The Guv'nor

Lenny McLean: the Guv'nor, Dirty Len, a human timebomb waiting to go off, one of the old school--however he was known, Len McLean was--until his high-profile death through cancer in 1998-a living legend and the truth behind a dozen urban myths (all of them extremely violent no doubt); as well as a byword for toughness and street smarts. You didn't mess with Len. Stories of his exploits abound, his name being known far beyond his native manor of Hoxton, with a fearsome reputation built on the back of being a gentleman and one of the best fighters I have ever seen, according to the late Ron Kray. The turn out of minor celebrities and gangland notables at his funeral is a testimony to the (for him) all-important respect this larger- than-life character earned in his chequered life. But who was the great pugilist-turned-actor (see his impressive performance playing, not surprisingly, an East End enforcer in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), and what does it take to be the so-called Guv'nor?

In The Guv'nor, Len takes us, in what largely seems to be his own words (those offended by coarse language beware, he is no honey-tongued rhetorician), through his reminiscences. He evokes a compelling picture of times past, of a tough childhood growing up in the impoverished East End under the auspices of a brutally violent and unforgiving stepfather. He lived his early life in violence, and from that point, through a career of petty crime, minding, bouncing and unlicensed prize fighting (in fact anything that required muscle--his weapons were his fists, and he never used a shooter) it never ended. Because violence came so naturally to Len, his blasé attitude to hospitalising several slags ("no good bastards", so the helpful glossary of colourful terms informs us) can be bluntly shocking. But although violence was a feature of his life, this is not what the man (nor the book) was about. Len was essentially a man of simple values, but with a temper and the tools to make those who crossed or challenged him regret it--badly. A man of strong principles, (by his own account but also by the account of many others), a loving husband and father, not to mention brother, uncle, friend and, perhaps most poignantly, son of a cherished mother. Like many other hard men, he had a particular soft spot for his mother, who herself lived a cruelly tough life of sacrifice and subjugation.

When I met Len, he was courteous and charming, but the air of menace was unmistakable when he had to straighten a fellow bouncer for disrespecting a lady (I cannot remember what the guy actually did, but he definitely wouldn't do it again in Len's presence). Once the message was received, he happily returned to chatting, enlightening me with his words of wisdom. And what wisdom, you may ask, did I take from him? Son, treat kindness with kindness, he pronounced in that gravelly, stentorian tone--an admirable sentiment I thought--and violence with EXTREME violence! he trumpeted. Thankfully, few, if any, can do it quite like Lenny.--Alisdair Bowles

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View books by Lenny McLean, Peter Gerrard.

What a Guy,What a book - Rated
This is the best book i ever read, i could not put it down, and gutted when i finshed it, Brill everybody should read it.

Review - Rated
I was genuinely shocked by how moved I was after reading this book. Yes, the fights make hugely entertaining reading, but for me the tragedy of Lenny's early life experience shone through; growing up in a very tough neighbourhood, losing loving parents prematurely and suffering and witnessing unimaginable physical violence and abuse as a child. I am left feeling that Lenny was at heart a very emotional man, clearly affected by a past that forged every aspect of his character, emotionally, psychologically and physically.

When I finished the book I searched the internet for video clips. Again, I found two extremes. Fights showing Lenny truly punishing other fighters along with TV show interviews showing a much more self-effacing, mild, humorous and altogether more gentle man. The book reminded me of "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote, possibly because of the contrast between extreme violence and family life and the reasons why "violent" people are conditioned into violence by their upbringing.

Deeply entertaining, deeply tragic and a premature end to a very interesting man. I would have loved to have met him.

Myth or Legend - Rated
I have long been interested in Lenny Mcleans life and without turning this review into a Lenny mclean forum I would like to clear a few things up. Lenny Did fight Roy Shaw 3 times and in the first fight he was beaten by shaw. The two other fights he had with Shaw are on film and now widely availible on the internet.These recordings are proof for everyone to see that clearly Lenny Mclean was the better man.In that 2nd fight Lenny Knocks Roy Shaw clean through the ropes and in the 3rd, Lenny almost punches roys head off until roy crashes to the canvas.
Lenny's boast that he had 3000 fights has always raised eyebrows but taking into acount all the fighting over twenty five years he probably was not far wrong.On the doors it was sometimes four a night at different clubs all over London.And then the bareknuckle challenges and unlicensed bouts plus the street fights as a youngster.
Sure we all know he lost some boxing matches but these were against very good boxers who understood ring craft.With gloves off Lenny was a nightmare. To all those who say Len was a bully. Read "the Guv'nor through the eyes of others" by Anthony Thomas and its plain to see through eyewitness accounts that len was a very big hearted man. Okay in his early youth he was arrogant and may have come across to be a bully but as he got older he changed his attitude and only unleashed his awesome temper on those who crossed or challenged him.
A very famous fight promoter who promoted Lenny in the seventies who I wont name, described him as a bully. But could this be sour grapes because Lenny threw a fight over the money and changed his promoter.
If it hadnt been for the fact that Lenny was this mans star fighter on the unlicensed circuit he may never have been as great a promoter as he is now.
"The Guv'nor" will go down in history as being the definitive hard man book wether you believe some of Lennys accounts or not, its still a great read about a man who is truly a legend.This word Legend is banded about too much these days but I think Lenny truly deserves it.

Who's the Guv'nor? - Rated
After reading Roy Shaws biography 'Pretty Boy' I was very keen to read more about the violent underworld these characters lived in. Lenny McLean was Shaws arch rival and the two men hated each other. The Guv'nor tells a very similar tale of a boy raised in London who would become a villain and feared hardman.

McLean obviously had a tough upbringing, mostly at the hands of his mothers violent boyfriend Jim Irwin. Lennys grew into a tough teenage crook and after a spell in borstal took up boxing. McLean was a ferocious fighter and a mountain of a man. He travelled the country fighting in gyspy fairs and made a small fortune whilst at the same time building a terrifying reputation.

Whereas Shaws book appears to be brutally honest, McLeans appears exaggerated and self indulgent. McLean tells of how he 'looked after' pubs and clubs for their owners as if he was doing them a great favour when in actual fact he was running a protection racket. If anything McLean attracted trouble as he was often a target for people looking to make a name for themselves and was shot and stabbed working as a doorman. McLean boasts of his successes in the ring but glosses over the first fight with Roy Shaw in which Shaw beat him hands down. He also claims to have beaten Shaw twice whereas Shaw claims McLean refused a second return fight after defeating him in the first return. McLean sees himself as a gentleman but actually sounds to be nothing more than a thug (especially when he describes smashing a mates jaw into pieces). That said, this is still a fascinating book and McLean has led quite a remarkable life. His ego aside, there are more than enough thrilling tales to fill a book here such as the time he was flown by the mafia to New York to fight their champion (McLean decked him) and the time he acted as security on a deal with the IRA.

Like this? Try: Pretty Boy by Roy Shaw

Guv'nor - Rated
This was a larger than life read about a larger than life man. Being of keen interest in these kinds of biographies, I love to try and get a feel for the subject and in this case it was easy because I had met Lenny on several occasions.

Lenny Mclean's life was not easy nor soft, he was a very frightening and dangerous man when angered which this book enforces but when cross referenced with other biographies of the same genre you feel that some of the exploits told need to be taken with a grain of salt.

All in all this is a good read that you will be eager to read repeatedly but curious to follow up on those mentioned in their own books.