Birmingham Speedway

[ONTWOMINUTES]

5 minutes ago, GiveusaB said:

Tolley is fine....he's just clueless but has money to burn....Rogers is the problem...clueless and doesn't put any money in...but he will expect you to stroke his over inflated ego and compliment him on all his hard work behind the scenes, whilst he plays Roy of the Rovers with the NDL set-up!

Summed up very nicely and the downfall of the brummie dream.  Rogers has done nothing for Speedway other than don a foreign team manager hat at and given opportunity,  obviously they were scraping the barrel. 

[*JJ]

2 hours ago, GiveusaB said:

Tolley is fine....he's just clueless but has money to burn....Rogers is the problem...clueless and doesn't put any money in...but he will expect you to stroke his over inflated ego and compliment him on all his hard work behind the scenes, whilst he plays Roy of the Rovers with the NDL set-up!

Nonsense.

[martinmauger]

Shame Bimingham have closed at Perry Barr & I feel for Brummies fans who had their last 'farewell' Monday nite, but it could be worse.  At Hull we had no such 'farewell' as the track(s) closed without any warning - twice. At the Boulevard there were rumours the speedway promoters weren't on the greatest terms with landlords Hull FC (who were on the up at that time) but there was no indication that speedway would end at the venue.  Fans only discovered this news in the Hull Daily Mail - on the Thursday nite after the final meeting in October 1981. 

Similar at Craven Park, though there probably were clues, again the rugby landlords, this time Hull KR, were on the up, wanted to increase he size of the pitch with talk of enlarging the speedway track to Workington, Derwent Park size.  Sadly again, the speedway club closed & were evicted with no warning with 2 home fixtures outstanding, the previous treble-winning season of 2004 with a huge wage bill due to slamming teams home & away all season impacted hugely. This time finances were the main factor, as coincedentally occured at Workington in later years.  In fact I shared a few conversations with Comets team manager Tony Jackson about speedway requiring a 'wage cap' of some kind, but there would be the situation of telling your no.1 who maybe scored a full maximum, he is needed once again in heat 15, or perhaps again in a 'super heat'.

Anyhoo, hopefully speedway could return to Hull (came very, very close on a couple of occasions in recent years I'm not allowed to discuss), in Exeter, Newcastle, Wolves, etc & now Birmingham.  The sport in the UK can't affod to lose any more tracks: in 1981 there were 2 divisions each of 18-ish teams, so 36 in total.  In 2025 there are approx 16 in the entire country, not including the non-league venues such as Duns & Lydd.  I still watch speedway on TV & live at Scunny when I can make it, but it isn't the same as having a team of your own, and as the song goes "you don't know wat you've got, til it's gone".  Sigh.

Still, things aren't all 'doom & gloom' as proved by Scunny, Redcar, Leicester & now Workington tracks can & do return, interestingly in more rural than urban settings.....

Edited August 27, 2025 by martinmauger
hopefully making more sense. hopefully.

[ONTWOMINUTES]

7 hours ago, *JJ said:

Nonsense.

What's nonsense? Both parts of the post make total sense to everyone but you .

[MattB]

On 8/26/2025 at 5:01 PM, The H Man said:

Just to clarify about people being turned away last night, the stadium has a capacity that is set by the local authority and has to be adhered to by the stadium manager and the appointed safety officer.   

The club widely advertised advanced tickets which were available at 4 previous Brum meetings and online via Try Bookings and almost 600 were purchased ahead of last night.   Everyone with a pre-paid ticket was accommodated AFAIK.  

Unfortunately, at just before 7.25 pm the legislated stadium capacity was reached.     So the perimeter gates were closed, no one in the entry queue at that time was denied access to the stadium and the decision at all times was that of the safety officer and stadium manager, who have to ensure they legally follow protocol.    

I understand a small number of fans couldn't gain access to the stadium grounds and that of course is disappointing for them and I understand their frustrations/anger, but unfortunately the club couldn't overrule the decision.   The promotion have got many things wrong over the 4 years with which I have been involved with the club and I can't disagree with most of what has been said on this forum, but in this instance it was out of the club's control.   

