He was due to join Jackie Pallo and Johnny Dale to set up a rival wrestling organisation to Joint Promotions.
However, Dale died and Crabtree was headhunted to join Joint Promotions as he was the most experienced booker in the UK at the time.
[3] During the 1970s, Max was appointed Northern area booker with Joint Promotions, where he is credited with bringing Shirley out of retirement and inventing the Big Daddy persona and gimmick for his brother.
[9] Crabtree came under criticism for building Joint Promotions around Big Daddy, leading to allegations of nepotism.
[11] Former WWF and WCW champion Bret Hart wrote in his autobiography that Max would "wave a few extra quid in a wrestler's face" to entice them to take Daddy's "double elbow" backdrop move.