Your 1st Meeting

[Bandits4eva 1,006]

One of the first meetings i can actually remember going too was Berwick vs Wolverhampton in the 1991 season.... i also remember why that one sticks in memory too ...

 

there used to be a chant of "Oo Ronnie Correy"

 

me being the sporting 4 year old i was , i decided to shout "Boo ronnie correy"

 

oh how nothing has changed

[NorthamptonKnights 0]

In that case you may well have known, or at least, seen my dad, Ray Wood, he rode for the Knights a few times in1981, he was probably rubbish, he lives out in Aussie now, and works for the CSIRO in the Textiles area of research. great fun.

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Sean, you little tyke, your dad was an ok rider - not one of the tops, but always willing to "give it a go".

 

He rode 4 NL matches for MK, for an average of 4.00 points - including one race where he pushed home for best part of a lap to earn a point!

 

Most memorable thing about him - everything was red - his bike, his leathers, his boots, his helmet (until he got a new-fangled Bell Moto Star) ... especially his hair!

 

I've got great memories of spending the day at Saddlebow Road with him and his mate Robbie Trezise ... I was fuelling and oiling the bikes, they were taking part in a training school meeting with 12 other (mainly British) junior riders of that time.

 

Oh, and his favourite saying was a quote supposedly from Ron Wilson, the MK promoter at the time ... "Stay down, it's good for the crowd"!

 

Good old Ron - who else out there can remember the evening they carried his "wallet" on to the centre green at Groveway on a stretcher?

[lionheart 86]

Well I cannot remember much about my first view of Speedway. It was definitely Blackbird Road, Leicester in about 1949. I was just too excited to remember much about it, but THEN of course there were still the leg trailers riding. FANTASTIC I seem to remember that one of the visitors at one of my early matches was Phil Bishop. Could it have been v. Southampton ? My personal favourite amongst the Hunters was Lionel Benson. My first AWAY match was against the FLEETWOOD FLYERS, and the Hunters were thrashed ! Probably because they were used to riding on one of the fairest racing strips in the country, and the Flyers track was a bit like a bombsite with the brick ends left in !

A sad ,sad day, when Blackbird Road was consigned to history

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

Rayleigh 45 Romford 30 British League Division 2, June 1971.

 

Having been nagged to death by a schoolfriend about these 'Rockets' I suppose I knew the likes of Hugh Saunders, Geoff Maloney, Dingle Brown, Nigel Rackett, Bob Young, Allen Emmett and Tiger Beech and some guy called "Allan Jackson r/r" long before I ever saw them actually ride, or not in the case of the last-mentioned.

 

I quickly discovered that local rivalry existed in this strange sport which began with a certain L.Silver verbally attacking the Romford management over the p.a. over the late inclusion of a rider...Bob Coles I think.

 

And just when I'd really got to love the Weir - it shut - for good.....

 

Rob.

[Addy 1]

Hyde Road - was only ickle - so Daddy took me high up so I wouldn't be hit by shale.

[Sulli 0]

My first meeting was at Peterborough in 1971 i think, Panthers V Boston and Andy Ross broke his leg.  I watched the meeting from the centre green as i was with St John Ambulance.

i have been hooked ever since  

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Andy Ross broke his leg in the Peterborough Open Championship (individual meeting). If I remember right, it was against Geoff Bouchard (Long Eaton) & Arthur Price (Boston) all three unbeaten into their last ride. Andy Ross didn't ride for Panthers again.

[Guest speedyguy]

Andy Ross broke his leg in the Peterborough Open Championship (individual meeting). If I remember right, it was against Geoff Bouchard (Long Eaton) & Arthur Price (Boston) all three unbeaten into their last ride. Andy Ross didn't ride for Panthers again.

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April 1946. Challenge match : New Cross v The Rest. Riders included Ron Johnson, Eric French, Les Wotton and in the second-half Mick Mitchell. I think New Cross won this challenge match. There had been a few meetings in 1945 but my mum wouldn't let me go see 'that noisy and dangerous sport'!

