Jump to content
British Speedway Forum

Parkstone Pirate

Members
  • Content count

    27
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Community Reputation

0 Neutral

Previous Fields

  • Gender
    Male
  • Age
    56
  1. Parkstone Pirate

    Shelbourne V. Belle Vue - Sunday 27th August 1961

    Just had a look thru' the Speedway Stars of the time for you, in case you hadn't, but absolutely no reference to this meeting whatsoever. Interesting reading though. In respect of another thread about attendances, Wolverhampton averaged 10,000 in 1961. I used to go to Monmore at that time as a kid and I remember that it was packed all round the stadium.
  2. Parkstone Pirate

    Jack Scott

    Jack Scott rode for Provincial League team Plymouth in the first meeting that I ever attended in July 1961 at Monmore Green. Plmouth thrashed an injury depleted Wolverhampton and Jack scored a four ride maximum. He did not return from Australia following the end of the 1961 PL season until he joined Cradley in the British League in 1967 riding only 16 matches before returning home to Oz never to be seen in the UK again.
  3. Parkstone Pirate

    Vic Ridgeon

    Vic was a member of the new Wolverhampton team when they joined the Provincial League in 1961 and in an injury strewn season, was the only rider who survived unscathed. He was second top scorer behind Graham Warren with 118 points. He figured again at Wolves in 1962 usually partnering Tommy Sweetman who with G Warren were the top two riders. Vic scored 119 points. I seem to remember that he was released towards the end of 1962 and the following year was part of the attempt to re-establish Rayleigh which was a bit of a disaster both crowd and league wise, playing to small crowds and finishing bottom. Vic scored 86 points. In 1964 Bill Bridgett and Mike Parker briefly promoted at new venue Sunderland and included Vic in the team. The promotion lasted a few short weeks and three league matches, then the riders were distributed to other Parker tracks. Wolves taking on Colin McKee, Gordon Guasco and Jim Airey. Vic scored 11 points for Sunderland. He briefly turned out for Glasgow totalling 8 points but then seems to have dropped out of the PL and made a few appearances for Rayleigh and Eastbourne in the Metropolitan League. To my knowledge Vic did not ever turn out in the British League which started in 1965 but I stand to be corrected! I do remember that he had a few after meeting spins at Cradley but don't think that he joined the Heathens. I first watched Speedway in 1961 at Monmore Green and Vic was a definite crowd favoutite in 61/62 seasons. Speedway in the early sixties at Wolverhampton regularly attracted crowds approaching 10,000 with all three sides of the stadium, that were open to the public, being packed out.
  4. Parkstone Pirate

    Martin Yeates

    Martin attended the Poole anniversary dinner last Saturday and the meeting the following day. I hope he doesn't mind me saying but he does look very different now, grey hair and glasses replacing the once flowing dark hair but I guess age catches up with all of us! I think Martin was very underrated and was a terrific servant to both Weymouth and Poole. He certainly clocked up a fantastic amount of points. I believe that the one track he really hated was Exeter but a lot of riders had a phobia about that place.
  5. Parkstone Pirate

    History Of Wolverhampton Speedway

    Anybody out there got Mark Sawbridge's book published in 2003 they want to sell or failing that any one got Mark's address. I'm not sure if this is still in print. Cheers P.P.
  6. Parkstone Pirate

    John Debbage

    Wolverhampton had used the 17 year old Terry Betts towards the end of the 1961 Provincial League season and hoped that Norwich would let him stay for the following year. Despite Bill Bridgett's pleading Norwich decided that Terry should step up and ride for them in the National League. As a part compromise Derek Strutt was loaned to Wolves. I remember his first meeting for Wolves, at home to Neath, and Derek had a blinder including the beating of Trevor Redmond, who was no easy opponent in those days, in one of his races. The riders used to park their vans in the car park adjacent to the old stand at that time and I recall that Derek was absolutely mobbed by autograph hunters as he tried to put his bike away. Sadly that first meeting promise evaporated and Derek was subsequently transferred to a struggling Leicester. He rode for Rayleigh in 1963. Incidentally looking at the present Monmore Green on Sky what a difference from the old stadium which had stands, with catering and bars, down the back straight and on the 3rd/4th turn. It now looks very odd with just the one side open and the crowd all squeezed in under the glass fronted stand. The rest of the stadium, where thousands of fans used to be is now like a barren wilderness. Why can't the back straight be re-opened?
  7. Parkstone Pirate

    Who Was Barry Lindsay?

    Ken Sharples had a practice ride after one of the very early meetings at Monmore Green in 1964 and those of us who stayed behind were very impressed and hoped that he was set to join the Wolves team which was looking very under strength, particularly as several riders were reluctant to ride in what was, in 1964, effectively an illegal league. Within the next few days he signed for Sunderland which was of course under the same Bill Bridgett/Mike Parker banner as Wolves. When Sunderland quickly failed Ken moved on to Newcastle and Wolves gained Gordon Guasco, Jim Airey and Colin McKee. Paul Sharples second halfed at Monmore and made a few appearances but I think retired when his dad was killed in the car crash.
  8. Parkstone Pirate

    What Happened To The Lemon Drop Kid

    Pete lives in Poole, he was watching the racing from the grandstand at a few meetings this season. He used to maintain the track at Poole for a few seasons under the old promotion, (Stewkesbury/Ansell), but packed that in and worked elsewhere in Poole in engineering I think. He has now retired and aprt from at the stadium I've seen him around the town a few times. I had a long chat to him once when he recalled the times he rode for Wolves in the PL and particularly when he was thrown over the fence and landed on the tractor which was stationary behind the fence resulting in quite serious injuries. I remembered that incident too because I started watching speedway at Monmore Green and Pete was one of my favourite riders in the early 60's. Colin Pratt was, and I presume still is, one of his long time mates because Pete tends to be at Poole when the Bees are in town. They both rode in the Stoke team in 1960-63.
  9. Parkstone Pirate

    65 - 13

    I was at a very foggy Monmore Green in late 1965 when Wolves beat Newport 64-14. Not quite the max. but pretty close.
  10. Parkstone Pirate

    Name The West Ham Rider

    No 12 looks like Brian Leonard to me.
  11. Parkstone Pirate

    Weymouth Division Ii 1968 Avarages Etc.

