Haystacks played a great bad guy but outside the ring he was the real BFG. I met him with my dad as a kid in a pub and was starstruck to see him but scared to talk to him because of how he was on TV. My dad went over and told him I was a fan, he came over and talked to me for ages about wrestling and signed an autograph for me. The word legend isn't good enough for this guy. ❤️
The heat that this man received throughout his entire career as a heel character, finally subsides with an ovation fitting of one Britain's greatest wrestling legends.
Giant Haystacks was also a devout Christian. He regularly attended church and no matter what money was offered to him he never wrestled on a Sunday. He is with the Lord.
@@larslan1975 mike tyson in his prime was 5´10 and 225 pounds at most, giant haystacks was 6´11 and 600 pounds, there´s a huge height and weight difference!!!!
Giant haystacks use to live in greenwood House flats longsight Manchester UK and drive a white mark 10 jaguar, he was such a pleasant bloke always stop for a quick talk ,telling us kids to behave and do well
Fond childhood memories come back as i remember watching Giant Haystacks, whenever he wrestled on World of sport hosted by Dickie Davies on Saturday afternoons. R.I.P Martin Austin Ruane 1946-1998.
I’m an ex car dealer and he turned up one day to look at a car we had for sale. Recognises him immediately although he had lost a lot of weight and looked far older than I remembered from the tv wrestling days. Came in, sat down and had a chat, the lady with him who I guess was probably his wife was a tiny Irish lady. Funny seeing them side by side, but let me tell you. He was a really nice fella, not a loudmouth or full of himself in any way. Absolute gent! He didn’t buy the car. Perhaps as well! 😂😂😂
That's one big dude. I remember him on telly in the early 80's. I later worked with a giant of a man, around 6'5 and over 20st. This is a guy that could cover a pint glass with his hand. He told me the biggest man he ever met in his life was Giant Haystacks...🤔 RIP Sir...
This is really nice. Found him such a big sinister character when I was a kid but lovely to see he was a gentle giant behind the public persona. I miss all these old characters.
Haystacks was 'seeing' a female wrestler called 'karen crystal' who was my sisters best mate for a while. He would come and collect her in his car from my sisters house in clacton on sea.
He was indeed an amazing man, was only lucky enough to see him once, but he was an absolute gent out of the ring, and made time to speak to everyone. Characters like him made Saturday afternoons.
I wish ad been there mutley just his stature is amazing..i am not the biggest of wrestling fans but everyone in my generation knows the name Giant Haystacks RIP
What a lovely woman filming Giant, you can hear the love and respect in her voice for him that we all shared for Mr Haystacks, a real wrestling legend who played his heel character brilliantly in the ring. Rip Sir x
I was with my dad on holiday waiting outside to see the wrestling. Behind me I heard 'excuse me son can I get past'. I turned round to see this huge man looking down at me being so polite. Giant haystacks.
Watched him wrestling 2 masked wrestlers in a cage in Dublins SFX Theatre in the late 80s. Always loved watching him and taken too early RIP the Giant Haystacks
That’s Martin Ruane, the humble gentleman, not Giant Haystacks the wrestling persona. Unlike others Martin had time for the fans, he was genuine and caring and appreciated what he had. Without doubt Giant Haystacks was a heel, the biggest and baddest but then we all like a baddie don’t we. I will freely admit I was a Haystacks supporter, not at the time a wrestling fan, more a casual Saturday viewer. I liked Giant Haystacks and the guy in the shamrock tights who I only recently discovered is or was (Fit) Finlay (retired) from WWE and I still liked him when I actively watched that.
What a great bloke... like previous comments says and my dad when he used to watch him would say monster in the ring and a good honest bloke away from it.
I just don't understand why there has never been a documentary on Giant haystacks he was absolutely amazing and seeing some old clips. I got to sit on his knee as a kid in dundonald ice bowl amazing memory. Very first wrestling match I went to as a kid Giant haystacks was fighting Dave fit.
a gentle giant :) only knew him from WCW and as a kid i thought: this is the next "big thing", a giant to slay for Hulk Hogan. Never got to that point. RIP!
Kind of ironic that Giant Haystacks Martin Ruane was a heel all his career, and Big Daddy Shirley Crabtree was a hugely over babyface for the latter half of his career, yet behind the scenes, to all accounts, Martin was the greater gentleman!
