1988 in desirable Dartford

"The Animal" Anaconda and Rasputin - Rasputin, on the left, shouted something into the microphone about wanting Big Daddy before the bout began. It wasn't quite what they call a "money promo". So we have a blonde Rasputin (referred to by the gaily coloured ring announcer - Big Daddy's brother - as "Wrestling Rasputin" to ensure the audience knew it wasn't the original) and an animal named after a snake. There was also "Cyanide" Sid Cooper on the outside of the ring to stick his nose in whenever it wasn't needed.

Big Daddy and Pat Patton - this was to be Big Daddy's penultimate TV appearance before the wrestling was axed at the end of the year. He was still ludicrously popular and lead the children around the ring like the Pied Piper as the audience sung along with "We Shall Not Be Moved". There is something slightly sinister about having small boys in leotards hanging around with a beefy old pensioner but they were innocent times. Sadly, the years appeared to have caught up with Big Daddy his face showed signs of either a stroke or a bout of Bells Palsy. His partner was Pat Patton - a judo black belt who looked like Bob Carolgees's dad in a dressing gown.

Several hundred people singing "We Shall Not Be Moved" was about as close to national pride as we got once the Falklands victory party was over (and we were still nine years away from Katrina and the Waves winning Eurovision).

Big Daddy bounced the bad guys round for fun in the early part of the match. He'd stand there and they'd run towards him (in that way that Blackadder once tricked Baldrick into doing) and he'd outwit them each time by having a bigger stomach. Sometimes he beat them up two or three at a time because he could. Because he was Big Daddy. The rule breakers then left the ring and refused to come in until the dumpy looking martial artist had a turn. They kicked his ass and stretched him for a submission to take the lead in this best of three falls contest.

The rudos continue to punish poor pathetic Pat Patton with a torrent of abuse and alliteration. Evnetually they make a mistake and Big Daddy is able to tag in for the quick belly flop and pin. Hurrah!

The final session of the match sees the villains hoisted by their own petard as the Anaconda is sent crashing into the exposed ring post and Big Daddy belly blasts Rasputin so hard that the mad monk sails over the top rope and cannot meet the ref's ten count.

I was beginning to fear that darkness would always win and that optimism was only an illusion. But thankfully, Big Daddy was on hand to make the score look a little more respectable for the white hats.

Good 1-2 Evil

Another awesomely powerful force which struggled to get upstairs would be back just five weeks after this match was on TV as "Remembrance of the Daleks" opened season 25 of Doctor Who.