    Weymouth 1968 Tony Lomas 9.389, Mike Vernam 7.943, Barry Duke 7.714, Chris Yeatman 6.145, Mick Steel 5.077, Roy Carter 4.585, John Hammond 4.250, Tony Hall 4.00, Ian Warren 3.200, Adrian Degan 3.048, Phil Arnold 2.717 Romford 1969 Barry Duke 12.000, Des Lukehurst 11.524, Ross Gilbertson 10.102, Phil Woodcock 9.173, Brian Davies 7.279, Tony George 5.926, Brian Foote 5.476, Mick Steel 5.000, Frank Wendon 4.989, Brian Curtis 4.923, Ian Gills 4.643, Charlie Benham 3.404, Chris Yeatman 3.200, Roland Schofield 2.182, Adrian Baker 1.143, Roger Knight 0.667, Brian Read 0.000 Long Eaton 1974 Geoff Bouchard 9.236, Alan Molyneux 8.229, Phil Bas 6.955, Alan Witt 5.051, Steve Finch 4.326, James Bond 4.058, Dave Patten 4.000, Dave Harvey 3.905, Max Brown 3.900, Pip Austen 3.632, Harry Maclean 2.968, Malcolm Corradine 2.67, Ian Teale 2.545, Nigel Rackett 1.333, Mick Durose 0.000
  12. Parkstone Pirate

    Strange, But True

    Many memories from my early spectating days at Wolves in the '60's. Such as when Colin McKee fell off and was badly shaken but then accepted a lift back to the pits from teammate Gordon Guasco who promptly looped the bike sending both of them sprawling on the track. The night Wolves created the highest score defeating Newport 64-14 and hardly anyone saw anything because of dense fog. The memorable evening when the PL met the NL in a challenge and the Wolves fans were highly delighted when Cradley 'enemy' Ivor Brown got clouted by an irate Ron Mountford at the pit gate. The photo was a best seller for weeks at Monmore. Chris Julian very much needing a police escort out of Cradley after some of his characteristic hard riding. Lyn Brown, the first coloured rider, waving to the Cradley crowd at the end of a race in which he was lapped!
  13. Parkstone Pirate

    Eastbourne Southern Area League Days

    Norbold, after searching the garage, dug out the '64 SS's but infuriatingly I am missing copies between March and May29th. The league table published on August 7th shows E'bne having ridden 4 matches, winning 3. It seems, from later editions, that they rode their last match on August 2nd because they could not get a team together and so I think it was just 4 matches in total. I have details of 3, see below, and presumably their first was prior to May 29th. Sorry, looks like a trip to your loft to dig out those earlier issues. Ipswich (a) 7.6.64 32-40 Des Lukehurst 11 (5 rides), Geoff Pennikett 9(4),Ken Vale 5(4),Dave Still 4(4), C.Benham 2(3),John McAuliffe 1(1), D. O'Flynn 0(3). Newpool (h) 14.6.64 37-30 Vic Ridgeon 10(4), Lukehurst 9(4), John Dugard 8(4), O'Flynn 5(4), Brian Davies 4(4), R. Prodger 1(2), D. Longhorn 0(2). Ipsw (h) 28.6.64 41-31 Penniket 12(4), Ridgeon 11(4), Dugard 9(4), Lukehurst 6(4), O'Flynn 2(4), Still 1(3), P. Pittingale 0(1).
  14. Parkstone Pirate

    Eastbourne Southern Area League Days

    Sorry Norbold on searching the garage my continuous SS collection commences April 9th 1960, too late for the previous season reviews, and the odd '59 copies are of no use. Did you want the 1964 stats because I have all the Stars for that year? Fatal getting old mags. out however because you then spend hours looking at them. The April 9th copy had an article on a youthful Tommy Sweetman at home with his wife and son Chris , who was then 5 years of age. Tommy was aiming to make the most of his season with New Cross. Graham Warren was trying to re-establish himself with Coventry and Norwich and Ipswich both opened with crowds of 11,000. It was the first year of the new Provincial League and there was quite a bit of movement of riders from the National League. A full page advert for Johnnie Hoskins presenting Speedway 'The New Way' at New Cross on Wednesday April 13th 1960 New Cross v Norwich. NC: Split Waterman, Arne Carlsson, Eric Williams, Leo McAuliffe, Jimmy Gooch, Norwich: Ove Fundin, Aub Lawson, Billy Bales, Reg Trott, Dennis Newton. Admission 3/- and 5/- (and worth double!) Fascinating stuff.
  15. Parkstone Pirate

    Eastbourne Southern Area League Days

    I have some Stars from '59 and '60 so let me know if you want me to dig 'em out for the off chance of the 1959 averages.
×

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Privacy Policy