It was a fantastic turn out to say goodbye to Perry Barr.   

 

 

 

Have to say having worked in the hospitality area at Perry Barr in the lalst two years that the attitude of certain senior members of the stadium staff on Monday left a rather bad taste in the mouth.  One or two of them made it pretty clear that they held Birmingham Speedway and it's staff and supporters with contempt

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

23 minutes ago, MattB said:

Have to say having worked in the hospitality area at Perry Barr in the lalst two years that the attitude of certain senior members of the stadium staff on Monday left a rather bad taste in the mouth.  One or two of them made it pretty clear that they held Birmingham Speedway and it's staff and supporters with contempt

Doesn’t suprise me, my mum used to work at monmore green and she told me one of the stadium managers hated speedway and it’s fans and would tell anyone who would listen to him but he left years before the speedway was kicked out, having read a lot of comments about greyhounds lately it sounds like their fans don’t care for our sport at all 

Edited August 27, 2025 by THE DEAN MACHINE

[OGT]

6 hours ago, martinmauger said:

Shame Bimingham have closed at Perry Barr & I feel for Brummies fans who had their last 'farewell' Monday nite, but it could be worse.  At Hull we had no such 'farewell' as the track(s) closed without any warning - twice. At the Boulevard there were rumours the speedway promoters weren't on the greatest terms with landlords Hull FC (who were on the up at that time) but there was no indication that speedway would end at the venue.  Fans only discovered this news in the Hull Daily Mail - on the Thursday nite after the final meeting in October 1981. 

Similar at Craven Park, though there probably were clues, again the rugby landlords, this time Hull KR, were on the up, wanted to increase he size of the pitch with talk of enlarging the speedway track to Workington, Derwent Park size.  Sadly again, the speedway club closed & were evicted with no warning with 2 home fixtures outstanding, the previous treble-winning season of 2004 with a huge wage bill due to slamming teams home & away all season impacted hugely. This time finances were the main factor, as coincedentally occured at Workington in later years.  In fact I shared a few conversations with Comets team manager Tony Jackson about speedway requiring a 'wage cap' of some kind, but there would be the situation of telling your no.1 who maybe scored a full maximum, he is needed once again in heat 15, or perhaps again in a 'super heat'.

Anyhoo, hopefully speedway could return to Hull (came very, very close on a couple of occasions in recent years I'm not allowed to discuss), in Exeter, Newcastle, Wolves, etc & now Birmingham.  The sport in the UK can't affod to lose any more tracks: in 1981 there were 2 divisions each of 18-ish teams, so 36 in total.  In 2025 there are approx 16 in the entire country, not including the non-league venues such as Duns & Lydd.  I still watch speedway on TV & live at Scunny when I can make it, but it isn't the same as having a team of your own, and as the song goes "you don't know wat you've got, til it's gone".  Sigh.

Still, things aren't all 'doom & gloom' as proved by Scunny, Redcar, Leicester & now Workington tracks can & do return, interestingly in more rural than urban settings.....

I think there was a fairly similar situation at Birmingham in 1986 at The Wheels. The season ended and then they didn't open in 87, that was it. I can't remember any mention of them not coming back, though the sands of time may have clouded my memory somewhat. 

[YeOldPitGate]

36 minutes ago, OGT said:

I think there was a fairly similar situation at Birmingham in 1986 at The Wheels. The season ended and then they didn't open in 87, that was it. I can't remember any mention of them not coming back, though the sands of time may have clouded my memory somewhat. 

I vaguely remember that from memory some wealthy race horse owner had taken over the Brummies and was trying to turn things round but the Wheels complex at the time was pretty basic and although he invested a lot of money (sounds familiar) the crowds just wouldn't come. Corbett or something similar was his surname as I say like many promoters he was very successful away from the shale.

