Your First Taste Of Speedway

[The White Knight 9,039]

April 1971 aged 11. Step Dads workmate came round on Sunday morning and suggested I go. We lived in Hailsham. Eastbourne Vs Sunderland 59-19 Gordon and Dave Kennett at 6 & 7. Derek Cook full maximum. Loved it. Parents soon got sick of taking me and picking me up so I had to walk 90 minutes home each week. Well worth it.

 

First away was 1973 at Canterbury, Young England Vs Young Poland

Crumbs. :shock:

 

Thanks for that.

 

A Sunderland 'Stars' Supporter.

[salty 2,202]

Cradley v Newport. 28th September 1968.

 

I was supposed to have been going to see Wolves (football version) v Liverpool that afternoon, but the people taking me let us down, cue plenty of tears. To make it up to me the folks took me to Dudley Wood that night. Love at first sight, smell etc.

 

As for Wolves...Liverpool gubbed them 6-0.

[Tigerblade 221]

Ashby and Crump ( to a lesser degree he reached 82 WF and was a great rider both were never the same riders after that pile up.

Yes, of course I only have the history books to go on from before that,

but I think it is fair to say that crash practically finished Ashby as a force. It was entirely down to track conditions, it was late on in the meeting and the track was akin to Gothenburg a couple of weeks previous. The kind of meeting that would never start nowadays.

[BL65 657]

Cradley v Newport. 28th September 1968.

 

I was supposed to have been going to see Wolves (football version) v Liverpool that afternoon, but the people taking me let us down, cue plenty of tears. To make it up to me the folks took me to Dudley Wood that night. Love at first sight, smell etc.

 

As for Wolves...Liverpool gubbed them 6-0.

I had the pleasure of attending both matches. Young Alun Evans was in the LIverpool team just a couple of weeks after moving from Wolves. Along with Roger Hunt and Peter Thompson he scored twice in what turned into an exhibition match. The speedway meeting between two depleted teams in the evening contained considerably more excitement, with the Wasps pushing Cradley close.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Yes, of course I only have the history books to go on from before that,

but I think it is fair to say that crash practically finished Ashby as a force. It was entirely down to track conditions, it was late on in the meeting and the track was akin to Gothenburg a couple of weeks previous. The kind of meeting that would never start nowadays.

Tigerblade did Ashby seriously damage his shoulder ? i know he was also injured when Olsen took him off at Coventry once.Crump like you said broke a femur i never knew the track was that wet though.

[Tigerblade 221]

Tigerblade did Ashby seriously damage his shoulder ? i know he was also injured when Olsen took him off at Coventry once.Crump like you said broke a femur i never knew the track was that wet though.

IIRC it was a broken collarbone but I seem to think I read something later on about internal problems which didn't come to light at the time. Crumpie was adjudged to be the cause of the stoppage, but like I say the track was in a fair old state by then, as there had also been a hold up due to an earlier crash between Craig Pendlebury, Ivan Mauger and Scott Autrey, which ruled Ivan out of the rest of the meeting.

[Fundin5 18]

My first meeting was Belle Vue v Sheffield 3rd April 1965. My first hero's were Sandor Levai and Cyril Maidment.

 

Mum & Dad took me as a one off treat;.been going ever since. Dad often joked it was the costliest mistake he ever made!

 

Wonder how many more parents thought the same.

[Split 179]

I had the pleasure of attending both matches. Young Alun Evans was in the LIverpool team just a couple of weeks after moving from Wolves. Along with Roger Hunt and Peter Thompson he scored twice in what turned into an exhibition match. The speedway meeting between two depleted teams in the evening contained considerably more excitement, with the Wasps pushing Cradley close.

 

I recall seeing a rider named Peter Thompson appearing at Crayford back in the 60's. I honestly can't remember if he was riding for the home or away team. I do remember one of the crowd commenting on the fact that Peter Thompson was wearing number 7 which was the same as the footballer of that name wore when he played on the right wing for Liverpool. Yes, many teams still played with right and left wingers in those days and it took a few managers a while before they followed Alf Ramsey's example of putting out a team of "wingless wonders".

[Fundin5 18]

 

I recall seeing a rider named Peter Thompson appearing at Crayford back in the 60's. I honestly can't remember if he was riding for the home or away team. I do remember one of the crowd commenting on the fact that Peter Thompson was wearing number 7 which was the same as the footballer of that name wore when he played on the right wing for Liverpool. Yes, many teams still played with right and left wingers in those days and it took a few managers a while before they followed Alf Ramsey's example of putting out a team of "wingless wonders".

The Peter Thompson you saw at Crayford in 1968 would have been riding for Belle Vue Colts in their D2 visit. He had been riding since the late 50's around the northern tracks, but did not progress much beyond reserve level.

[auntie doris 2,342]

I recall seeing a rider named Peter Thompson appearing at Crayford back in the 60's. I honestly can't remember if he was riding for the home or away team. I do remember one of the crowd commenting on the fact that Peter Thompson was wearing number 7 which was the same as the footballer of that name wore when he played on the right wing for Liverpool. Yes, many teams still played with right and left wingers in those days and it took a few managers a while before they followed Alf Ramsey's example of putting out a team of "wingless wonders".

Peter Thompson was right-footed left winger, think he played in number 11 shirt. Fantastic player, capped by England. Saw him terrorise right-backs at Highbury. Grew up in Carlisle, attended same school as my cousin

[Chadster 221]

My first visit to speedway was to Liverpool in 1960. I can't remember anything about it apart from it being very wet. I have much better memories of those Liverpool football teams of the 60s. Peter Thompson almost always played at no 11. Ian Callaghan was no 7. I saw Alun Evans debut against Leicester in which he scored and we were 4-0 up in 12 minutes. By that time I was going to speedway at Hyde Road and being absolutely hooked on the sport.

[iris123 20,995]

Sometime in the 60s,Plough Lane.No idea who was riding.Sad really,but that is it

[Reviresco 708]

1969 - Romford v Eastbourne.

[The White Knight 9,039]

Sometime in the 60s,Plough Lane.No idea who was riding.Sad really,but that is it

As an aside - sorry - but I heard today that Wimbledon A.F.C. had signed an Agreement to take over at Plough Lane.

 

That will be the end of any hope of Speedway ever returning to one of the most historic of Tracks. :sad:

[silverfox 9]

1955 my first speedway meeting Belle Vue v Odsal I can remember most of the BV team but I can only remember Arthur Forest for Odsal.