MajorMauger

Having EL teams running one team in an EL then a weakened one in another League set up against lower Division tracks is similar to what was tryed in the 2003 British League cup which didn't work cause fans of EL tracks stayed away when their team was weakened! The 3 tier League set up should remain but should instead be formulated like - A new top flight called the PL featuring the current 9 EL tracks and 7 teams out of the PL. The level of this new top flight would be inbeween the current EL and PL. A minimum of 3 Brits per team. A new 2nd tier called the NL featuring the reminaing 7 PL tracks + the 4 stronger stand alone tracks out of the current NL + any new tracks reopening. The level of this League would be inbeween the current PL and NL. Any new tracks coming the Leagues wishing to stage senior League racing would have to start in this League and could not jump straight into the top flight. A minimum of 4 Brits per team. A new 3rd tier called the CL featuring stand alones like Buxton and Sittingbourne that are run at shoestring level and any reserve teams of senior tracks. The level of this League would be below the current ultra strong 3rd tier which would give more Brits a chance and their are many riders about who are capable but can't get into the current NL which is full of doubling up PL rider and others who should be in the PL. Much of what Vince says in his post is right

Norfolkman Geof Pymar is the only man who rode on Grass, cinders and shale at the great Firs stadium, Norwich. He started in 1930 and retired in around 1962 although he did retire for a spell in the late 50's when he co - promoted at Exeter! Another long serving rider with strong Norfolk connections Wal Morton also rode for a similar period alas also which some breaks! Ivan Mauger rode his 1st competitive meeting in New Zealand in 1955 and had his last competitive meeting in early 1986 although since then I believe he has infrequently had practises on various tracks up to present. I know one of the famous Perrys (can't recall which one!) rode grasstrack for 40 unbroken years!

Rob Henry rode in the British League a few times for Leicester and I seem to remember Reading!

Nathan Simpson rode for Eastbourne as well as Wimbledon and Dennis Mallet rode for Milton Keynes and King's Lynn as well as Boston!

Tiddler Turner rode a few meeting for Boston (which was really an extension of the King's Lynn promotional umbrella at the time!) in his last season!

The great Tony 'Shrimp' Davey only rode for Ipswich 1970-1980.

Great big massive iconic stadium that like others should of been preserved and turned into a multi purpose venue featuring speedway of course!

Just to correct you Parsoles - Speedway open meetings were ran at White City for the last time in 1983! White City stadiums demise has always 'riled' me no end but even more so nowadays particularly when near neighbours QPR FC are owned by wealthy owners who could of turned White City into their new home and other sports like speedway could of been retained for open meetings! The government has got to learn that once iconic venues are demolished their gone for good and our heritage has to be retained! Hertha Berlins ground in Germany was built for the 1936 Olympics yet it has been kept and looks awesome now they spent money on keeping it in good nick. Then again sad to say but Euro Countries like Germany seem to do things better than what Britain does! White City Stadium should of had a preservation order put on it and could of had investment piut into it to keep it in good nick and many sports could benefited!

My memories of White City are - Tremendous iconic stadium that should never of been demolished! Great big speedway track! Poorly supported team!

Why would the football club be against speedway returning to Norwich in this day and age? Afterall speedway is no threat to football. I know its long been said that the football clubs influences within the Council helped to ensure speedway didn't return after the Firs got sold but that was 40+ years ago and I don't think speedway returning to Norwich would see supporters deserting the Canaries in their droves. But relegation to League 1 could very well!

Happy days! I want them back!

A shame that a young guy with talent isn't involved now! I think a lot of the problem was that Shane 2nd halfed 4-5 times a week at different venues, often rode to fast for his experience and ability and had an overinflated opinion of how good he was. All this led to an early burn out and disapointment when he couldn't achieve what he thought he was going to do!

Even bigger shame that the car auction site that replaced Hyde Rd is now derelict! Any chance of a new stadium with a replica to the old track built there?

Paul Mitchel rode briefly in the early nineties for the Eagles, and rode quite a few meetings for their junior team in the old junior leagues! I stand to be corrected but wasn't he the guy who was paralysised after a road motorbike crash?