Met giant Haystacks at Piccadilly train station he was travelling to London to wrestle I was going for an interview a true gentleman I saw him in Christie Hospital had too look twice as he'd lost so much weight talked for a few minutes his lovely wife was with him pushed him in chair to the gardens a lovely man rest in peace
Total legend may he rest in peace. Grandparents met him in Wimpy’s in Torquay and said he was very chatty and friendly. He was on verge of doing ok in the US before he got sick.
A true gentleman of gentleman. This must have been in 1996 after he came back to his home country from the states here due to his health declining. I learned about him since first seeing him on WCW in 1996 and he had the most devastating elbow drop! After the internet came so did my curiosity for British wrestling and learning about the "who's who" of wrestling there and saw his interviews as well. He seemed like a very nice, soft spoken guy who only had kind words to say and enjoyed life to the fullest. The world could use more people like him. Very nice and a giant heart.
Sadly one of the last great names from the golden age of British Wrestling, Adrian Street, has just died a few days ago. These wonderful characters entertained millions and I hope they realised how much they were appreciated.
Well recall seeing this great wrestler on Saturday TV all those years ago. Him and Big Daddy and with the late great Kent Walton doing the commentary was a weekly treat for so very many. Thanks for this and RIP all those amazing guys who have now passed on, and Adrian Street who we also lost recently. Rest easy guys.
I always thought his last appearance was WCW VS The Giant but it’s good to see him surrounded by English fans who saw him throughout his career it’s shocking to see how much weight he’s lost here RIP Giant Haystacks
As a kid I didn't like him because of his persona in the ring ...... since then I have learnt what a true gentle giant he was and he was a good singer as well Respect to the man I wish I could have met r.i.p sir
I'll always remember as a child in the early 70s being the first to sit down at the end of a bout, not being aware of the connected row of chairs moving slowly backwards until eventually delicately balanced 6 feet high at the back of a stage. I went down backwards seated at a lovely slow speed, looking up at the other chairs either side coming down like a zip unfastening & all the people yelling & turning around & looking down. The next thing I was lifted straight back up by the man himself. He'd been paired up with Crusher Mason against Cowboy Jack Cassidy & I just forget who else. The venue was Whitehaven Civic Hall. Mitzy Muller was also on the bill.
I was walking with my family as a small child in Shropshire and he was in the street I couldn’t stop looking and me dad told me to stop staring in case he came over lol the good old days rest in peace ✌️
such a big part of tv wrestling when I was growing up and used to look forward to Saturday afternoon especially if he was one of the competitors. Saw him live once and was amazed at how much bigger he was in real life and how much of a gentlemen he was outside of the ring.
I grew up watching World Of Sport on a Saturday afternoon being amazed at these wrestlers and their personas. Giant Haystacks is one of those that is the first that you think of along with Big Daddy. They were the two that brought the house down and living rooms via the TV. Thank you for entertaining so many people, you are a wrestling legend.
Wgat a legend, He entertained millions through television in the golden age. Sadly Adrian Street has just died, one of the last great names from those golden days.
Mainstream British Wrestling is one of the many past times that we've unfortunately lost in our households. Although we have a bright future with many British stars becoming successes in America. Guys like Giant Haystacks and Big Daddy paved the way for British Wrestling.
Seen stacks in Lowestoft 90’s on entering the main room he shoved a kid that was stood in his path and fractured his arm... gentle at times I guess! Miss these days
Mad Eli another legend and a gent outside the ring as well,I know this as he was a friend of my brother and he even gave my brother somewhere to live when he needed it the most.
I worked at a venue that held some wrestling and Giant Haystacks was on the bill ,I don't remember the year,but would have been shortly before his death,and was really,really upsetting and sad to see him clearly in poor health having to do what he had to do....
You know doing research on this guy he seemed to be essentially the UK's undertaker a full 15 years before mark calaway was even a name in wrestling. Sometimes I wonder how a match would have gone between the two had they been at their physical prime. they would have definitely gotten along outside of the ring.
WrestlingMapsCOM I saw him at a very similar time in Croydon. An absolute spectacle of a man. Such a shame illness prevented his feud with Hogan taking off.
