Team Man 32 Posted July 24, 2003 BLIMEY !!!! Alan H ?, Is that really you ? the red overalls !, the baseball cap !, it's all starting to come flooding back !!. Great to see you on here mate. Yes!!! its me, twice as fit and twice as ugly, this is a real blast from the past,where are you getting your Speedway these days ?. I'm up here in Lincolnshire now, following Boston in the CL (great Speedway), I've got Peterborough and Kings Lynn within 30 odd miles, doing a bit here and there, have the 2valve Jawa out around KL now and again. And the Fishing is great up here too!!!!!. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
panthersfan 2 Posted July 24, 2003 Hi PanthersfanYes I was there in 1981!!!!, From 1979 till the end on that fatefull night in 1992 at Elfield Park, a coming together of factions,on another night might not ever have happened. 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lioness 1,470 Posted July 24, 2003 I was taken to my first (and second) speedway meetings as a kid in 1979.....Easter weekend April 1979 to be exact ( I was very young honest! ) when I lived in Birmingham. It was the first time I was allowed to go anywhere without my parents lol Until today I was certain my first meeting had been at Coventry. However having spoken with the cousin who took me he thinks I am wrong and is pretty sure the first meeting he took me to was at Cradley Heath followed by a Coventry meeting later on in the season. Its got me really curious and he is away to search my uncles attic when he gets the chance to see if he can find the programme but I don't hold out much hope for the search! Does anyone know if there is someplace on the net that I can find out who the two were riding against that weekend and the result? Not asking for anything much then eh! I'd just like to find out for definate who/where my first meeting really was. Feel I should be saying I'm looking for my Hercule Poirot cos I'm no Miss Marple! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew 125 Posted July 24, 2003 you could ask on the Cradley site and see if anyone has the meeting details Lioness.. http://www.bearmore.freeserve.co.uk/ or you need someone with a vast speedway star collection who could go dig round and see if he can find owt lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lioness 1,470 Posted July 24, 2003 Thanks Andrew - I will try that too! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew 125 Posted July 24, 2003 Easter Sunday was the 15th of April back in 1979 ,helps to have a date to work with lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew 125 Posted July 25, 2003 A quick look in the speedway star archive came up with the following, Lioness... April 14th 1979 Cradley 40 Reading 38 (British League) Cradley Dave Perks:10 Bruce Penhall:9 Steve Bastable:8 Phil Collins:6 Alan Grahame:4 Bobby Schwartz:3 Les Rumsey:0 Reading John Davis 10 Riedar Eide:8 Bernie Leigh:7 Jan Andersson:7 Terry Betts:5 Bob Humphreys:1 Sigvart Pedersen:0 Coventry 45 Kings Lynn 33 (British League) Coventry Billy Sanders:11 Alan Molyneux:8 Steve Koppe:7 Mitch Shirra:6 Kevin Hawkins:5 Gary Guglielmi:4 Mick Bell:4 Kings Lynn Mike Lee:12 Dave Jessup:11 Richard Hellsen:4 Pete Smith:3 Ian Turner:2 Bob Garrad:1 Derek Harrison:0 Sanders and Koppe were guesting for Ole Olsen and Alf Busk,Tommy Knudsen was also missing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew 125 Posted July 25, 2003 And just to complete the Easter fixtures,both Cradley and Coventry had home meetings on the Bank Holiday Monday... Cradley 44 Leicester 34 (Tri Counties Trophy,1st Leg) Cradley Alan Grahame:11 Bruce Penhall:8 Kevin Praestbro:7 Steve Bastable:6 Bobby Schwartz:6 Dave Perks:4 Jorg Hack:2 Leicester Mike Farrell:8 John Titman:8 Ila Teromaa:6 T.Godal:4 Jim McNeil:3 Chris Turner:3 John Boulger:2 Coventry 43 Swindon 35 (British League) Coventry Ole Olsen:12 Alan Molyneux:10 Mitch Shirra:8 Mick Bell:5 Kevin Hawkins:4 Gary Gugliemi:4 Swindon Phil Crump:11 Martin Ashby:7 Bob Kilby:4 Rolf Gramstad:4 Steve Gresham:4 Steen Mastrup:3 Geoff Bouchard:2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Team Man 32 Posted July 25, 2003 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. Hi Panthersfan. Yes I can remember your dad, Ray Wood, he didn't ride for us for very long as I can remember, a lot water has gone under the bridge since then, as the saying goes.......He probably can't remember me but give him my regards when you speak to him. To reply to this thread proper, my first meeting was at coventry, when I came out the Army in 1950, can't remember much of that first meeting, but I can remember being "Gobsmacked", and thought, I've got to be part of this!!!!!!!!!! PS The crowds then were huge Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JY2003 Posted July 25, 2003 Eastbourne V Coventry 2003 Hahahaha!Soz...Eastbourne V Coventry 2000 !When there was a crash between Dean Barker and somone else and Huzzel and Kokko was riding for us! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
salty 2,208 Posted July 25, 2003 My 1st match Cradley v Newport 28th sept 1968. Funny story about it is that I was supposed to be going to my first Wolves match at Molineux that afternoon, but the chap who was supposed to be taking me (my mates sister's boyfriend) let me down, cue squalls of tears etc. To try and cheer me up my Dad took me to Dudley Wood that night and it was love at first sight (with the sport that is not the "stadium"). And the Wolves got beat 6-0 HaHa! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lioness 1,470 Posted July 26, 2003 A quick look in the speedway star archive came up with the following, Lioness... <snipped> Andrew thank you for all that! I have now discovered thanks to you and my cousin (another Andrew!) searching the loft that contrary to previous belief my first ever speedway meeting was in fact Cradley v Reading! Hey I've been to Cradley! Thanks for all the help guys I appreciate it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
panthersfan 2 Posted July 26, 2003 Hi Panthersfan. Yes I can remember your dad, Ray Wood, he didn't ride for us for very long as I can remember, a lot water has gone under the bridge since then, as the saying goes.......He probably can't remember me but give him my regards when you speak to him. Give me about 4 years, though I shall probably email him before then... and probably paste the link. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew 125 Posted July 26, 2003 Andrew thank you for all that! Hey I've been to Cradley! Thanks for all the help guys I appreciate it! Well thats you and Rach sorted,all I need now is to see if I found Shalewhales first meeting for the 'hattrick'. I went to Cradley once aswell,bit of a culture shock compared to Owlerton lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Star in Exile 0 Posted August 2, 2003 The start of a long relationship, 1st September 1973 British League D1 Kings Lynn Stars 47 ... - ... 31 Coventry Bees T. Betts 9...................................N. Boocock 13 A. Price 3+2................................P. Bailey 2 B. Humphreys 7+1.....................G. Middleton 10 E. Reeves 6+3............................G. Uhlenbrook 0 M. Simmons 12 (max)..................A. Jay 3 R. Bales 6...................................F. Smith 3 D. Gagen 4+1.............................J. Shirley 0 Fastest time of the night Rocket Ray Bales - 69.4 winner in heat 2 ! Like most first timers, who can ever forget that first whiff of methanol and the roar at the tapes. I always remember passing the huge billboard situated at the old South? Gate roundabout at Lynn every Tuesday on the way to the market and wondering what Speedway was.....finally got my dad to take me. I was hooked. That was his only ever meeting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
