One for leicester fans - hope its not too depressing

[howling gorgon 1]

Found this via speedwayplus.co.uk

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/19841295yaPObOapts.

 

Bring back any memories?

 

Who is the little girl?

[Sean 3]

great photo's HG, are they yours, ?

 

and the little girl.....it says underneath that its a forum favourite.....hmmmmm

[Gemini 4,894]

Ah memories!

These photos belong to our friend Lionhunter, who sadly seems to have disappeared off the forum these days.

The little girl is his daughter but was obviously taken a number of years ago as she is married now.

[Guest Sir Lunchalot]

Sadly Lionhunter has disappeared off the forum Gemini, hope he is fit and well where ever he is (down near the seaside somewhere wasn't he .. Scarborough?).

 

I've kept that link on my favourites ever since Lionhunter posted the link and both my Dad and I ocassionally pop back for a refresher of what was one of the better tracks around.

[howling gorgon 1]

I seem to be making a habit of this, rehashing old posts................doh, still at least new members get to see it.

 

I remember driving past the stadium once when i was very small, it looked like a nice stadium, what a waste................

[Gemini 4,894]

Sadly Lionhunter has disappeared off the forum Gemini, hope he is fit and well where ever he is (down near the seaside somewhere wasn't he .. Scarborough?).

Yes that's right. He seemed to disappear off the scene when I mentioned meeting up with him in Scarborough last year. (Well it was his idea in the first place.)

I didn't realise I was that scary.

[Guest Sir Lunchalot]

Not your fault with this one Howling Gorgon, Lionhunter who originally put those photos up must have been gone from the forum getting on for two years !!!

 

Makes me sad when I see the pics still. It's worse for Gemini and Liontamer as they used to go all the time.

[False dawn 2,294]

It's worse for Gemini and Liontamer as they used to go all the time.

I used to make the trip to Blackbird Road every Tuesday when I was at University up the road in Loughborough in the 70's. Two of us used to travel on the Loughborough Speedway Supporters coach and we'd support the opposition every week. How many sports could you do that in and get away with it?

[Gemini 4,894]

..... and we'd support the opposition every week.

That brings back memories!

I spent about five or six years at Brandon supporting the visiting team, following the closure of Leicester in 1983. Mind you it was just me and the dog (Tessa) standing on our own at that time and she didn't mind.

I wasn't so brave after I joined your group of Bees fans.

[jackofdiamonds 53]

Blackbird Road was one of the best speedway venues. How sad it is that

 

Leicester has no speedway as many other sports have support there.

[howling gorgon 1]

When I first started watching at Coventry in the late 70's, we had leicester, Birmingham, Cradley & the Monmoronites.

 

Shame most of them have gone now, there has to be a fan base for them surely?

[BrizHeathen 37]

Blackbird Road like the other Midland tracks that are now defunct is badly missed.

Hard to believe that around twnety years ago, us Midlanders could go to Wolves on friday, Cradley (or Coventry if pushed) on Saturday, have Sunday off, then Brum on Monday and Leicester on Tuesday.

all this without having to drive too far (Leicester was furthest, an hour and a half max)

Great atmosphere in that home straight stand at Leicester. I remember the place errupting when Rolf Granstadt beat Bruce Penhall to win a last heat decider in 1980?

[arnieg 3,624]

It's worse for Gemini and Liontamer as they used to go all the time.

I used to make the trip to Blackbird Road every Tuesday when I was at University up the road in Loughborough in the 70's. Two of us used to travel on the Loughborough Speedway Supporters coach and we'd support the opposition every week. How many sports could you do that in and get away with it?

 

Reminds me of when I first moved from Reading to Leicester in 1983. Seven of us from Leicester (5 Lions supporters and two Reading fans) went down to Wimbledon on the Sunday for a big meeting and then onto Reading. watched Racers v Lions on Monday (wearing Leicester colours!) and then on tuesday we all travelled back to Leicester on the Reading supporters coach. I then entered the stadium through the season ticket entrance wearing my Racers colours.

[madbiker 0]

HG, thanks for those photo`s they brought back many memories, I did`nt miss a SINGLE meeting at Blackbird Road from 1969 till it closed in 1983, (god how I hated Charles Ochiltree !) it was a fantastic racetrack in a sadly neglected stadium C O put ALL his money into Brandon ! maybe one day the Lions will roar again !

[howling gorgon 1]

Its so sad that this track has gone, I was not aware at the time that the CO had sold it, 83' was the year I lost touch with speedway for a bit, its funny I always admired the CO for his efforts at Brandon, without wishing to stir a hornets nest..........................why did he sell Blackbird Rd & was there no chance of another promoter taking over?

 

I also thought Olsen was a demi god, funny how as you get older reality creeps up on you!!