@@Powered4TV WOW!!!!!! What a outstanding find!!!! Congrats n well done 2 u guys 4 finding this!!!!🖐👌👍👏👏👏👏 The mans a legend in my eyes, it was said he was a demon n monster in the ring!!! But out of it he was nicest kindest gentle man u could hope 2 meet who loved his fans!!! He was also a devout roman catholic who never wrestle on Sundays!!!! Jus love watching all his old clip bouts on You Tube!!!! Never had the chance 2 see him live, he wrestled at the Bedworth Civic Hall many times!!! Now kicking n rueing myself at all those miss times???? He was a walking moutain of a man who had such presence in the ring!!! We will never see his like again!! Gone but never forgotten!!!!🙁😊😊
Thank you for releasing this. I liked haystacks Mick Mcmanus Jim breaks Roller ball rocco .I didnt llke big daddy or Vic the cheat Faulkner and half baldly bert royal i watched them cheating in tag matches. George Matthews was Mcmanus's real name. If you google Hawkwind the song Mcmanus is credited with music or lyrics hench is fall out with that insufferable ass jackie pallo who looks like a less camp version of danny la rue
Lucky enough to see him wrestle live, honestly the TV doesn't do justice to how big this guy was. Heel for ever but the most gentle man outside the ring.
Haystacks played a great bad guy but outside the ring he was the real BFG. I met him with my dad as a kid in a pub and was starstruck to see him but scared to talk to him because of how he was on TV. My dad went over and told him I was a fan, he came over and talked to me for ages about wrestling and signed an autograph for me.
The word legend isn't good enough for this guy. ❤️
That's a lovely story. Thank you for sharing.
❤❤❤
The heat that this man received throughout his entire career as a heel character, finally subsides with an ovation fitting of one Britain's greatest wrestling legends.
Giant Haystacks was also a devout Christian. He regularly attended church and no matter what money was offered to him he never wrestled on a Sunday. He is with the Lord.
God bless him. A wrestling legend 😢
A true legend and a great man. God Bless him
A good Irish Catholic boy❤❤❤
Loved watching him when I was a kid the great wrestling matches with him and big daddy. True legend RIP.
Thank you for releasing this video, he certainly was a giant not only in stature but in heart.
Thanks for being a big part of my childhood giant haystacks RIP
Somebody once asked if he'd fight mike tyson for £100,000 he said I'd fight him for 50 quid. True bloke. R. I. P
In Tyson's hay day , Stacks wouldn't stand a chance!
@@larslan1975 Easy 50 quid though.
@@larslan1975 mike tyson in his prime was 5´10 and 225 pounds at most, giant haystacks was 6´11 and 600 pounds, there´s a huge height and weight difference!!!!
@@larslan1975 Because he wasn't a boxer
@larslan1975 in a boxing match, no. But in a real street fight where anything goes, Tyson wouldn't stand a chance. Haystacks just too big and strong.
When I was a kid I used to go round to my aunts to watch wrestling on Saturday afternoons. One of the greats back in the day.
but he was loved....because everyone loved to hate him (but were secretly a massive fan)
Great man indeed such a legend. Saw him a few times as a child always cheered for Haystacks.
He was big in stature folks. But also of heart towards his fans. He truly was one of Europe's best big men. RIP Haystacks.
Giant haystacks use to live in greenwood House flats longsight Manchester UK and drive a white mark 10 jaguar, he was such a pleasant bloke always stop for a quick talk ,telling us kids to behave and do well
While stationed in Germany giant haystack visited the regiment as a guest what gentleman he was back in seventies.
Fond childhood memories come back as i remember watching Giant Haystacks, whenever he wrestled on World of sport hosted by Dickie Davies on Saturday afternoons.
R.I.P Martin Austin Ruane 1946-1998.
I’m an ex car dealer and he turned up one day to look at a car we had for sale. Recognises him immediately although he had lost a lot of weight and looked far older than I remembered from the tv wrestling days. Came in, sat down and had a chat, the lady with him who I guess was probably his wife was a tiny Irish lady. Funny seeing them side by side, but let me tell you. He was a really nice fella, not a loudmouth or full of himself in any way. Absolute gent!
