History of Brandon 1957-1958 Petrol rationing Wembley close!

[Bee 1]

1957.

 

The numbers continued to dwindle during the close season, and the remaining teams amalgamated into One Division for 1957.

 

The Bees were allocated a Aussie, Jack Geran. However, before a wheel could be turned we were forced to release him, in order to accommodate the popular PEO SODERMAN.

 

The signing of Soderman backfired on the Bees as he was to be absent on frequent occasions due to commitments in Sweden.

 

The Suez Crisis brought in Petrol rationing and the season was delayed as a result.

 

Poole and Bradford closed and later Sir Arthur Elvin, Boss at Wembley died, and with him went the famous Lions.

 

It was these extra closures that brought about the amalgamation. We were allocated Both, ARTHUR WRIGHT from Bradford and Geran from Poole.

 

VIC EMMS returned as Team Manager. Birmingham then closed mid-season. The Brummies had not recovered from the death of Alan Hunt in South Africa.. They also had the problem of some of their stars

 

being “blacked” for racing in South Africa.Odsal took over their fixtures, but RON MOUNTFORD joined the Bees in preference to the trip up North.

With Soderman often absent and both BOB MARK and NICK NICHOLLS struggling against tougher opposition, the Bees had a poor season finishing 8th of 11

 

EIRC HOCKADAY made no progress, JIM LIGHTFOOT and NICK NICHOLLS were both given a 14 day suspension for their trip to South Africa.

REG DUVAL returned after he had failed to get his beloved Liverpool Chads going. Ron Mountford made his debut on 17th of August and scored 8 in a 49-47 win over Wimbledon. JIM TOLLEY also joined the Bees from the Brummies.

 

LES OWEN replaced Hockaday at reserve and although we held our own at home, we lost most of the time on our travels.

 

We used a lot of guests for the absent Soderman and we used Alf Hagon and KEN McKINLAY for the last three matches at Brandon. By the end of the season the only good news was that World Champion JACK YOUNG was to return, and Coventry were hot in line for his signature....

 

When Norwich visited Brandon they were missing a certain HARRY EDWARDS. We won by just two points. Norwich came up with the excuse to end all, for Edwards absence... He hadn’t broken down en route, neither had he been taken suddenly ill. His excuse was that he’d been out sailing in the morning, miss read the tides and ended up marooned on a sand bank for 12 hours, with no radio too call for help. !!

 

JOHNNIE REASON came out of retirement. He rode in a World Championship Q.R. at Brandon. He scored just two points, and at the insistence of his fiancee, Quit again there and then.

 

Coventry Scorer’s 1957

 

1. Jim Lightfoot 149

2. GUESTS 140

3. Charlie New 123

4. Reg Duval 121

5. Ron Mountford 111

6. Peo Soderman 98

7. Nick Nicholls 31

8. Les Owen 23

9. Jim Tolley 20

10. Arthur Wright 18

11. Eric Hockaday 18

12. Bob Mark 15

13. Brian Meredith 1

 

NATIONAL LEAGUE TABLE

Division One. 1957

 

1. Swindon 20 15 1 4 1103 817 31

2. Belle Vue 20 15 0 5 992 830 30

3. Wimbledon 20 12 0 8 997 919 24

4. Norwich 20 11 0 9 1015 905 22

5. Leicester 20 10 1 9 938 977 21

6. Southampton 20 9 0 11 1002 911 18

7. Birmingham/Odsal 20 9 0 11 884 939 18

8. Coventry 20 9 0 11 868 1050 18

9. Oxford 20 7 1 12 880 1036 15

10. Ipswich 20 6 0 14 885 1032 15

11. Rayleigh 20 5 1 14 885 1033 11

 

1958.

 

The League dwindled further, to just ten teams when Bradford closed. The Bees who had found the going tough in ‘57 and needed additional team strengthening, were given a major boost when former World Champion JACK YOUNG signed.With Bradford’s closure we signed another Brandon favourite in ARTHUR FORREST. Whilst MAURIE MATTINGLY moved to Brandon from Southampton.

