Yates was born June 1947 in Sutton, St Helens. As an amateur boxer he trained under George Gilbody Snr. and Herbie Golding. Yates once fought British boxer, Billy Aird, who was the European heavyweight champion, but Yates was disqualified for head-butting Billy. In response, he threw the referee across the ring, earning a ban from boxing.

The author, 51, has written numerous previous books lifting the lid on his own experiences as a gangster during the 1990s ecstasy boom, including Essex Boys which was made into a film. Author Bernard says ‘Big Joe’ gets a place in the book as he symbolises the cross over between boxing and the shady criminal class. It features ‘London’ Chris Lambrianou, who was involved in the infamous attempt by the Krays to muscle in on Birmingham in the 1960s.

But there are many more of our most notorious criminals or hardmen who have gone largely unknown, I wanted to bring them altogether in one place. These villains, or Faces, as they prefer to be called, have been making headlines for more than 50 years.

Lambrianou later turned to religion and after being released moved to Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, to live a quiet life. I don’t mean to glorify or glamorise crime, but there have always been criminals and always will be, so these books serve as an important social record.”

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And he hopes to convince Birmingham’s own self-styled king of clubs Eddie Fewtrell to pose for the next publication. Dad-of-six Bernard, who lives in Harborne, said: “I don’t really like to blow my own trumpet, but these books are pretty impressive items. In 2007 Yates released his book Wild Thing: The True Story of Britain's Rightful Guv'nor, written by Lew Yates and bestselling author, Bernard O'Mahoney. It was published by Mainstream Publishing.

Another Birmingham Face to appear in Bernard’s second book, due out in November, is Brummie Patsy Manning. As the mourners filed out of St Matthew’s Church, Bethnal Green, he turned to the gathered crowds to show them a letter written to him by the fallen Kray.

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It said: ‘‘To my dear friend Patsy. I hope all is well with you. You have been a real friend to me and my brothers. God bless you.’’ Bernard said: “The first book touches on the Midlands but the second will have 50 or 60 pictures from the region. In his latest project – simply called Faces – he has convinced former gangsters, criminals or hardmen to pose for an incredible rogues gallery. Bernard O’Mahoney has highlighted key figures from the days of the infamous Kray Twins in the swinging 60s, to the mean streets of modern-day Glasgow.