He didn’t buy the car. Perhaps as well! 😂😂😂
He actually looked pretty good considering that he had been battling lymphoma for 3 years by that point.
I remember meeting him a few times when I was young. He was a lovely gentlemanly young man.
Max Crabtree made lots of money from this guy
That's one big dude. I remember him on telly in the early 80's. I later worked with a giant of a man, around 6'5 and over 20st. This is a guy that could cover a pint glass with his hand. He told me the biggest man he ever met in his life was Giant Haystacks...🤔 RIP Sir...
This is really nice. Found him such a big sinister character when I was a kid but lovely to see he was a gentle giant behind the public persona. I miss all these old characters.
A legend an English icon RIP giant
Haystacks was 'seeing' a female wrestler called 'karen crystal' who was my sisters best mate for a while. He would come and collect her in his car from my sisters house in clacton on sea.
He was indeed an amazing man, was only lucky enough to see him once, but he was an absolute gent out of the ring, and made time to speak to everyone. Characters like him made Saturday afternoons.
I wish ad been there mutley just his stature is amazing..i am not the biggest of wrestling fans but everyone in my generation knows the name Giant Haystacks RIP
The love and respect shown is brilliant.
What a lovely woman filming Giant, you can hear the love and respect in her voice for him that we all shared for Mr Haystacks, a real wrestling legend who played his heel character brilliantly in the ring. Rip Sir x
Yes, bless this kind lady.
I was with my dad on holiday waiting outside to see the wrestling. Behind me I heard 'excuse me son can I get past'. I turned round to see this huge man looking down at me being so polite. Giant haystacks.
That’s an amazing story that
Watched him wrestling 2 masked wrestlers in a cage in Dublins SFX Theatre in the late 80s. Always loved watching him and taken too early RIP the Giant Haystacks
That’s Martin Ruane, the humble gentleman, not Giant Haystacks the wrestling persona. Unlike others Martin had time for the fans, he was genuine and caring and appreciated what he had. Without doubt Giant Haystacks was a heel, the biggest and baddest but then we all like a baddie don’t we. I will freely admit I was a Haystacks supporter, not at the time a wrestling fan, more a casual Saturday viewer. I liked Giant Haystacks and the guy in the shamrock tights who I only recently discovered is or was (Fit) Finlay (retired) from WWE and I still liked him when I actively watched that.
What a great bloke... like previous comments says and my dad when he used to watch him would say monster in the ring and a good honest bloke away from it.
I've seen giant haystacks loads of times in wales and once in Shrewsbury Shropshire all against big daddy both wrestling in heaven now
Jason Cross, Blondie Barratt, Klondyke Kate, James Mason, Justin Hansford et al ... all there ... I was there for this night ... Stacks was a hero!!
I totally forgot about blondie barrett, remember seeing him in a few matches norwich late 1990s/2000
The greatest heel of all time
I just don't understand why there has never been a documentary on Giant haystacks he was absolutely amazing and seeing some old clips. I got to sit on his knee as a kid in dundonald ice bowl amazing memory. Very first wrestling match I went to as a kid Giant haystacks was fighting Dave fit.
a gentle giant :) only knew him from WCW and as a kid i thought: this is the next "big thing", a giant to slay for Hulk Hogan. Never got to that point. RIP!
Kind of ironic that Giant Haystacks Martin Ruane was a heel all his career, and Big Daddy Shirley Crabtree was a hugely over babyface for the latter half of his career, yet behind the scenes, to all accounts, Martin was the greater gentleman!
he was a really good bad guy rip.
Met giant Haystacks at Piccadilly train station he was travelling to London to wrestle I was going for an interview a true gentleman I saw him in Christie Hospital had too look twice as he'd lost so much weight talked for a few minutes his lovely wife was with him pushed him in chair to the gardens a lovely man rest in peace
Total legend may he rest in peace. Grandparents met him in Wimpy’s in Torquay and said he was very chatty and friendly. He was on verge of doing ok in the US before he got sick.
A true gentleman of gentleman. This must have been in 1996 after he came back to his home country from the states here due to his health declining. I learned about him since first seeing him on WCW in 1996 and he had the most devastating elbow drop! After the internet came so did my curiosity for British wrestling and learning about the "who's who" of wrestling there and saw his interviews as well. He seemed like a very nice, soft spoken guy who only had kind words to say and enjoyed life to the fullest. The world could use more people like him. Very nice and a giant heart.
