Wimbledon Stadium: Some Important News

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

Orient played at Lea Bridge between 1930 and 1937, however Orient also played at Wembley Stadium and Highbury due to Lea Bridge Stadium being deemed as unsafe for spectators (a complaint over perimeter fencing which meant that pitch invasion frequently occurred). Lea Bridge gates averaged 7000, and in 1936/1937 Orient's match versus Millwall attracted the ground's highest attendance, 20.400. But the club was never happy at the speedway stadium, and in 1937 rode their final move to Brisbane Road, a mile away in Leyton renaming themselves Leyton Orient.

 

I think you were getting confused with Clapton FC who play at the Old Spotted Dog a short distance from Lea Bridge Stadium. Clapton FC still play to this day at the ground currently in the Essex Senior League.

 

Sorry mate but you're way out here.

Can't swear about Lea Bridge but I do believe the ground Clapton Orient played at wasn't the dog track; BUT over Clapton FC you're totally wrong.

Clapton do play (still) at a ground called the Old Spotted Dog (though sadly the pub's closed...) but this is in Forest Gate - nowhere near Lea Bridge Rd. You're thinking of Leyton FC (previously Leyton Wingate) whose ground (sadly closed since a year or so back!) is indeed a few yards from the site of the former Lea Bridge Speedway & Dog track - that ground is named after a pub, the Hare & Hounds!!

[Brujas Espanolas 50]

 

 

Sorry mate but you're way out here.

Can't swear about Lea Bridge but I do believe the ground Clapton Orient played at wasn't the dog track; BUT over Clapton FC you're totally wrong.

Clapton do play (still) at a ground called the Old Spotted Dog (though sadly the pub's closed...) but this is in Forest Gate - nowhere near Lea Bridge Rd. You're thinking of Leyton FC (previously Leyton Wingate) whose ground (sadly closed since a year or so back!) is indeed a few yards from the site of the former Lea Bridge Speedway & Dog track - that ground is named after a pub, the Hare & Hounds!!

 

Not way out, but spot on old boy.

 

Some elementary research may have helped save your continued embarrassing inaccurate ramblings.

 

Orient vacated Millfields Road stadium in 1930 for Lea Bridge Road, an established speedway stadium with an overall capacity for around 20,000. After the seventh home League match in November 1930, Torquay United, after their 4-0 defeat, complained that the fencing around the ground was to near the touchline, so when Orient were ordered by the Football League to extend the narrow pitch within seven days, the club found themselves banned from using their new ground. An amazing interim measure for two League matches was taken whereby Orient arranged a temporary move to the famous Wembley Stadium. In the meantime, the Lea Bridge Road pitch was adapted to form a proper home.

 

Although attendances rarely rose above 7,000 the local derby against Millwall in March 1937 produced an unmanageable 20,288 crowd, frequently forced to invade the pitch with no room to move. This event made Orient anxious to move from this unsatisfactory home and coincidentally another club’s misfortunes became beneficial. Financial problems of the amateur team Leyton FC who were playing at Osborne Road, later known as Brisbane Road, provided the answer. A suitable agreement was made and the first game at the new home was played in August 1937 under the name Clapton Orient. A new name Leyton Orient was officially adopted on 2 October 1946.

 

Source: http://thebeautifulhistory.wordpress.com/clubs/leyton-orient/

 

As for the Old Spotted Dog, I know exactly where it is, having played there and officiated at the ground, albeit more years ago than I care to admit to, on several occasions.

 

All I was doing was speculating on a reason for your initial confused and inaccurate comments. After all the Old Spotted Dog is massive three and half miles from Lea Bridge Road...... not exactly way out!!!!

 

Anyway I hope this helps.

 

[John Leslie 3,213]

Can't swear about Lea Bridge but I do believe the ground Clapton Orient played at wasn't the dog track;

Does this help solve your dispute?

 

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw042089

[Brujas Espanolas 50]

Does this help solve your dispute?

 

http://www.britainfr...image/epw042089

 

No dispute on my part, I was fully aware that speedway and football coexisted at Lea Bridge Stadium

[Ray Stadia 1,064]

Please - get the topic back in focus! This is a speedway forum - not a football talking shop! The possibility of a track at Wimbledon Stadium IF AFC Wimbledon bought the place should have been a passing comment.

Instead, the thread has degenerated into various football grounds which had speedways around them, and now talk about football in London's East End in the 1930s!

