1PW: Steven Gauntley's Farewell Statement

Posted by Phil Jones

Former One Pro Wrestling promoter Steven Gauntley posted the following farewell statement on the 1PW Fan Forum on Friday August 8, 2008:

Man this is so weird

Well I've finally got connected to the net again. I'll be honest, I could have checked this place if I really wanted to you, but the truth is, I really didnt want to read it. Not becuase I was scared of what I would read, just because fan forums are at the top of my "stuff I hate about wrestling" list.

Well, I have written a lot of words in the past few years for 1PW. I have written words of joy, words of elation, and words of sadness and regret. I have typed chapter after chapter, millions of thoughts and emotions, but today, I sit here for the very last time to write for 1PW, to explain and illustrate my situation for all to read, and I do it full well knowing that it will affect different people in different ways, and that as many friends as I have made in wrestling, I have made ten times as many enemies.

I will cut right to the chase, as you all know, I have sold 1PW to new owners, and in actuality it could have only been sold to them, they were the only people that could have done it, and the only people I would want to do it.

Several weeks ago my internet connection was cut off, and I'll be honest, it was the best thing that happened to me in years. It forced me to take time I have never taken for years to contemplate and consider my life, and I can honestly say that the time I have spent away from this fan forum has been exactly what I needed to see clearly.

As some of you may know, I’ve not been of the greatest of health for about eighteen months now. I have tried and failed repeatedly to find a successor, someone who can live with the unbearable strain, stress and responsibility that the job of "1PW Promoter" bring with it, and as you will all know, no one stepped up to the plate, until now.

I guess the main point here that I want to get across is that I just do not want to do this any more. For the past three years (and the three before that to get to that point) I have devoted every ounce of my life energy to 1PW, to the point where I did not know where wrestling began and I started. I have sacrificed my quality of life because I believed with all my heart in 1PW. My entire family has made the same sacrifice. And it gets to the point now, where am at the apex of the most difficult decision of my entire life.

The only reason I have kept going this long, is because of the great sense of responsibility I felt regards to everyone connected to 1PW, but there comes a point where I have to be selfish, and I have to listen to my heart. It was my heart that got me into this mess in the first place, but I do believe in following your heart, and for the past year my heart has been sending me on again off again signals that enough was enough. Enough staying up all night typing like the mad professor , enough feeling sick to my very core, worrying and stressing about every aspect of the business, worrying about the economics and the balance book, despairing about the creative direction, and swimming with the sharks of wrestling politics, enough of putting 1PW before my amazing wife and family, and enough of not existing so that 1PW can. Enough of living on a far smaller budget then I did before wrestling, and enough of giving everything I have in my heart to the company, to the point where it felt like I didn't even have enough power left to make my heart beat.

Well, these on again off again signals are nowadays a constant broadcast. A lot has changed in the outside world since 1PW began, and I have changed so much in that time too. My priorities are changing, and my outlook is changing. There used to be a time when I couldn’t imagine my life without 1PW, today as I sit here, when I imagine my life without 1PW, whilst also making me feel a little sad, it fills me with excitement.

I am at the end of the road here, and I have taken a nearly impossible decision that rather then allow myself to do my creation a dis-service when I know im not up to the task any longer, I have sold the company to people who I know will put a great deal of effort and passion into the project, and hopefully take it from strength to strength.

When I started in this crazy game I was a young man, with a chip on my shoulder, and everything to prove to the world. Today I honestly feel I have nothing to prove to anyone, so I ask myself, why continue? If its making me ill, and not making me happy then why keep doing it. I want my life back, and I want to walk out into a bright new day that isn’t coloured by the cynical hue of professional wrestling.

I hope the words I have typed, which whatever your opinion of me is, must be obviously from my heart, have helped explain the situation somewhat.

This is a personal decision I have taken to quit the business I used to worship, and to devote my time and my life’s energies to the things that are important to me; my wife and family, my own personal happiness, and my burgeoning interest in subjects that aren’t called pro wrestling.

I’m deeply sorry to anyone who is upset by my decision. I honestly feel in my heart that its time for me to go. I have absolutely zero regrets, and despite the amount of times I have complained about what wrestling has taken from me, it has also given me so much.

Thank you to every single fan that ever came out to the shows, that ever supported 1PW. I’m sure people can not argue that 1PW made an impact, and I really would like to think that 1PW, in the past few years, has positively affected the wrestling business in the UK, and has brought some new fans into the fold. Maybe it has, maybe it hasn’t, I guess its irrelevant now.

I’m signing off for the very last time. I know full well I wasn’t the greatest promoter ever, and I have been a pretty shitty business man, too often letting my heart rule my head, but I promise you all, that I gave it everything I had, and that’s one thing you were always guaranteed.

I wish I had some awesome pearl of wisdom to finish up on, something to poetically cap off my 1PW career, but I don’t. I cant think of anything I can say that can do justice to how I feel right now, so I will just leave it with the thought that, for me anyway, 1PW will always have an incredibly special place in my heart, and the memories that I take with me will last me for all time.

I wont be on the forum any longer (so if anyone feels like pilling shit on me, if your doing it for my benefit theres very little point) , so anyone who wishes to contact me (and remember I'll be doing the 'Invincible' refunds personally) then I'm at scgauntley@btinternet.com

Like I said, I'll take the memories, both good and bad, with me for my entore life time, and... f*** man, ive been so calm about all this, I can honestly say that despite the negatives, despite the mistakes, and despite the people i have come accross in wrestling that I really despise, I have loved every single minute of it, but my time is now past, and im more then sure the boys will take 1PW to a new level.

It could have only been those guys, Dan specificially, that took this on. Dan has 1PW in his heart, and that makes me feel f***ing honoured. Please give him all the support you can.

Ok, this has turned into one of my trademark rambling rants now, but at least you wont have to read another one after today lol .....

No matter what you think about me, I LOVE YOU right back. I'm moving forward now into an exciting new phase in my life, and I love every single one of you for being here as part of this phase too. I wish every single one of you, no matter your opinion, and long and happy life full of love, becuase I have realised through all my pig headedness, and all the sacrifices I have made for a business, that truly, love and family and health are the ONLY things that really matter, so i wish happiness for all of you.

Thanks for reading, thanks for the good times and the bad, and God Bless every one of you

Steven Gauntley

Credit: 1PW Fan Forum

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