[norbold 7,162]

Ah Yes, 17 April 1946: New Cross 46 The Rest 37

For New Cross: Ron Johnson 12, Eric French 9 Geoff Pymar 9

The Rest: Ron Clarke 8 Tommy Price 8, Wally Lloyd 6

[Guest speedyguy]

Ah Yes, 17 April 1946: New Cross 46 The Rest 37

For New Cross: Ron Johnson 12, Eric French 9 Geoff Pymar 9

The Rest: Ron Clarke 8 Tommy Price 8, Wally Lloyd 6

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I had an idea that Wally Lloyd rode but was not certain. I still remember the VERY long turnstile queue and the packed terraces and the dulcet tones of New Cross announcer Cecil (or Cyril) Smith who was promoter Fred Mockford's business partner. Fred was also something to do with the music hall the New Cross Empire at Deptford Broadway. Dear me, I'm getting bostalgic now.

All in my last 18 months at school (left July 1947).

[Guest Jim Blanchard]

Coincidently Norman, my first was at New Cross. Was in a pram so cannot remember the details but very early 50's. With my parents.

 

First one I can really remember was when they started up again in 1959. Using mostly guest riders, got my first look at PC. I know you think he did not master the Frying Pan as well as Ove; though he was still flippin exciting, culminating in him winning the Tom Farndon memorial meeting that year.

 

I also remember seeing Max (you need hands..) Bygraves at the New Cross Empire at Deptford Broadway, being a Deptford lad. Colin Goody lived on Wotton Road and Jack Young had workshops at the back of the stadium on Hunsdon Road. Great times

[norbold 7,162]

As you know Jim, my first meeting was also at New Cross on 11 May 1960.

 

Obviously therefore I didn't see PC in 1959. Looking at results from that year he did seem to do very well at the Frying Pan, but, whenever I saw him in 1960 and 1961, I have to say he didn't seem to be able to master it. Briggo didn't ride well there either, which was unfortunate because, of course, he rode for us in 1960.

 

Fundin and Moore were the real masters of New Cross in my opinion and Jack Young on a couple of occasions rode it like he must have ridden in the early 50s.

Bob Andrews was another who always rode New Cross well.

[Guest Jim Blanchard]

Fundin and Moore were the real masters of New Cross in my opinion and Jack Young on a couple of occasions rode it like he must have ridden in the early 50s.

 

True. I was not sure if I liked Ronnie that well then; he sort of seemed too 'slick' but I grew to love him in a very short time. Ove was Ove - almost a machine himself that would destroy all before him. Youngie was good though and a nice man as well. Briggo found it a bit difficult as you say but he was really nice too, calling me 'tiger' which he still does today.

 

Can't remember Bobby Andrews riding that well there though. Split was good though and as I think we have discussed once before, he defeated the mighty Fundin on three occassions one night. That made the headlines in the South London Press.

[Guest speedyguy]

Fundin and Moore were the real masters of New Cross in my opinion and Jack Young on a couple of occasions rode it like he must have ridden in the early 50s.

 

True. I was not sure if I liked Ronnie that well then; he sort of seemed too 'slick' but I grew to love him in a very short time. Ove was Ove - almost a machine himself that would destroy all before him. Youngie was good though and a nice man as well. Briggo found it a bit difficult as you say but he was really nice too, calling me 'tiger' which he still does today.

 

Can't remember Bobby Andrews riding that well there though. Split was good though and as I think we have discussed once before, he defeated the mighty Fundin on three occassions one night. That made the headlines in the South London Press.

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Was the "legendar" John Hyam their reporter then or was it someone else? He's been writing about speedway for years.

[Mike Lee - the best ever 2]

My first meeting was back in 1977 at Kings Lynn against i think it ws Hackney.been bitten ever since.......

[Trees 2,814]

My first meeting was in 77 also, King's Lynn Stars v ................. but I can't remember who it was, wish I could turn the clock back and really appreciate the riders I was watching back then!