Look on the Bradford speedway website and they have the actual racejacket design on it!

This winter the BSPA had the opportunity to do a similar thing! The top flight of Britsh speedway has to be made the mostattractive League to be in! The EL is on its knees mainly because of the low number of team 9! What should of happened was that 6 teams from the PL should of joined the 9 to make a 15 team EL. Any PL riders with an average 7 or over would of gone up as well. Only 1 2008 EL riders with an average 8 or over would be allowed in any 1 team! 1 GP rider per team! The The remaining 8 PL teams would of been joined by the IOW, Mildenhall, Plymouth and Weymouth making a 12 team set up. Any new team wishing to join one of the 2 top Leagues in the future would have to join the PL 1st! Only 1 2008 rider with an average 7 or over would be allowed per team. Prmotion between the EL and the PL could involve a play off situation involving the bottom 2 EL teams and the top 2 PL teams

The Shawcross report revolutionised speedway and was certainly more productive than the Beechings report which was also conducted around the same time!

Belle Vue normally get just over 1000 to watch them on a Monday night. I'm sure they'd get a lot more on a Saturday!

Sad day when the old Hyde rd track was demolished and I find it sad that the car acution site that replaced it is now not being used! Be great if speedway could return and Belle Vue could return to Saturday night racing which I think even in this day and age would nearly double the crowds BV get at Kirky Lane on a Monday night!

The stadium at Mildenhall is owned by the stock promotrs not the speedway!

I agree also that more should of been done to ensure places like the Shay. Hyde Road and most definately the Firs wern't lost! Although Hyde Road was a great venue, Kirkmulshulme Lane is also a good racing track even though its totally different to Hyde Road. Better than having no track! I'm sure if Halifax ever resuface like hopefully old favourites Exeter and Leicester are trying to do eventually then the new venues will not have the same atmospheres but it'll still be great to see these names back in the sport!

I think the wooden stand theory is a cop out for Belle Vue. Halifaxs old wooden stand existed for a fair few years after speedway left and Ipswichs main stand thats still used today is indeed wooden. King's Lynn only got rid of their wooden stand next to the pits 3-4 years ago! I think if alterations were made to wooden stands with exits and ensuring that nothing could drop underneath them then they could be allowed in some circumstances! The reason Halifax speedway left the Shay and moved to Odsal was a rental issue. - Halifax football club who owned the Shay at the time asked for a massive ridiculous increase in rent from the speedway after the 1985 season and yet Odsal was rent free so the move was made! Shame because the Shay was a brilliant unique speedway venue and in recent times the football club has fallen upon hard times which may of been avoided if they had ensured speedway stayed at the Shay back in 1985! Halifax apparently averaged 3000 a week at the Shay in 1985 but at Bradford the next season only averaged 1000 according to their great promotor and former rider Eric Boothroyd!

Yes the tragic death of Tommy Jansson led to a decline but many others say that when big Wimbldon heros like Trevor Hedge and Ronnie Moore left the club many fans also stopped going. Also the fact the club was highly successful in the 50s and 60s meant that the struggles in the British League years up until the drop down in to the NL in 1985 was hard to swallow for many fans who drifted away! I'd agree that the consortium NL years of 1987- 1990 saw a big upsurge about the place and it was a pleasure to go Plough Lane in those days. I think if the amalgamation hadn't taken place in 1991 then Wimbledon speedway would of carried on the same but the changes in League set up in 91 which led to the Dons competing in the top flight with a very weak team added to the recession at the time which meant their was no main team sponsor all contrbuted to the tracks death. The GRA had long before lost interest in speedway at Plough Lane by this time so didn't lose any sleep when speedway stopped. Whilst the 4 season spell in the CL was hard work getting going, eventually it started to become a success until the GRA stopped things. This CL spell proved that speedway at Wimbledon could still be a success if it was done properly and was well financed! Hopefully one day we'll see the Dons back at Plough Lane!

Also rode for St Austell in the CL!

Rode for Glasgow in 2003! After that couldn't get a team place and only rode in odd individual meetings like the Telford ice meeting!