Very sadly, Ronnie “Ace” Allcard passed away on Saturday 15th September 2012, just eight weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.
This is a tribute gallery for "Ace", put together at the request of his son Mat. It would be great to be able to include some photos from Ace's wrestling career. Please send them in to furnacehot@gmail.com if you have any.

A one time greengrocer from the Stocksbridge area of Sheffield, Ronnie Allcard went from selling carrots to selling wrestling programmes at Somme Barracks, to appearing in those programmes as Ace Allcard. Turning professional in 1968, Ace Allcard worked mainly for Morrell-Beresford Promotions in northern England and Scotland throughout the 1970s. On the nights he wasn't wrestling, Ron could be found on the door at the Penny Farthing night club in Sheffield. Opponents ranged from skilful lightweights like Zoltan Boscik to the might of Andy Robins and Norman Walsh! An incredible spectrum of opponents that demonstrated considerable skill on Ron's part to accommodate them all.
(Thanks to Wrestling Heritage for this mini-biography)

Gernot Freiberger says: Ace wrestled from '76 to '78 in Germany (Hannover, Kiel, Bielefeld ...) and later he worked as a referee.

Ronnie Allcard was always a fighter and started out working at boxing/wrestling evenings in the fairgrounds before graduating to the professional ranks in 1968, where he primarily worked for the highly respected promoters Norman Morrell and Ted Beresford touring the northern circuit and into Scotland. He also appeared many times in the south under the Joint Promotions banner. Originating from the Stocksbridge area, he could often be found working the door of the 'Penny Farthing' Club in Sheffield, with his long time pal Ronnie Crookes. By day, he sold vegetables as a greengrocer and practised his inventions which were to eventually make his fortune. His irrepressible humour and upbeat storytelling made him a firm favourite among the boys with whom he stayed in touch by telephone up until his passing. A particular friend was Eddie Hamill (Amazing Kung Fu) who was devastated by his demise. Similarly, the late, great 'Bomber' Pat Roach, together with his wife Jean, were very close friends and magnanimous Ronnie gave so much of his time to comfort big Pat during his own cancer suffering, which would ultimately claim the big man. Ronnie was a stalwart at the reunions both Northern and Southern only missing the last two outings in Kent through illness. He suffered tremendous trauma and ill health in his latter years having endured and beaten his heart scares with a quadruple bypass. We all thought that he was over the worst, only to be told in a recent phone call that he had contracted cancer, which would take his life in just 8 short weeks.
(Thanks to the Wrestlers Reunion Website for this obituary)

You can click here to watch a video tribute to Ron "Ace" Allcard on YouTube. Or cut and paste www.youtube.com/watch?v=naUD8oKTHFQ into your browser.

 

Ronnie pictured with Roy St.Clair at the Wrestlers' Reunion in 2008


Ronnie "Ace" Allcard on the wrestling posters


With Jimmy Savile in "The Wrestler" magazine, December 1971


Ronnie at the reunions: (i) 2005, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2011, (iv) March 2012
(See the reunions pages for identification of others on the photos)


 

Here are some of the tributes to "Ace" from the wrestling fraternity:

Jayne Hansford (Klondyke Kate): Just heard one of my heroes and friend has passed away; Ace Allcard ...Ronnie was a lovely man ... funny and kind ... only saw him at the reunions and now he's gone ... very sad. Wish I could have put my arms around him and given him one last hug.

Keith Myatt: Was a great fella. Always had a chat to him at the Reunions. Remember meeting him at Ellesmere Port Reunion a few years back chatty man always smiling and telling funny stories.

"Tarzan-Boy" Darren Ward: Why is it all the nice people who never did anyone any harm go first or get struck down by some awful illness?

Tony Scarlo: Sad news. RIP Ace (Ronnie Allcard). You will be missed at the reunions.

Wendy Mellor: So sad. I'm so glad I got the pleasure of meeting him. A lovely man.

Sam Betts (Dwight J. Ingleburgh): RIP Ron. Will never forget you. A real toff.

Sheila Betts: God bless you Ace and all your family. You were a lovely man and always very respectful ... I'll miss your phone calls xx.

Neil Sands: Sad news. RIP Ace.

Tony "Banger" Walsh: Dear Ronnie, one of the first guys I worked with when I joined Joint Promotions at the start of the seventies. Now and again he would ring me. We would chat for quite a while. He will be missed. My thoughts are with his family.

"Kung Fu" Eddie Hamill: I am very sorry to hear of the death of Ace Allcard. I have known him for over 20 years and he was always cracking jokes in the dressing room. He was a lovely funny man and would phone me every few weeks to have a chat about the old days. We always had a laugh on the phone and he never told me he was that ill, but that was Ace, always looked on the bright side. I am going to miss our little chats. My love goes out to his children who he loved dearly. I will miss you Ace, but we will continue our chats one day. R.I.P Ace.

Thomas Stevenson: So sorry to hear of this sad news. My thoughts are with his family. RIP.

Johnny Kincaid: R.I.P Ronnie, you were a great character, we will miss you my friend.

Gernot Freiberger: Ace wrestled from '76 to '78 in Germany (Hannover, Kiel, Bielefeld...) and later he worked as a referee. RIP.

Al Marshall: Did a few shows with Ace for Cyril Knowles, a TOP pro and nice guy.

Frank Rimer: Ronnie (Ace) always kept in touch by telephone and was a particular pal to Pat Roach and Jean, during his suffering, and although Wayne Bridges and myself were aware of his diagnosis from a recent call, did not realise the seriousness of the situation. A true gentleman with a great thirst for the fun side of life, he will be sorely missed by all the wrestling fraternity. A tribute will follow shortly on the Reunion website. Meanwhile, our sincerest condolences go out to son: Mat and all the Family. R.I.P.

Chris (Wrestling Furnace): I first met Ace at an Ellesmere Port reunion in 2005. Always smiling, very friendly and chatty, he would phone me from time to time for a chat about the old times in the wrestling business. He lent me some of his posters and magazines for the website, and I always looked forward to seeing him at the next reunion. There'll be one heck of a reunion going on up there now!


Got a photo or story of Ronnie "Ace" Allcard (especially from his wrestling career) you'd like to share with others?
Please e-mail to furnacehot@gmail.com. Contributions will be acknowledged.