TeamBouchard

Kevin Smart broke the Long Eaton track record in heat 1 of the match v Eastbourne on 27 June 1990. The meeting was abandoned due to a waterlogged track after heat 4. Kevin's time was never recognised in the official records or subsequent match programmes.

Possibly in future years (if there are indeed any future years for speedway) we could simplify the process of the play offs. Rather than waiting until the 'magical cut off date' is reached in September, the 'hastily organised meeting of promoters' should be held immediately the two teams who can't make the play-offs are known (Ipswich/Kings Lynn this season which has been known for weeks). Then simply use mileage between tracks to set up the semi finals rather than faffing about for weeks to see the finishing order. This means the play offs could be in August with better weather, bigger crowds. Scrap any fixtures unridden, saving promoters ££££'s. Could be a winner for everyone. Today's announcement is just another reason why no one outside of the sport shows any interest in it. The one 'sport' that genuinely makes it up as it goes along, year after year after year!

Long Eaton, Halifax, Sheffield (1970's), Kings Lynn (1970's), Buxton.

Ivan Mauger 11.67 for Belle Vue, 1969.

This Anglia League Junior fixture was originally scheduled for 27th August. I have the Reading v Wolves programme from that date and the Outlaws fixture was not programmed. I've now got hold of the Reading v Eastbourne prog from the following week, 3/9/79 with the Outlaws Juniors fixture/race card included. They were on second after Reading v Rye House Juniors. To compound the mystery, the programme I have is marked 'did not arrive' alongside the Nottingham name and no results are added. Does any Reading fan have a fully completed programme from 3/9/79 and can confirm if the Outlaws fixture was run that evening. I have a score of Reading 13 Outlaws 3 from the Yearbook. If it wasn't run on that date, could anyone suggest when the Outlaws Juniors fixture was run at Reading? I am trying to complete my prog collection to include meetings where Long Eaton/Nottingham Juniors rode in the 2nd half and the 1979 season is proving to be a nightmare with lack of info on the internet and in the Speedway Stars. Cheers.

That's brilliant, Arnie. Many thanks for the comprehensive and informative response.

James Shanes replaced Nick Agecroft in heat 11. Speedway updates is incorrect.

Re-reading some 1967 Long Eaton programmes in my collection, I've seen reference to the fixture which I had overlooked in trying to put together a reasonably definitive LE programme list. Checking Speedway Researcher and the Speedway Star issue containing the 'match report', both confirm that the fixture was 'rained off'. It was the final fixture at The Shay that season and was not re-run as the following Saturday was the BLRC at Belle Vue. A good mate - and Dukes fan - has checked his collection of progs and does not have the 14/10/67 issue. Interestingly, the previous Dukes programme refers to the fixture (on the back page fixture list) as a Challenge Match against a British League select. The issue of Speedway Star prior to the fixture simply refers to an 'open fixture'. Can anyone confirm a) that Long Eaton were to be the visitors on 14/10/67 and b) if any programmes survive. I am assuming that the rain off and the fact it was the final fixture saw all the programmes pulped. Hopefully someone can help. Cheers.

A good mate (and Halifax fan) has searched his programme collection to give, what hopefully is the definitive answer to this query. The programme for Halifax v Newport on 7th October 1967 advertises the next fixture at The Shay 14th October, as v British League Select (with riders from Long Eaton, Wolverhampton, Poole, Newport, Oxford etc.).

Will do, Steve.

Thank you for the research and replies, chaps. The history of speedway is littered with these anomalies but hopefully, one day, we can get to the bottom of this mystery. My next port of call is to visit the Central Library in Nottingham, where they keep all copies of the local paper on microfilm to see if the postponement of Long Eaton's intended visit is reported.

I've seen a comment elsewhere that Buxton have apparently objected to Gary Flint being included in the Brummies team. Can anyone confirm the situation?

