Firstly, I would like to thank those who read my last article. Your likes and shares are much appreciated and if you have any positive or negative feedback, please let me know via my Facebook page or via maynardsmithlucian@gmail.com. Now let’s move onto the second part of the last article.
Things can only get better. An often clichéd saying in my opinion, but after the unexpected discrepancy with the ring in Dunfermline, surely this will be the case in Stirling. The Albert Halls is a cracking venue and personally one of my favourite venues that W3L runs, with tremendous production values, facilities and an always receptive audience.
Things were going good. Yours truly found himself travelling with the leader of The Gamer Club, Kevin Williams (initially, I thought the term “gamer” meant an admiration for board games, such as Othello and Trivial Pursuit, turns out I was wrong!) and we made great time making it to Stirling. Unfortunately, after obtaining access to the parking barrier to the venue, the ring van just stops. By that, I mean it completely loses power and by that I mean we are not able to turn on the ignition, engine or get access to the tail-lift, which is needed in order to load our equipment into the venue! The worst always happens when you least expect it seemingly!
We were able to liaison with the van hire and breakdown companies and get a recovery van to try and start the van. Thankfully, we were able to gain access to at least the tail-lift so equipment could be loaded into the venue and so there still will be a show on the Friday evening. We were told to leave the van running so it could get power back, as it was presumed to be a faulty battery. So we did that and proceeded with the show, albeit a bit late but not absurdly late and featuring W3L home-grown talent such as Jason Reed, Craig Stephens and Kevin Williams, as well as west coast favourites such as Grado and Leah Owens, along with seasoned pro Danny Flynn from Robbie Brookside’s School Of Wrestling’s.
It was back to work for yours truly, as I hosted The House Of Smith, an interview segment that involved me attempting to convince Joe E Legend to help me avenge a recent loss I had to Grado, before Grado himself interrupted the segment setting up a match between the two, as well as Blondie Barratt attempting to cash in his Golden Ticket (which gives him a championship match of his choosing at any time he wants). I was out of the road by this time, not wanting to get my hands too dirty, so I could prepare for my flag match with Mike Musso. I was sadly defeated after getting slingshotted out of the ring and much to my chagrin, witnessing Musso wave the Scottish flag for all to see. Robbed.
Once the show was all said and done, it turned out the battery was not the problem with the ring van, but more to do with the van alternators, so ultimately the van needed recovered back to Dunfermline and a new van was arranged to take its place. Once the van was loaded, yours truly and Kevin Williams travelled with the recovery van, where the chap told us that this was “by far” the worst recovery he has ever had to do. I can understand this being the case. Not often are Ford Transit Luton vans recovered late on Friday night and required to be taken over 20 miles from the recovery point! We did appreciate the guy’s help and the testimonial will amuse me for days to come, but here is hoping we do not run into another problem like this again, for his sake and our own! Next time, I will document the W3L and SSW live event in Livingston, which took place the day after Stirling. Good day.
– Lucian Maynard-Smith
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