Sadly one of the last great names from the golden age of British Wrestling, Adrian Street, has just died a few days ago. These wonderful characters entertained millions and I hope they realised how much they were appreciated.
saw him at the kinima ballroom in dunfermline where he knocked big daddy clean out
Absolute legend. This is a nice piece
When he first appeared in the doorway in this clip I thought it was Steven Segal for a few seconds.
He is a Proper Gentleman.I enjoyed his Wrestling.
Well recall seeing this great wrestler on Saturday TV all those years ago.
Him and Big Daddy and with the late great Kent Walton doing the commentary was a weekly treat for so very many.
Thanks for this and RIP all those amazing guys who have now passed on, and Adrian Street who we also lost recently. Rest easy guys.
I always thought his last appearance was WCW VS The Giant but it’s good to see him surrounded by English fans who saw him throughout his career it’s shocking to see how much weight he’s lost here RIP Giant Haystacks
Martin was totally the opposite of the bad guy he was made to be,,,,,real nice guy in real life
I loved watching haystacks when I was a kid, watched him and daddy with my nan, great times. Haystacks was a monster! Thanks for uploading this gem.
As a kid I didn't like him because of his persona in the ring ...... since then I have learnt what a true gentle giant he was and he was a good singer as well
Respect to the man I wish I could have met r.i.p sir
I'll always remember as a child in the early 70s being the first to sit down at the end of a bout, not being aware of the connected row of chairs moving slowly backwards until eventually delicately balanced 6 feet high at the back of a stage. I went down backwards seated at a lovely slow speed, looking up at the other chairs either side coming down like a zip unfastening & all the people yelling & turning around & looking down. The next thing I was lifted straight back up by the man himself. He'd been paired up with Crusher Mason against Cowboy Jack Cassidy & I just forget who else. The venue was Whitehaven Civic Hall.
Mitzy Muller was also on the bill.
Smashing big guy and a gentleman R.I.P.
One of the few wrestlers that I had heard of while I never saw him in action. Then you are a true legend indeed! RIP.
I was walking with my family as a small child in Shropshire and he was in the street I couldn’t stop looking and me dad told me to stop staring in case he came over lol the good old days rest in peace ✌️
Used to watch him live, true legend, nice guy, he may well have been a giant but i bet he still did what his wife told him 😄😄😄😄
Saw him a few times at Kings Hall Belle Vue when the speedway was rained off.
such a big part of tv wrestling when I was growing up and used to look forward to Saturday afternoon especially if he was one of the competitors. Saw him live once and was amazed at how much bigger he was in real life and how much of a gentlemen he was outside of the ring.
I grew up watching World Of Sport on a Saturday afternoon being amazed at these wrestlers and their personas. Giant Haystacks is one of those that is the first that you think of along with Big Daddy. They were the two that brought the house down and living rooms via the TV.
Thank you for entertaining so many people, you are a wrestling legend.
I remember when The Giant laid a beaten on him in the aisle way on Monday Nitro
Thanks for this upload. I know he was ill but Haystacks looked healthy here.
Wgat a legend, He entertained millions through television in the golden age. Sadly Adrian Street has just died, one of the last great names from those golden days.
Like so many, I grew up watching this man, and others of that Era in British wrestling. Truly miss those days.
I would go back to those days in a heartbeat.
Great find!! A big thank you for uploading this mate!!!!
Loved watching the old greats when I was a young boy
Remember him well and nice to see Mad Eli
I once saw him
Driving a Mercedes down the m6.he was a man mountain
Never heard a bad word about Martin.
Nice guy... Sad loss..
R.I.P GIANT HAYSTACKS. ❤
Thanks for this brought a happy tear to my eye great memories of a time gone by Nice one GH
Your not the only
same here.what a gentleman.
so many happy memories watching haystacks with my gran n grandad.
Thanks for uploading this! Great to see 👍🏻
You don’t give haystacks a bouquet of flowers 😂
Mainstream British Wrestling is one of the many past times that we've unfortunately lost in our households. Although we have a bright future with many British stars becoming successes in America. Guys like Giant Haystacks and Big Daddy paved the way for British Wrestling.
one word...legend.... synonymous with 70's and 80's wrestling scene in the uk. later he went to america and wrestled in wcw.