And is unusual, as Mr P is normally telling us about the wonderful sport, called Rugby!

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

 

Some elementary research may have helped save your continued embarrassing inaccurate ramblings.

 

 

As for the Old Spotted Dog, I know exactly where it is, having played there and officiated at the ground, albeit more years ago than I care to admit to, on several occasions.

 

All I was doing was speculating on a reason for your initial confused and inaccurate comments. After all the Old Spotted Dog is massive three and half miles from Lea Bridge Road...... not exactly way out!!!!

Anyway I hope this helps.

 

A typical BSF refusal to admit being wrong!!

The Clapton ground you said was a few yards away - it's not, it's a completely different part of east London!!

I'm not in the slightest confused!

I know EXACTLY where the old Lea Bridge dog track was, where Leyton's Hare & Hounds ground is and where Clapton FC have played for well over 100 years!!

Clapton Orient played at the Millfields Rd ground from 1900 until the early 1930s and briefly shared Lea Bridge Stadium (the dog track) for just a handful of years in the '30s. So I stand corrected as the two sports therefore did co-exist for that short while.

Please note: I can accept when wrong.; shame you can't and had instead to lie and be rude!

[Brujas Espanolas 50]

 

 

A typical BSF refusal to admit being wrong!!

The Clapton ground you said was a few yards away - it's not, it's a completely different part of east London!!

I'm not in the slightest confused!

I know EXACTLY where the old Lea Bridge dog track was, where Leyton's Hare & Hounds ground is and where Clapton FC have played for well over 100 years!!

Clapton Orient played at the Millfields Rd ground from 1900 until the early 1930s and briefly shared Lea Bridge Stadium (the dog track) for just a handful of years in the '30s. So I stand corrected as the two sports therefore did co-exist for that short while.

Please note: I can accept when wrong.; shame you can't and had instead to lie and be rude!

 

 

 

 

Hallelujah!!! Mr P finally acknowledges that both speedway and football took place at the old Lea Bridge Stadium. Clearly something of an epiphany, and although it took a while, it's better late never!!!

 

Sadly instead of simply stating that he got it wrong, he attempts to deflect attention away from his own embarrassment and ignorance, by accusing another member of getting things wrong.

 

If we remember Mr P's original intervention: "Don't think you're right about Lea Bridge though. The dog track/Speedway NOT the same as Clapton Orient's nearby football ground". As Clapton Orient didn't have a "nearby ground", one could only speculate on the rationale for this inane rambling.

 

Of course had he mentioned Leyton FC's Hare & Hounds ground in the first place any potential confusion could have been avoided. However he didn't, referring only to "Clapton Orient's nearby ground.

 

At no time did I suggest that Clapton's ground "was a few yards away", something Mr P has made up to draw attention away from his own shortcomings. I merely suggested that Clapton's ground was nearby.... and in my book a ground some three miles away is nearby.

 

Anyway all's well that ends well, as Mr P has finally accepted that speedway and football coexisted at Lea Bridge Stadium. Pity he wasn't more circumspect initially, as it would have saved him from looking rather silly!!!

 

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

Clapton Orient DID have a nearby ground. They played as I said from 1900 at Millfields which is extremely near and only moved to Lea Bridge stadium for a couple of years. You are the one who said Clapton FC played nearby. They did not then any more than they do now.

As I say you only have to admit that your comment about Clapton FC was completely incorrect but in typical BSF style you'd rather be rude about a fellow poster than admit your mistake. It's the main reason why so many people now don't bother with 'debate' on this Forum.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,935]

I can't agree with it though.......the Canterbury track was laid around the local football teams pitch and was one of the best tracks I've ever seen (and I've been to almost 100!!!)

 

In principle it should be possible to lay a decent track around a football pitch, as after all athletics tracks are. I think the problem is that few stadiums have sufficient room to do it well, and it does make for a long track as well.

 

To me, the best racing is on tracks between 300 and 330 metres or so, and that simply won't go round a football pitch.

[Brujas Espanolas 50]

Clapton Orient DID have a nearby ground. They played as I said from 1900 at Millfields which is extremely near and only moved to Lea Bridge stadium for a couple of years. You are the one who said Clapton FC played nearby. They did not then any more than they do now.

