A LEGENDARY sportsman from Gourock who rose through the ranks of judo to become the GB national coach is now fighting to make his home town an even better place to stay.

Danny Cassidy devoted 55 years of his life to the martial art, which means gentle way, and is one of a very few to reach a seventh dan black belt master - one of the highest in the world.

He was also invited to take on the role of national coach of the Amateur Judo Association where he remained until he stepped away from the sport in 2019.

The judo king set up his own club in Larkfield, as well as branching out with clubs all over Inverclyde.

Now Danny has stepped into a new arena by becoming a Gourock community councillor.

Modest Danny, who lives in Royal Street, said: "It was a very proud moment when I was asked to national coach, on the same day I received my seventh Dan black belt.

"I was at the AGM in Birminghan, I was asked to leave the room and when I came back in they asked me to be national coach.

"I was gobsmacked to be honest. It was a role I enjoyed and it took me all over the world. We went to opens in France, Holland and Belgium."

Danny remained the national coach for 12 years and was then made an honorary member.

The judo expert established his club in Larkfield before setting up in Wemyss Bay, Inverkip, Cragburn and the Greenock Sports Centre.

In the decades that followed he helped thousands of youngsters find their feet and learn the moves, coaching them into adulthood and even some to win international titles.

Danny first arrived in Inverclyde from Rutherglen to set up the Larkfield club and has stayed ever since.

He first found judo in his teens winning the Scottish Open black belt title at 19 and he finished fourth in the subsequent British Open in London.

Danny achieved his fifth dan black belt in 1983 and became an international judo referee the same year.

The Larkfield club they claimed top honours at all levels of the sport, including being crowned British team champions an astonishing seven years in a row.

Danny said: "I loved coaching but I loved to fight, I loved the competition! I loved everything about judo, the competing, the coaching and refereeing. I rose through the ranks of refereeing and was an international referee."

It was the necessity of a double knee replacement that made him decide to finally retire from the sport.

Danny said: "I was a bit lost after that. It took me time but I have found other things to pass my time and I do a lot of walking."

After arriving in Inverclyde to teach judo, the Rutherglen man fell in love with the place and has stayed ever since, settling in Gourock.

Away from judo, Danny was a coach builder working in Alexander's in Greenock for 14 years.

He then set up his own body repair and paint workshop before working at IBM.

On his new role as a community councillor, Danny said: "I love Gourock, I always have and it's a great town. I care about the place and there are things that I feel need to be fixed. I go for a walk every day and you see it. I want to help make it a better placed to stay.

"There are things needing done like that building in John Street. I went to some meeting and I was asked to join. I have always been impressed with people like Ronnie Ahfleld who have achieved so much for Gourock."