Why Was Wembley Better Than Cardiff?.

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

MY memory must be fading (it is!) ...

 

I had a very good relationship with the then SCB Chairman (Michael Limb) and we had both public and private spats about the SCB giving up Wembley but a critical factor was the FIM not agreeing to hold the World Final there each year (hardly surprising given pressure from Sweden and Poland) and Limb said he had no more cards to play.

 

That much I do remember

INCIDENTALLY, if Michael Limb was still Chairman of an independent Speedway Control Board, speedway would not be in the mess it is now. As secretary of the RAC, at that time the ultimate governing body of motorsport in the UK, Michael and the SCB had real power and weren't afraid to use it.

 

Michael was at the helm at the time of "Black Sunday" as SS headlined it when the People newspaper began a series of race fixing disclosures which rocked the sport.

 

Along with various national newspaper colleagues (Peter Oakes, Keir Radnedge, the late Graham Baker) I attended every day and the Daily Express (the paper I worked for at the time) carried daily reports of the Tribunal that he set up, quite often with page leads. It was major news at the time. Now it probably wouldn't even register on the radar of any newspaper.

 

Michael and the Board, especially when the abrasive Dick Bracher was secretary, kept the BSPA on a tight rein. However, as he told me once: "It is much easier to impose strict discipline when tracks are making substantial profits and fear losing their licences." The ultimate sanction held by the SCB.

 

Threaten to withdraw a licence now and the offending track will probably put it in the post!

[Grand Central 2,654]

Ahh ... Dick Bracher !

 

A name of infamy.

He was in charge of the ACU Youth Division back in the day

Awful man.

 

I remember being astonished at his 'promotion' to the SCB.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,958]

WE did years ago. The SCB caved in when the FA threatened to pull some internationals from Wembley. It was a no-brainer really ... a World Final every few years (and the gap between them was getting bigger) against the FA's internationals and Cup Final.

Threatening to pull internationals could have been for any reason, and that they'd threaten to do it for a World Final once every few years doesn't seem entirely plausible, especially with other sports regularly using the pitch before we even get to Live Aid and other big rock concerts of the 80s. I also have a recollection the FA were involved in some dispute with Wembley's owners over the financial arrangements in that era, plus in the early 80s there was certainly a movement advocating that internationals should be played around the country.

 

I had a very good relationship with the then SCB Chairman (Michael Limb) and we had both public and private spats about the SCB giving up Wembley but a critical factor was the FIM not agreeing to hold the World Final there each year (hardly surprising given pressure from Sweden and Poland) and Limb said he had no more cards to play.

Having a World Final there each year would presumably have annoyed the FA even more. I suspect the real reasons are somewhat different to the explanation of not wanting the pitch messed up.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Humphrey Appleby

[SCB 0]

Rather a silly answer unless you are disabled or perhaps you never eat out unless it is within half a mile of your house

Wembley Park underground is just two stops to get to the London West End.

I am sure that all of the people at the Cardiff GP don't stay in Hotels within a half a mile of the stadium but I stand to be corrected if that is the case.

They're different things/days out. I love a day out in Cardiff for the GP, I pitch up in the shadows of the stadium and get merry while chatting away with old friends and making many new friends. I can turn and chat to a random person about how their season is going and put the World to right before moving on to the next person and doing the same. Cardiff is so great I even once managed to have a chat with Tsunami and Alan Boon at the same time (anyone who remembers Alan Boons time on the forum will know how amazing that was!). I drink, gamble, eat and watch a speedway meeting all within the same 500m2 area surrounded by mainly speedway fans. One mention partners not liking it but liking London - Cardiff is a great city for shopping, hand over the credit card and agree to meeting them a few hours later Also, my mum is not a speedway fans - she still wants Bruce Penhall to make a comeback and knew Jason Crump but thats about it! she loves Cardiff day (ok it's only a 10 minute bus and a 20 minute train ride form home) and has made many friends, including a few from this forum.

 

Now Wembley, that'd be a nice day out in London that I can do any time. I'd go to a GP at Wembley and I'd have a day out in London. But Wembley the area is pretty rubbish, went for the football and few years ago and it just felt a bit "bleugh", the stadium was impressive though.

 

Well to be honest we are sick and fed up of Cardiff hotels hiking up costs...this year by some 60% in some cases...The Marriott want £265 a night....with a 2 night minimum..... at least Dick Turpin had a mask !!

 

So this year we are trying a fabulous 4 star (real real quality) Hotel Bristol in Bristol right on the harbour with all its bars, restuarants etc...and a huge NCP car park next door.

 

Then we coach people in to Cardiff centre at 2.00pm...add the Somerset meeting on friday...2 nights hotel....all for £179 which is heaps less than 1 night at Cardiff (which you can't get !!)

 

Maybe it will work..but I personally am fed up to my **se begging for rooms and IMO being overcharged...one day they (Cardiff hotels) will realise Speedway people are not prepared to pay Rugby match rates.

The fact the hotels fill up suggests they have got their pricing right.

[Trees 2,814]

WE did years ago. The SCB caved in when the FA threatened to pull some internationals from Wembley. It was a no-brainer really ... a World Final every few years (and the gap between them was getting bigger) against the FA's internationals and Cup Final.

Why not put it all in the Star again, young people would be interested in what happened ..... for the winter perhaps

[spiegal 294]

Bristol is an amazing city...once had a very good speedway team in a pretty fair stadium. maybe will again one day, who knows.

 

However, staying in Bristol and coaching it to Cardiff sounds a good idea, but not as good as staying in Romford and getting the c2C to Stratford

One is reality the other a pipedream sadly

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

Having a World Final there each year would presumably have annoyed the FA even more. I suspect the real reasons are somewhat different to the explanation of not wanting the pitch messed up.

OF course but a regular speedway event rather than one every four or even five years would have had more appeal to the Wembley owners.

 

Suspect what you like but that was the official complaint by the FA at the time.