Richard Hellsen was a great servant to British Speedway and his efforts for my team, Long Eaton were particularly noteworthy. He would always be a member of my 'Dream' Team' and here are my thoughts about a great Invader which I contributed to the excellent Speedway Plus website some years ago; "When the signing of Richard Hellsen was announced during the last weeks leading up to the start of the 1989 Station Road season, I have to admit to being somewhat under-whelmed. After another desperately poor season, was this the 'star' that was to propel the Invaders into the upper reaches of the League? Well, he might not have achieved the turnaround in fortunes of the team. but over the next couple of years, the loyal Invaders' fans were to be ever more grateful to him for regularly 'carrying' our once-again inadequate team. We quickly became accustomed to that right leg sticking out in celebration (or was it a blocking move?) as he came off the 4th bend and it was obvious that he was a proud rider whose maintenance of racing standards was all important to him. He was another in that seemingly long line of Station Road heroes who made it worthwhile attending meetings even though a disappointing result was inevitable at times. He could trap and made it hard for many of the young stars who were half his age. Of course, he lost a few battles over the way, but he was worth the admission. No one who was present will forget a classic third bend dive under Station Road Public Enemy No. 1, Andy Galvin, which saw our Southern 'friend' physically shifted out. Only a small snapshot in a long watching career, but which meant so much to committed Invaders fans as it paid back, in a split second, many of Galvin's antics at our track. Rick returned in the mid-90's and possibly enjoyed his racing even more as, by then, he had others to do the brunt of the scoring. It was great to see Rick team-riding on many occasions with Jan Staechmann and overall, I think he was a fantastic rider for Long Eaton."

Does anyone have any details of this 'meeting'? I have found reference to it's staging in the LE programme from 31/8/50. It may of course, have been some form of team match with Long Eaton riders 'guesting' rather than a bone fide Long Eaton 'team'. Quote "Our trip to Melton on Sunday was very successful and a large crowd saw our lads put up a good show. Johnny Jones was outstanding in scoring 11 points in the TEAM racing, being beaten only by Wild Plant, the Fleetwood flyer. Johnny also won the trophy which was donated by our managing director, Mr S H Lush, and presented by Freddy Siggins. Bill Humphries scored 9 points, Johnny Higham six points and Ken Lush three points. Ken also rode well in the Trophy races, winning his first heat and getting second place in the other. Unfortunately, he parted company with 'the model's in the final when well placed. On the return journey THREE of the coaches got lost......." There is reference on Speedway Researcher to three 1949 meetings at the 'track' but no reference to this particular staging. The quote seems to suggest that perhaps Long Eaton were one of the 'teams' riding that afternoon and that has aroused my interest. Any info, programme scan etc, would be very welcome!

Thank you for the very informative replies to my question. Extremely helpful.

I reckon the descendants of Laurel and Hardy are now running (or should that be ruining) British Speedway!

A sad day indeed. Though I never met him, unfortunately, this wonderful guy's statistics page in the Star entranced me as an 8 year old. It wasn't just the figures, it was the well-written statistics-based stories that accompanied them. A season or so later, Bryan contributed an always- worth-reading page in the Long Eaton programme (and many other programmes for that matter). Even back then, I used to wonder how the guy kept up to date with all the figures and as the year's went by, I still wondered how Bryan did it! One oft forgotten thing is that Bryan - through his columns - was certainly not averse to highlighting some of the ridiculous goings-on within speedway. Of course, that was when speedway was considered 'sane' sport, so what Bryan would have made of the last 20 years of farces, is anyone's guess! And, I can still remember his written chunterings when a match included his biggest gripe - the dead heat - which meant his stats had to carry those cursed half-points for the remainder of the season. For me, and I guess many others, he was a genuine icon and legend within speedway and he will certainly live on in this household via those wonderful stats and stories in the Star and Long Eaton programme pages. RIP Bryan. A real top bloke.

Always be grateful to Tony for stepping in at the last minute to save Long Eaton in 1991. We enjoyed some great entertainment under his stewardship through to 1997. He knows his stuff, both speedway-wise and in business and has done a great service to Speedway. And he hasn't needed to shout about it either. Actions speak louder than words and other current promoters could do worse than follow his lead (fat chance). In terms of getting him a (well-preserved) honour, our best chance is to suggest he has been the driving force behind the English synchronised swimming team for the past 30 years! Mention services to Speedway and he's guaranteed to be overlooked. Enjoy your retirement, Tony.

