Hackney Hawks

[semion 2,192]

You cant blame Uncle Lennie for trying something different. The Cobra's must have been costing him money. So to re-invent The Hawks is a gamble worth taking. It has worked so well for Dudley, If Silver gets 50% of their crowd level at £12 a pop, he is going to be one happy boy. Plus if those going to watch The Hawks are people coming back into the Sport, then its a win win situation. I guess he doesnt have to worry to much about the old Cobra fans, as there wasnt enough of them to make it pay. Out with old and in with the new. What has the guy got to lose ?

Edited March 8, 2011 by semion

[THE DEAN MACHINE 4,770]

i just think this is silver/cook trying to cash in on the name hackney , they have seen what has happened with dudley and think its a way to make money , but you have to live in the black country to understand dudleys success, they have both been without a track for nearly the same time but they are worlds apart in fan base , there are 2 issues in the black country area which get major newspaper coverage ,one is the proposed mosque and the other is a track for cradley/dudley ,its been like that for years ,not just in the sports sections either, im not knocking hackney and i hope it succeeds ,but i just feel that some promoters are running short of ideas to make money and will exploit any idea they can , if it attracts old fans back then great and i hope it is the start of some way to get hackney back in hackney but i dont think thats what this venture is about , also i feel £12 is to expensive for NL racing ,speedway in general has got to take a couple of steps back and start to get people goin to watch speedway again and charging them alot of money isnt the way to do it especially in the current climate when money is tight for a lot of people ,

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

I doubt that there is any site in the UK with more current potential for new sporting endeavours to be launched than the lower Lea Valley: ie effectively the Olympic Park and immediately surrounding area. There's even the actual prospect of sports arenas being avaiable for reuse in less than two years' time.

 

The former Hackney track occupied this very same section of land. So though clearly the revived Hawks of 2011 are going to be riding a 'nomadic' existence at Rye House and Lakeside (both with close links BTW, to the 'Hackney heritage'), there is IMHO just as much chance of this initiative leading to a new track as there is for Dudley to find a new home for the Heathens.

And by that I mean I'm optimistic about both...

 

So I do NOT see this as merely a marketing exercise with no ambitions to see a track actually return to east London. I see it - and I know Jon Cook does too and I'd assume 'Uncle' Len - as a definite first step in making that a reality...

[Blazeaway 1,501]

i just think this is silver/cook trying to cash in on the name hackney , they have seen what has happened with dudley and think its a way to make money , but you have to live in the black country to understand dudleys success, they have both been without a track for nearly the same time but they are worlds apart in fan base , there are 2 issues in the black country area which get major newspaper coverage ,one is the proposed mosque and the other is a track for cradley/dudley ,its been like that for years ,not just in the sports sections either, im not knocking hackney and i hope it succeeds ,but i just feel that some promoters are running short of ideas to make money and will exploit any idea they can , if it attracts old fans back then great and i hope it is the start of some way to get hackney back in hackney but i dont think thats what this venture is about , also i feel £12 is to expensive for NL racing ,speedway in general has got to take a couple of steps back and start to get people goin to watch speedway again and charging them alot of money isnt the way to do it especially in the current climate when money is tight for a lot of people ,

 

Quite right and the last thing Len would want is a track opening up in East London.

[Roger MARTIN 128]

To get new people to go and watch Speedway need two things, a good team and good racing, if you dont have that people will get bored, when Plymouth first started my son use to go with me to the meetings, half way into the season he stoped going, he got bored with such one sided meetings, new people to the sport will stop going if you get one sided meeting, or they will pick the meeting they go to, then what you are left with are the dye hard speedway fans that will go no matter what the score is, so the people that say out with the old and in with the new will have to wait and see if they got it right, in my opinion if you get to many one sided meetings people new to the sport will quickly get bored with it, and leave or pick their meetings.

[Shadders 4,135]

Look forward to seeing you but wrap up warm and bring chairs. The Arena-Essex Raceway is the most spectator-unfriendly stadium in the country (Jon Cook's words not mine) with a nice cold wind blowing off the Thames but good value at £17.50 for a full-priced ticket to see both meetings.

I used to go to Arena regularly back in the late 80's, mainly when the Rockets were there, but also to a few Hammers home meetings when they used to have the little white plastic pegs instead of a safety fence. Banger racing too in the late 90's when the kids were very young. My abiding memory was how cold it was with a biting wind and the rabbit droppings that littered the banking. Also the complete lack of atmosphere ... When we were at the London Chmapionships back in October it was wet and horrible ... You're right about the pricing. £17.50 is a bargain for 30 heats of speedway with the added bonus of a trip to the shopping centre beforehand to keep the missus happy

[garyy 5]

Arena Essex the coldest place in Britain to watch Speedway. If you could just stop that wind off the Thames

[cityrebel 2,960]

Arena Essex the coldest place in Britain to watch Speedway. If you could just stop that wind off the Thames

for me swindon is the coldest track. it can be chilly there in the middle of summer!

[semion 2,192]

Saddlebow has to be coldest. Its always 5 degrees colder there than the rest of Norfolk

[THE DEAN MACHINE 4,770]

I doubt that there is any site in the UK with more current potential for new sporting endeavours to be launched than the lower Lea Valley: ie effectively the Olympic Park and immediately surrounding area. There's even the actual prospect of sports arenas being avaiable for reuse in less than two years' time.

