Barcroftlad

Hi guys. Just to say that for an oldie who doesn't see much speedway these days it was a teriffic night out with some good match ups and a fantastic Final. Wow, who would have picked it. I thought Nicky had it sewn up . Great entertainment and all around me on the first bend the crowd seemed to be really enjoying themselves. I was disappointed in local media coverage. A few adverts, a couple of interview articles and I saw one piece on a TV news item a couple of days before the event. On Friday evening sports news on TV1 there was not one mention of the event. This morning's Sunday Star times I had to turn to page 10 in the sports section to find a report of last nights action and then only about a quarter page. I haven't heard the crowd numbers yet but it will be interesting. I thought it looked bigger than last year but how much I am not sure. The promoter Bill Buckley, made it very clear that it had to be a decent crowd this year to even think about extending his deal. Cheers.

Hi Lowena. I have just found this report. I don't have any photos of George but I can see him clearly in my mind as I felt that I got to know him when I was just a teen in the early 1950s. He used to visit and stay over with Norman Hargreaves in his days at Fleetwood. Norman was a neighbour and family friend and it was paradise for a youngster like me to be able to hang out at Norman's small garage just along the street on a Sunday morning and it was on those occasions when I met George. I still have his autograph and I have written under it Walthamstow, so he obviously continued to visit Norman after he left Fleetwood. George was a good guy in my memories. Cheers.

I believe that Bill Buckley knew exactly the risk that he was running when he put up his money to guarantee three GPs in NZ. From what I have read in different sources, including in here, that the possibliity of reviving a leg in Australia was also in the minds of the organisers. Sorry if it is inconvenient to you G the Bee but I can tell you that there were many old timers present at the two GPs run so far who, like me, have been starved of top class racing in NZ. It was lovely to see some old fellas struggling on their walking frames, determined to not miss a second of this treat we had. You are quite right in that the glory days as a speedway nation are behind us. For my own selfish part, Speedway racing is all about team racing which I grew up with, but when I chose a life down under I recognised there were things I couldn't bring with me. Something worth mentioning and that is the new track which Bill Buckley put in for the GP. Several riders who took the microphone at the meetings complimented Auckland on their track and the stadium, some even stating that it was the best track they had ever ridden. Cheers.

Hi folks. Haven't been on for a while but just thought you might like to know the latest news about GP NZ 2014 as reported in our local media a few days ago. Try as I might I can't find a link online but the report said that this third GP just might be the last one for NZ. Promoter Bill Buckley has reportedly lost a million dollars plus in the two run so far. It goes on to say that they will probably need a crowd attendance of around 20,000 to justify him carrying on. I think last time was about 10/12,000 from memory and maybe 14,000 at the first one. The previous two had racing starting at 4pm due to local issues with Council over sound levels. This time it seems the racing will be in the evening and a couple of weeks later in early April. I will be there to help the numbers having bought my ticket at the early release about three months ago! Seasons greetings to all. Cheers.

Well there were about 8000 to watch the All Whites at the weekend in a World Cup qualifier on a bleak night. I think that football,soccer that is, pulls in good crowds in Wellington, but Auckland is a different story. The Breakers basketball team are filling the 9000 seat Vector Arena regularly, indoors, so you are probably right Waihekeace. The Springs were sure rocking this year.

I must look out for the Aces next time I pop over to the Island! Cheers.

You are probably thinking of David Beecroft who has put together a few DVDs of old Halifax and Bradford speedway. I'll send him an email to draw his attention to your query. He just might be able to help.By the way, Arthur was a terrific rider and he wasn't called the Black Prince for nothing. Cheers.

Hi kevtyke, I was an Odsal fan and was there the sad night that Joe was killed. He sure was a popular rider.I have posted a lovely photo of Joe on the oldtime speedway forum. I have a few photos and copies of the newspaper reports of the accident if they are of interest to you.Cheers.

Before the Tudors they were called the Boomerangs with a white star and a white boomerang below that, all in a white circle.I think it was about1950-51 when they changed names.Cheers.

Well for me Odsal was Speedway heaven-in the late 40's early 50's. a decent banked track, it was FAST. The finest sight in speedway in those days (in my opinion of course) was Oliver Hart, the last of the oldtime legtrailers, in full cry around the banks. I don't know if the track was altered in anyway later on as I left in 1954. The Shay at Halifax was also a good track in those days. I went to Belle Vue once and that was also a great track. Re subject of thread--------- Wembley is the track I most regretted not seeing.As youngsters as we were then, Wembley had a mystique about it that we could only dream about. It might as well have been in another country as far as we were concerned. Cheers.

Hi everyone. In my old scrapbook I have a small photo of Cyril while at Exeter, head and shoulders, if it is of interest to anyone. Just let me know. Also I have the autograph of Bert Roger when he was at New Cross and as a curly one, I also have the autograph of Fred Rogers (Norwich). Any relation? Also the photo of Cyril has an "s" on the end of his name.I guess that is a misprint but it is one of those names where folk get confused sometimes and add the "s". Cheers, Bill.

I'm pretty sure that is not Bob Lovell in the photo.I remember Bob from his Odsal days, and I'm pretty sure that he was with Odsal in 1949, not sure about 1948.Cheers.

I received my copy today. Looks like a good account of the Hutt Park days which were before I came to NZ. There are many names in there which are familiar to me.

According to my schoolboy notes in my scrap book from that era, the Harringay team in 1949 was: Vic Duggan (capt), Wal Morton, Lloyd Goffe, Ray Duggan, Jimmy Grant, Geoff Pymar, Nobby Stock (res) and Dennis Dunton (res). I can't recollect the name Dunphy. Cheers.

Johnny is well and lives in Grimsby. We are in occasional contact and when I'm in UK we always get together for an ale or two.Cheers.