Yep, a most entertaining couple of hours. Saw it last week and the two man show is great. Plenty of Speedway in the first half - with audience participation. As noted above, if it's anywhere close to you on its national tour, make the effort and go along. You will not be disappointed.

Further to the response on the abandonment, I have now seen a copy of the match report from the following day's Nottingham Evening Post which implies the meeting got to a first running of heat 10 before it was abandoned; "The track was rain damaged before the meeting started and good gating proved an advantage. Tony Featherstone fell in heat 10 and although Tigers' Carl Blackbird laid his machine down, he could not avoid hitting him. Featherstone was taken off by ambulance but sustained only bruising and shock. At the same time, it started to rain and after an inspection, the meeting was abandoned and will have to be re-staged." Scorers after 9 heats; Tigers - Harrison 9, Knight 6, Henry 5, Baldwin 4, Blackbird 4, Warne 4,Jackson 3 Invaders - Evitts 7, Frankland 5, Perks 4, Broadbelt 3, Allott 0, Featherstone 0, Stevenson 0. Just a bit of extra info which I hope helps!

Further to my reply on Nottingham v Cradley postponement, I have discussed this with my good friend and fellow Long Eaton fan, Glyn Price. He has all the newspaper clippings from that era and the Nottingham Evening Post edition of 30 October 1979 confirms that "tonight's meeting with Cradley has been called off due to a waterlogged track." This would suggest that the meeting was called off at the latest during the morning of 30 October. Hope that helps.

Yep, the change of date has stumped me too, having planned a round trip over to Brum to see family etc this week! I'd even had the foresightedness to keep the following Wednesday night clear in case of an unlikely (given the forecast) rain off! Told the missus it was ok to book tickets for the theatre for Thursday night! Still, at least I won't have to suffer 'actor-replacement' and numerous 'unsatisfactory starts' at the Nottingham Playhouse. Still, the great God Sky must be obeyed no matter who it messes up. I'm with Red and Yellow above in that - were it not for the opportunity to have a interesting evening of speedway chat with some great friends I have made at Perry Barr - I too would have had enough of this by now.

John Jackson broke the track record (twice) on 2/5/72 on his way to a 12 point max for Crewe. Prior to that, the track record had been established by Russ Dent (winning the first heat of the first ever match) and it was then lowered by George Barclay, Paul Tyrer and Robbie Gardner (twice) before John set the new best time.

Re the Nottingham queries; v Peterborough - meeting run on Saturday 20th, which was Nottingham's alternative race-night. The match was originally scheduled for 19th September but was rained off on that date. The Nottingham programme of 3/10/79 makes the first reference to the new staging date as, Saturday 20/10/79 and it appeared in the back page fixture list from that programme onwards. The meeting ran on the 20th when the original programme was re-issued with a single sheet Xerox insert. My copy of said insert has been annotated with 20/10/79. v Cradley - Meeting, originally scheduled for 10 October was postponed. The re-staging of Cradley was advertised in the Nottingham programme of 24/10/79 as being on Tuesday, 30th October, but the editorial suggested that permission had to be sought from the BSPA to run on an 'off night'. Cradley had scheduled meetings on the 29th/31st, so that was the only night available. The meeting was postponed, but I can't 'confirm' from personal recollection that it was actually on the 30th. The Speedway Star report refers to the track being simply 'unfit' so it may not have been a rain-off on the day as quite a few meetings at Station Road that season were called off early by the promotion when they realised that the track could not be repaired following the previous weekends stock car event. I'm thinking that the best avenue of confirmation (race-day or earlier?) might come through the (now microfilmed) pages of the Nottingham Evening Post in Nottingham Library, which I have used for research in the past.

Presumably Sky will be covering it and, if so, I hope Sir Shoutalot gets the gig. With him 240,000 miles (approx.) away from Earth, his commentary should be faintly audible and therefore, just about bearable.