today. Thats why I train because of people LIKE THIS !!! They don't just fight and win, they unite and can really fight.

Since that day at the Gym 12 years ago Ronnie and me became good friends. He introduced me to the Thai Masters in Manchester, he helped me create the now very famous Golden Team of Leeds.

Within a very short space of time I trained up Steve Adams and Glen Thompson to win, two unknown novice fighters became Champions and lived their dream in Thailand. Steve and Glen now run the Golden Team and are a large force in UK Muay Thai. They should be! I trained them!

People like Ronnie helped me motivate and train people like Steve and Glen. It works.

Thats what motivates me, things that work, styles that work, training methods that work. And most importantly, my teachers, I was always taught to respect my teachers.

So here we go.
Thanks to Kevin Masterson over 34 years ago, (Shotokan: still consider that the hardest training, boy that guy was tough. lol).
Thanks to my Physics teacher Mr Housldsworth, Judo and Physics, fighting and science.
Thanks to Joe Grinion, you showed me brains and brawn, a giant of a gentlemen (Shukokai Karate).
Thanks to Haseeb Khan, 'Tai' Kwon Do, he had his first Thai match after a heart attack in his mid 40's and Knocked out his oppenent of 20 years younger, WOW, inspiring.
The first Leeds Thai boxing teachers Nigel and Nigel, were Steve, Glen and myself first trained together, Nigel and Nigel you both did a great job, it shows, well done.

My final thanks go to Ronnie Green. What can I say? Thanks friend, I have known you for some years you invited me to Thailand for my 40th, I went, my birthday treat was a beating in the gym and you still refuse to train me? Thats why I train, theres always more to learn, thanks Ronnie for proving that and building the Thai Path !!! The others just walk down it !!!

Coming out next year on Ronniegreentv.com "The Truth About UK Muay Thai" Filmed over four years.

Please leave a comment. Please don't offend. From. Daz Chadwick part of the Simingdam Team. Founder of the Golden Team Leeds.