As I say you only have to admit that your comment about Clapton FC was completely incorrect but in typical BSF style you'd rather be rude about a fellow poster than admit your mistake. It's the main reason why so many people now don't bother with 'debate' on this Forum.

Someone throw this man a lifebelt, before he sinks without trace.

 

It now transpires that he meant Millfields all along. Just as well I mentioned it on an earlier post!!!

 

There will be those, of course, who will find it surprising that he knows that Orient played at Millfields until 1930, but then didn't know they moved from there to play at the Lea Bridge Stadium for seven seasons.

 

It's a pity that he didn't mention Millfields in the first place, as it was a result of his initial vague and inaccurate comment, that gave rise to this idle speculation.

 

Anyway its all been settled now. Despite Parsoles initial protestations it has been established beyond doubt that the Lea Bridge Stadium staged both speedway and football. Pity he then had to go and make things up in an attempt to deflect attention away from the fragility of his own position.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,935]

The best speedway racing I ever saw was on the New Cross track - when I first went there in 1946 it was just 262 yards - track record 58 seconds held by George Newton. Great stuff.

 

There are some good shorter tracks as well, but I think shape and width is an important factor. A lot of shorter tracks are in stadiums with limited space that force too many compromises.

[The White Knight 9,039]

Sadly debate does seem to be fading on the BSF - it's tending to be the "smart rrrrrs" trying to get one over on another poster.

I would add that this is in no way a comment on Lea Bridge, Clapton FC etc. Far be it from me to comment on that - because I have no knowledge of the teams or venues being discussed.

The BSF has so much to offer in potential to speedway and it's a shame that serious debate or sticking to a topic is not adhered to.

 

 

 

The best speedway racing I ever saw was on the New Cross track - when I first went there in 1946 it was just 262 yards - track record 58 seconds held by George Newton. Great stuff.

 

Sadly you are right. One has to spend some time defending yourself against other Posters.

 

This is a shame because it is the Debate and the Humour that makes this Forum fun to be on.

[Shale Shaker 106]

Sadly debate does seem to be fading on the BSF - it's tending to be the "smart rrrrrs" trying to get one over on another poster.

I would add that this is in no way a comment on Lea Bridge, Clapton FC etc. Far be it from me to comment on that - because I have no knowledge of the teams or venues being discussed.

The BSF has so much to offer in potential to speedway and it's a shame that serious debate or sticking to a topic is not adhered to.

 

 

 

The best speedway racing I ever saw was on the New Cross track - when I first went there in 1946 it was just 262 yards - track record 58 seconds held by George Newton. Great stuff.

 

Hmmmmm!

[Ray Stadia 1,064]

Sadly debate does seem to be fading on the BSF - it's tending to be the "smart rrrrrs" trying to get one over on another poster.

I would add that this is in no way a comment on Lea Bridge, Clapton FC etc. Far be it from me to comment on that - because I have no knowledge of the teams or venues being discussed.

The BSF has so much to offer in potential to speedway and it's a shame that serious debate or sticking to a topic is not adhered to.

 

 

 

The best speedway racing I ever saw was on the New Cross track - when I first went there in 1946 it was just 262 yards - track record 58 seconds held by George Newton. Great stuff.

The sniping has happened the whole time I have been on the forum.There were some great tussles between Speedyguy and Parsloes, regarding Wimbledon and that was a few years ago now. Speedyguy is very quiet these days. I had quite a few spats with Malcolm Vassey a few years ago. The reality, is in life, you have those who will be 'put down' and will roll over and 'die' and then there are those who will have a go back. There are bullies on this forum as, most likely, all forums and sites such as Facebook. Personally, if I am 'attacked', I will retaliate, that is just my nature, rightly or wrongly.

[The White Knight 9,039]

The sniping has happened the whole time I have been on the forum.There were some great tussles between Speedyguy and Parsloes, regarding Wimbledon and that was a few years ago now. Speedyguy is very quiet these days. I had quite a few spats with Malcolm Vassey a few years ago. The reality, is in life, you have those who will be 'put down' and will roll over and 'die' and then there are those who will have a go back. There are bullies on this forum as, most likely, all forums and sites such as Facebook. Personally, if I am 'attacked', I will retaliate, that is just my nature, rightly or wrongly.

 

Me too Ray - but it is a great shame it has to be like that. I like sensible debate and am prepared to be proved wrong - I believe if you enter in to a Debate you have to accept that you are not always right. Where possible I would far rather keep things friendly.