Miss this legend 😓😓
The lady presenting flowers to Stacks was Gangster's first wife, Sarah.
He must've lost about 350lbs here.
lovely man. RIP
Wow, just incredible, a true legend and greatest heel.
Seen stacks in Lowestoft 90’s on entering the main room he shoved a kid that was stood in his path and fractured his arm... gentle at times I guess! Miss these days
One of the best bad boys of wrestling but he was
1991 I photographed the Kendo Vs Haystacks in croydon for the Documentary, some great Pics
A good Irish Catholic boy❤❤❤ Thanks so much for posting - "Haystacks" Ruane would be proud of you😂
Mad Eli another legend and a gent outside the ring as well,I know this as he was a friend of my brother and he even gave my brother somewhere to live when he needed it the most.
Mad Eli was the best. Strange seeing him without his hat and badges
I worked at a venue that held some wrestling and Giant Haystacks was on the bill ,I don't remember the year,but would have been shortly before his death,and was really,really upsetting and sad to see him clearly in poor health having to do what he had to do....
i wish we saw more of Giant Haystacks in North America. Our loss. Sadly he would be gone just 5 months later
You know doing research on this guy he seemed to be essentially the UK's undertaker a full 15 years before mark calaway was even a name in wrestling. Sometimes I wonder how a match would have gone between the two had they been at their physical prime. they would have definitely gotten along outside of the ring.
Used to love watching this man wrestling as a kid ..great memories
I remember seeing him in Chelmsford, Essex back in the early 90's. They had to tighten up the ring after his match.
WrestlingMapsCOM I saw him at a very similar time in Croydon. An absolute spectacle of a man. Such a shame illness prevented his feud with Hogan taking off.
@@Powered4TV WOW!!!!!! What a outstanding find!!!! Congrats n well done 2 u guys 4 finding this!!!!🖐👌👍👏👏👏👏 The mans a legend in my eyes, it was said he was a demon n monster in the ring!!! But out of it he was nicest kindest gentle man u could hope 2 meet who loved his fans!!! He was also a devout roman catholic who never wrestle on Sundays!!!! Jus love watching all his old clip bouts on You Tube!!!! Never had the chance 2 see him live, he wrestled at the Bedworth Civic Hall many times!!! Now kicking n rueing myself at all those miss times???? He was a walking moutain of a man who had such presence in the ring!!! We will never see his like again!! Gone but never forgotten!!!!🙁😊😊
I was there, and I can remember that ! :)
@@Heathstorm Lucky you!!!🖐🙂
@@rkuzmenko55 Or even Ruane myself!
Lump in my throat.... All those memories... Gulp!!
Throat cancer?
Thank you for sharing this, He was so special to us ... and we are way up north in North west Scotland.
Is that bath pavilion
David Parsons It is indeed
Thank you for releasing this. I liked haystacks Mick Mcmanus Jim breaks Roller ball rocco .I didnt llke big daddy or Vic the cheat Faulkner and half baldly bert royal i watched them cheating in tag matches. George Matthews was Mcmanus's real name. If you google Hawkwind the song Mcmanus is credited with music or lyrics hench is fall out with that insufferable ass jackie pallo who looks like a less camp version of danny la rue
I actually wrestled on this card. I went searching for some footage after finding out Gangsta died a few months back. Feb 12th 2023. RIp brother.
A true cornerstone of wrestling what a man
Lucky enough to see him wrestle live, honestly the TV doesn't do justice to how big this guy was.
Heel for ever but the most gentle man outside the ring.
Thanks for the upload mate😊👍
RIP big man
I saw him twice against Nagasaki. Both Stella gentleman.
Legend. Every Saturday 4pm world of sport wrestling. Good old days.
His bouts with big daddy will live on in memories.
Three names from that era spring to mind; Giant Haystacks; Big Daddy and Adrian Street :)
what a great man loved seeing the giant haystacks wrestling on world of sport back in the day
He was as tough as old boots in the ring but a true gentleman out of it. RIP GH and thanks for the entertainment.