[OGT]

4 minutes ago, YeOldPitGate said:

I vaguely remember that from memory some wealthy race horse owner had taken over the Brummies and was trying to turn things round but the Wheels complex at the time was pretty basic and although he invested a lot of money (sounds familiar) the crowds just wouldn't come. Corbett or something similar was his surname as I say like many promoters he was very successful away from the shale.

I always thought that Tom Evitts and Les Powell just gave up as they'd had enough of the stock cars leaving the track in a state. 

That name does ring a bell though.

[bluejam]

42 minutes ago, YeOldPitGate said:

I vaguely remember that from memory some wealthy race horse owner had taken over the Brummies and was trying to turn things round but the Wheels complex at the time was pretty basic and although he invested a lot of money (sounds familiar) the crowds just wouldn't come. Corbett or something similar was his surname as I say like many promoters he was very successful away from the shale.

 

36 minutes ago, OGT said:

I always thought that Tom Evitts and Les Powell just gave up as they'd had enough of the stock cars leaving the track in a state. 

That name does ring a bell though.

I was a regular watching Brum at the Wheels Project(Tom Evitts and Les Powell were definately promoting👍) and I can only remember Joe Owens'(how good was he?) tragic accident for Ellesmere Port Gunners in 1985.I don't remember much else tbh with my fading memory.Most folk who went then hated the place,but I quite liked it as it was in the shadows of St Andrews football ground.🤭

Edited August 27, 2025 by bluejam

[MattB]

1 hour ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Doesn’t suprise me, my mum used to work at monmore green and she told me one of the stadium managers hated speedway and it’s fans and would tell anyone who would listen to him but he left years before the speedway was kicked out, having read a lot of comments about greyhounds lately it sounds like their fans don’t care for our sport at all 

Not just that tbh.  The fact that they left the inside of the grandstand in a diabolical state.  All of the taste ripped out, the bar stock moved out, rubbish all over the floor, ceiling tiles ripped out. We had a lot of people up with us on Monday and it was almost embarrassing that they were given hospitality in such poor conditions.  I was wary of putting anything down anywhere in case the removal men took it!

[MattB]

1 hour ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Doesn’t suprise me, my mum used to work at monmore green and she told me one of the stadium managers hated speedway and it’s fans and would tell anyone who would listen to him but he left years before the speedway was kicked out, having read a lot of comments about greyhounds lately it sounds like their fans don’t care for our sport at all 

Not just that tbh.  The fact that they left the inside of the grandstand in a diabolical state.  All of the tvs  ripped out, the bar stock moved out, rubbish all over the floor, ceiling tiles ripped out. We had a lot of people up with us on Monday and it was almost embarrassing that they were given hospitality in such poor conditions.  I was wary of putting anything down anywhere in case the removal men took it!

Ive been told since that they were not supposed to remove anything from Perry Barr until after Monday, but it was done out of sheer spite.

Edited August 27, 2025 by MattB

[OGT]

50 minutes ago, bluejam said:

 I quite liked it as it was in the shadows of St Andrews football ground.🤭

That's why I hated it, that and the Greenhall's lager. 😂

[OGT]

2 hours ago, bluejam said:

 

I was a regular watching Brum at the Wheels Project(Tom Evitts and Les Powell were definately promoting👍) and I can only remember Joe Owens'(how good was he?) tragic accident for Ellesmere Port Gunners in 1985.I don't remember much else tbh with my fading memory.Most folk who went then hated the place,but I quite liked it as it was in the shadows of St Andrews football ground.🤭

Seriously, I quite enjoyed the 85 season, the racing was pretty decent, the track was decent too, apart from the dust. We had a good team too. Then Joe had his accident. Poor guy, a career ended right in front of us. Awful. 

86 was different though, I think they'd taken the bends in to try and limit the stock car damage, but it didn't really help.

As far as the team was concerned, it seemed like every rider was named Ian Stead. 😏

[*JJ]

16 hours ago, ONTWOMINUTES said:

What's nonsense? Both parts of the post make total sense to everyone but you .

