singy13

They were both sponsored by 'Happy Faces'...............they both ended up - 'all shook up'.......they both ended up in - 'Heartbreak Hotel'...they both were let down by George Best........ oh I give up geoff....?

It doesn't seem that long that Brian Havelock was pressing some alarm bells at that place though......

So it requires a very quick fix then......hopefully THJ picks the correct lottery numbers asap. I see you were originally from Barra Marra.....did you attend Barrow speedway at Holker St in the early 70's....happy days v Comets.

It's sad news for sure when a promoter decides to walk away, I've suffered it twice with my team. But I've highlighted your opening sentence THJ because is it really gonna be the final nail after 92 years?...(I hope not.. ). The facts are those 92 years were not actually 100% active for Newcastle Speedway...there has been at least 4 periods of non speedway action at Brough Park.. when other promoters packed in..With therefore something like 20 seasons of no speedway racing for Newcastle's fans during your long history...92 years yes - but 72 years of racing realistically. Ok speedway is perhaps in a worse position nationally regarding fan bases today than when Diamonds were halted in the past....but the phoenix culture is nothing new at Brough and so why not be something on the future horizons again ?.... Hopefully, yet again, you geordie fans can rally round and keep the party going for many more years...practice makes perfect.

Yep in1973 we travelled to Wimbledon to cheer on Lou Sansom in the Div Two Riders Championship a major event..he finished third after 3 man race-off...It was a very impressive stadium, for example to have your own worktop type seating, handy to lay drink and programme on it....Although being behind glass made for a quiet atmosphere. Didn't stop us returning next year to shout for Mitch Graham who was a top star in Div 2 but failed to re-produce his form that night, he fell and was injured in his second ride...oh well it was still worth watching lol. We did, one of those years, move on to Crayford (having stayed at Sittingbourne)....we arrived quite early to be greeted by a Crayford riders mechanic...he asked where we were from. 'Workington' we added - to which he said "ahh yes the stadium that is always empty of fans". Such cheek the fact was crowds were in decline but Derwent Park grandstand held 1100, still does, and was always heavily populated - the stand wasn't very visible from the pits which is probably why the Crayford guy formed his opinion? 1100 nowadays would be deemed excellent... and anyhow I wished I could have met him later that night because there was hardly anyone supporting Crayford...who then folded later that year.....so up his wotsit to that. Thanks for inspiring some of my Comets memories...so many more to recall but don't want to be soooooo boring.

Very sad to hear of Taffy passing away. He signed for the Comets during the first Ian Thomas ( with Geoff Brownhutt) regime in 1970. The season was almost over when Taffy signed from Rochdale in September of that year. The fans took to him straight away..it was noticeable how immaculate his bikes were. Sincere condolences to the family, RIP Taffy Owen.....top Comet.

We can always live in hope of a Comets return..but...your mention of Iwade brought back some nice memories....My late wife had an Auntie residing in Sittingbourne, so after the Comets had finished on a Friday night we would speed off to stay with her (not too fast in an Austin1300 _ but it was ok) this was to take in the Comets weekenders v Canterbury and then on to Eastbourne. On our first such trip we called in at Iwade on the Saturday afternoon (after a nice kip on Aunties sofa lol)...correct me if I'm wrong, it was 50 years ago, but I think it was grass track racing? Very entertaining whatever. The Comets put up good performances too..it was a long trek back to Cumbria on Sunday evening though.

It's a bad prognosis for Speedway then...as that's something like 3,000 @ £20 each (? just a guess for entry but will be near enough) = £60, 000 gate receipts...very nice income indeed. Outgoings? .I've no idea what stock car drivers earn........has anyone? But let's say at each meeting there are about 20/30 cars partaking?......say they take £1000 each that still leaves a good profit......speedway can't compete financially with the 'stocks' and promoters know it.......so sadly...bye speedway.

Backed Ian and Comets.. .Was a Brummie promoter until they were losing money.......sounds familiar for Perry Barr that.

whoops..and Tony Mole.

I know who runs the Workington Town business........yes Comets funding did help big style when Ian Thomas brought it back in 1999.