 

The former Hackney track occupied this very same section of land. So though clearly the revived Hawks of 2011 are going to be riding a 'nomadic' existence at Rye House and Lakeside (both with close links BTW, to the 'Hackney heritage'), there is IMHO just as much chance of this initiative leading to a new track as there is for Dudley to find a new home for the Heathens.

And by that I mean I'm optimistic about both...

 

So I do NOT see this as merely a marketing exercise with no ambitions to see a track actually return to east London. I see it - and I know Jon Cook does too and I'd assume 'Uncle' Len - as a definite first step in making that a reality...

i agree with most of what you say here, except me and you have worked in speedway long enough to know a good idea for the benifit of speedway will only happen as long as the boys club is on to an earner,imo the hackney idea wouldnt have happened if it wasnt for the dudley success, but the dudley success isnt down to just useing a famous speedway name and riding somewhere else , in the 14 years it was without a track it never went away ,speedway in dudley is big and has always been big always in the local papers ,it is almost a political issue round here and that hasnt happened to hackney,i think hackney will be a success at hackney but not this venture , for the good of speedway i hope im wrong

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

i agree with most of what you say here, except me and you have worked in speedway long enough to know a good idea for the benifit of speedway will only happen as long as the boys club is on to an earner,imo the hackney idea wouldnt have happened if it wasnt for the dudley success, but the dudley success isnt down to just useing a famous speedway name and riding somewhere else , in the 14 years it was without a track it never went away ,speedway in dudley is big and has always been big always in the local papers ,it is almost a political issue round here and that hasnt happened to hackney,i think hackney will be a success at hackney but not this venture , for the good of speedway i hope im wrong

 

I do agree with you Deano - going to the Dudley matches at Wolves last year (even seeing YOU on the terraces!! ) was the most positive of experiences and it is extraordinary indeed how the flame in the Black Country for the Heathens has kept burning. As an East Londoner I can confirm that though West Ham Speedway is often mentioned fondly (less so Hackney - but depends who you know/meet, I guess...) you're right, that in no way is there the zeal that there is for long lost Cradley...

 

I still believe though, that there IS a chance of a London club emerging out of the chances present on the Olympics site. But I'm sure of one thing (as a London 'neutral' who was involved at Wimbledon 2002-'05) for that to work, EVERY Speedway fan in and around the capital needs to get behind this project and that campaign... Every indications on here are NOT therefore too encouraging...

Edited March 8, 2011 by Parsloes 1928 nearly

[Ben91 1,743]

I do agree with you Deano - going to the Dudley matches at Wolves last year (even seeing YOU on the terraces!! ) was the most positive of experiences and it is extraordinary indeed how the flame in the Black Country for the Heathens has kept burning. As an East Londoner I can confirm that though West Ham Speedway is often mentioned fondly (less so Hackney - but depends who you know/meet, I guess...) you're right, that in no way is there the zeal that there is for long lost Cradley...

 

I still believe though, that there IS a chance of a London club emerging out of the chances present on the Olympics site. But I'm sure of one thing (as a London 'neutral' who was involved at Wimbledon 2002-'05) for that to work, EVERY Speedway fan in and around the capital needs to get behind this project and that campaign... Every indications on here are NOT therefore too encouraging...

 

This thread is going right off topic, how the fact that the prices for the Hawks meetings at both Rye and Lakeside are ott can be changed into a discussion about a track on the Olympics site I don't know but it's not the place to discuss this.

 

The Hawks name has been revived because it is a defunct club relatively close to Rye and Lakeside in the speedway world. It is a fixture filler for both clubs, whilst also developing both Rye and Lakeside assets who have a structure to climb through all three tiers of British speedway now. It is a disappointment prices are so high, not so people can have a moan but because it means they will not be able to attend these meetings and see the future of their teams and British speedway because if they do they won't be able to watch their senior side.

[June01 270]

The Hawks name has been revived because it is a defunct club relatively close to Rye and Lakeside in the speedway world. It is a fixture filler for both clubs, whilst also developing both Rye and Lakeside assets who have a structure to climb through all three tiers of British speedway now.

Whilst I commend all of the above, and I guess it's because it's the first place I took a real interest in the sport, and the memories associated with it, I simply can't get on board with the idea of a "Hackney team" being anywhere other than Waterden Road.

[cityrebel 2,960]

i think that most of the rye regulars myself included will pay the extra pound to watch the rockets this season. but rising costs in getting to hoddesdon as well as the increase in admission charges will mean no nl matches for me at the launch pad this year.

[Rockets 61]

There is one real shame about this discussion on prices however valid it may be, and that is it overshadows what looks like being a great season for the Hawks.

This is a really exciting line up with some great and exciting young talent.

The progress these kids make from raw novice to hopefully PL or EL rider has always been one of the greatest pleasures I get from speedway.So for me I will be there whenever I can.

The only shame is losing Joe Jacobs who I think might be in for a great season.

And despite what ever is said when two NL teams are evenly matched the racing can be second to none.

So come on lets try to get behind these kids. The Hawks of today are hopefully the Rockets of tomorrow.