Everything that "Giveusab" says is nonsense.

[heathen52]

21 hours ago, YeOldPitGate said:

 Corbett or something similar was his surname as I say like many promoters he was very successful away from the shale.

The only Corbett that had any connection with Speedway was Corbetts bookmakers who used to own Loomer Road, perhaps there was a Corbett involved in the Stockcars.

[YeOldPitGate]

3 minutes ago, heathen52 said:

The only Corbett that had any connection with Speedway was Corbetts bookmakers who used to own Loomer Road, perhaps there was a Corbett involved in the Stockcars.

I've done a google on it and can't find anything on him (although AI says a Corbett was associated with Brum Speedway) but AI is really internet scraping and there was no internet in mid 80's so could explain lack of results.

I was really into Speedway in mid eighties and used to read the Star and Speedway Mail religiously he might have been a co-owner with someone else and I'm sure it was at the wheels complex as he poured a fair bit of money in but after a year to 18 months he saw the writing on the wall and pulled out.

Interested if any Brum fans remember him going back 40 years so I would have been 14/15 at the time tracks same as now were always on the verge of closing but there seemed to be more white knights with a few grand to stave off the issues for 3-4 years before they chucked in the towel and rinse and repeat.

One of those things nagging at me now sure I'm not barking up the wrong tree, equally I could have then name wrong but from reading about Evitts and Powell they were operating on a shoestring where this fella was in the Tolley money to burn camp.

[S4r4h]

36 minutes ago, heathen52 said:

The only Corbett that had any connection with Speedway was Corbetts bookmakers who used to own Loomer Road, perhaps there was a Corbett involved in the Stockcars.

I believe you are all referring to Duncan Corbett. He was fan on the terraces when I was kid. I believe he had a hand in the Wheels project. However, I am not sure it was for long.

Edited August 28, 2025 by S4r4h
.

[YeOldPitGate]

1 hour ago, S4r4h said:

I believe you are all referring to Duncan Corbett. He was fan on the terraces when I was kid. I believe he had a hand in the Wheels project. However, I am not sure it was for long.

I think that was the fella it was defo Wheels complex and from memory he poured in a lot of money to keep things running but after possibly one season as a businessman he saw the writing on the wall and pulled out.

[The H Man]

So after 4 seasons as a Director & Shareholder that's my time with Birmingham Speedway at an end. 

An eventful, at times stressful, at times farcical and at times enjoyable experience!  A huge thanks to the small but loyal Brummie fanbase that put up with season after season of under performing teams, you deserved better!  

Full credit and my upmost respect to Nigel Tolley, he wasn't far short with the figures he quoted in the recent speedway star interview with what he invested in the club (there was also a six figure investment from other shareholders during the period I must add). Nigel is as mad as a (top) hatter, but I really like the guy.  My only criticism of him (and he knows this, I told him enough times) is that he allowed himself to be influenced by others who failed to deliver for the club!   

Seeing the day to day finances and operations of the a Championship and then Premiership club is a real eye opener, so a massive thanks to Financial Director Tracey Smith, who somehow managed to juggle the finances to keep everyone happy (most of the time) a truly lovely lady, she has been the glue in a massively disjointed operation, which would have fallen apart without her.

Some priceless moments over the 4 years on the management zoom meetings / race nights - I could write a book! 

You also learn a lot about riders, some smashing chaps around Paco Castagna (legend) Freddie Lindgren, Tobi M, Leon Flint, Sam Hagon, Jason Edwards, Thompson twins all really good guys! No comment about some mind

Made some great friends, I will miss Guesty, Dave Rowe, Pete & Dan Ballinger, Chris Adams, the guys and girls from the supporters club and fellow shareholders Steven, Jake and Vic. 

Such a shame that Birmingham Speedway is no more, but without Nigel it wouldn't have got into 2023 let alone 2025 and for that alone he deserves the respect of those who knock him!

Give us a B.....!

Cheers Paul