Good luck today for the Diamonds, I've enjoyed some great visits to Brough with the Comets over many years. Good racing and friendly home fans always helped. I hope the grim reaper can be kept at bay long term. I enjoy reading these posts as my sole speedway fix. And THJ is pure gold ( in many eyes ha ha) and full of facts/figures. I've picked up on another of his mentions of the 'Comets'. And sadly he is right regarding the strained relationship at Derwent Park between Rugby League officials and Speedway management. I have felt the bitter wind of non-compliance so often. I worked for the Rugby club (voluntary) in two quite important roles. This brought me close to the Rugby directors who in the main saw speedway as an irritant, and not worth bothering with. I also stood (still do) with worky Town RL fans, mainly Maryport lads, THJ may know some lol? And these guys literally hated the Comets. Making claims that they (the speeding bikes) made DP look a right mess, shale everywhere including pitch. Those with longest memories still recalled how Messrs Thomas and Brownhutt covered many rows of terracing utilising the first and second bends, not popular with RL folk. Some steps are now uncovered. I would invariably defend speedway functioning by reminding the Town directors/fans that speedway crowds brought the RL club funds via rent and bar profits, but still found it hard work to convince them of that fact. Another dig at speedway would be the 'guest system'........I couldn't properly defend that....always a bugbear of mine too. I love both sports and wish both were available on my doorstep........you lucky Diamonds fans also have an RL team nearby too, support the Thunder. Who sang Big Yellow Taxi ? can't be a*sed to look.. but the chorus says - 'you don't know what you've got, 'til it's gone'................hear, hear!!!!!! (not here, here)

Great committment, as ever, from the excellent THJ...but 'Fromafar' has hit the nail on the head this time. The people on this forum are usually genuine speedway fans...and if they have a team, locally, to support they'll do so, certainly in most circumstances. It hurts like hell to lose your team, the Comets were my passion for many years and boy do I miss them. I was interested in THJ's maths re population catchment available. Newcastle being able to contact 300,000 folk......wow that pales into insignificance the 25,000 folk residing in Workington doesn't it? Even nearby jameaters Whitehaven only add 24,000.....small wonder Laura had the inability to persuade a profit making audience to rally round when the rot set in. I'm afraid speedway is losing(lost) it's appeal to 50/50 committed folk....so many riders being team mates, then another night enemies, it's just so farcical. Second now in my view to WWE crap. I do sincerely hope the Diamonds carry on....but when the significant warning signs are sounded it does just remind of the 2018 season and a fond goodbye to the Derwent Park heroes. Sorry geordie guys, good luck.

The two pics show what is left of the Comets track nowadays...i.e. The concrete base that Ian Thomas and Jeff Brownhutt put in before adding shale, the grooves are from the scraping machines blade ....their is no shale there at DP now at all apparently all taken and dumped at Northside awaiting next track development???

I've added a couple of pics to opening post re Derwent Park....hope you can see them tho..ha

I'll try again............................................oh stuff it.............never had a problem couple of years ago.

I took some pics yesterday of the current state of the ex speedway track at Workington. That is minus the shale but still lots of concrete around the four bends ...

Just noticed on the Belle Vue site that Dan Bewley is from 'Maryland'......so it says on there marras...I think the owner of this site is perhaps from Fairyland?....

Good luck with that venture Marra...I live in this 'jamland' and have not seen a Speedway Star in WHS for a long long while....shops in nearby Worky still have it though.....

Thing is marra...............that's not a simple solution because ...I'm sure folk actually do need to read it before then judging quality?...........just saying......

That's shocked me geoff.......I've been a 'Townie' for a great many years, and always will be....yes it was awful to see the speedway track "ripped up", but I think even if it was still intact the Comets wouldn't be flying round it..............money, or rather the lack of it would have saw to that bitter end.

You are half correct Geoff....we did meet Eagles in the K.O.Cup final in October 1975.......but Comets won the 1st leg on the Friday night at DP by 47-31......then down to Eastbourne for the second leg two days later, Sunday afternoon...and got well beaten by 52-25......the Comets riders just didn't like the small tricky Eastbourne circuit....I attended both these matches..and despite the defeat it was a good weekend out.

Remember doing a southern camping tour in 1971 (from Cumbria) and stopped in Hailsham for pub Sunday lunch, lovely grub, then on to Arlington for speedway, where we pitched tent right next to car park. Along with many other holiday makers...I can still vividly hear Dave Lanning winding up the visiting Peterborough fans - asking 'where have all the Panthers fans gone'?..adding' last year you brought 40 coach loads of fans to this fixture...today just a couple, why'?..I recall it was really good entertainment for us happy campers.

So It is good then that you have such folk interested in keeping speedway alive and kicking over on the East coast.(I've seen pics on Facebook) However despite your nice closing comments THJ I just can't see us over here in the West ever again having the need for such similar input. You say you had a peek at Northside....well apart from it being a laal track, of the right shape, nothing else inspires my hopes of a Comets revival right there....it's too small and spartan. Anyway good luck to the Diamonds from 2021 onwards......I've enjoyed very many visits to Brough to support Comets and always found the fans friendly....

Wish they(NSSG) would hurry up with the answers for you THJ.......it's good stuff this forum........................mind nowt like being at Derwent Park tho...oh hummmmm.