 

But, even the added strength was given a knock when Jim Lightfoot broke a wrist in pre-season practice and missed the first three months of the season. Charlie New decided to move on, and joined Oxford. Jim Tolley retired, and Peo Sodermann did not return for the start of the season. Bob Mark also retired.

 

Coventry opened the season with the Britannia Shield matches, and won Home and Away against Leicester, but within a couple of weeks Belle Vue came to Brandon and won easily 41-55. So it was apparent that we were still not strong enough.

 

We also hammered Oxford Home and Away, but it was obvious too all that Leicester and Oxford were also very weak.

 

We opened our league campaign with an away win at Poole who’d come back into the League and who had took over the Rayleigh License. But, we lost our first match at Home to the eventual Champions, Wimbledon.

 

We won three times away from Brandon, and also collected a draw. Once again our ultra fair Brandon Bowl coupled with a team that were not that strong, slipped up to three home defeats. (A occurrence that has repeated itself down the years...)

 

Ironically, had we have remained unbeaten at home, we’d have won the title ourselves and not finished 7th out of 10.!!!REG DUVAL followed Charlie New and moved to Oxford. The Bees tried Eric Hockaday again, with little success. Les Owen also got his chances and his erratic style thrilled the crowd.

 

As Jim Lightfoot returned it was Morrie Mattingly’s turn to go on the injury list. Peo Soderman returned after initial difficulties getting permission to use him again. No doubt caused by his frequent absences of the previous season.In the National Trophy we lost out, home and away to Southampton. The trophy was raced over 20 heats in 1958 with TEN man teams.

 

With the return of Soderman the Bees faired much better and gave YOUNG the much needed support. But, all was not well for Youngie.

In the World Championship he was drawn at Wimbledon and Leicester. He won his opening race at Plough Lane, but there was a protest and the race was re-run AFTER heat FOUR...

 

In heat five he took a fall and then walked out of the meeting, far from happy. He failed to qualify as a result and was fined a mammoth £100. YOUNG sailed home in September and vowed never to return.

 

So even though we ran 2nd for most of the season, we ended up near the bottom but, with a little more luck could have been on top as Champions.

 

Coventry scorer’s 1958.

1. Jack Young 237

2. Arthur Forrest 161

3. Ron Mountford 122

4. Peo Soderman 104

5. Jim Lightfoot 97

6. Morrie Mattingly 68

7. Nick Nicholls 64

8. Reg Duval 18

9. Les Owen 15

10. Eric Hockaday 7

 

NATIONAL LEAGUE TABLE

Division One 1958

 

1. Wimbledon 18 12 2 4 991 737 26

2. Norwich 18 12 0 6 945 782 24

3. Southampton 18 11 0 7 909 818 22

4. Leicester 18 11 0 7 869 858 22

5. Belle Vue 18 10 0 8 908 819 20

6. Swindon 18 10 0 8 875 851 20

7. Coventry 18 9 1 8 893 833 19

8. Oxford 18 5 2 11 783 943 12

9. Poole 18 6 0 12 754 973 12

10. Ipswich 18 1 1 16 707 1020 3

 

Next part 1959.....Bradford Close.... Birmingham Close.... Ipswich close and little Boy Blue rode for them all, now he arrives at Brandon!!!!!!

[Gemini 4,894]

The Bees were allocated a Aussie, Jack Geran.

I'm sure he was standing in front of us at Trelawny when we were there recently, but I wasn't brave enough to ask. Knowing my reputation with faces (being unable to recognise forum members I've met before) I'm probably completely wrong as it was about 40 years ago since I last saw him. I know he still lives down South somewhere but am not sure if he still attends meetings.

When Norwich visited Brandon they were missing a certain HARRY EDWARDS.

I've still got an old black/white photo I took of Harry on route somewhere. Battered old car with the bike strapped on the back. Those were the days!

Even when just starting out the youngsters today seem to have decent transport, even if it's just the good old Ford Transit van with International Speedway Rideremblazoned on the sides. ;-)