brianbuck

With so much uncertainty about the forthcoming season, it would make sense to me for the Championship to be split into Northern and Southern sections (this is assuming Plymouth are accepted). This would give all the clubs a 10 match season and would ensure that the league season is completed, even if the season was delayed from the planned late May start. If things do go rather better than expected, matches against opposition from the other geographical section could then be slotted in (either as part of an official competition or challenge matches, and the season could end with a play-off between the winners of each section to decide the overall champions., but the basic 10 match season would at least ensure that the season is officially completed. The very worst scenario would be if the main league season started and then had to be abandoned because of the lack of dates. All being well, things could then revert to the normal 12 club competition for the 2022 season.

Sent off my objection yesterday. To anyone feeling that they are not very articulate, be aware that there is no need to give a reason for your objection. It is enough to just say "I object to this application and urge your committee to reject it." That's what we advised people to do in respect of the planning application to get Birmingham up and running again in 2007. When the application came up for discussion all that the planning officer stated at the meeting was that x-number of objections and x-number of letters of support had been received. His written report mentioned a few of the reasons for both objections and supports - but only a few. We (Birmingham Supporters' Club) printed several hundred blanks which included just the Planning Application reference number, and asked everyone to just write in their name and address and then write in the space below "I support this application, and ask the Planning Committee to please approve it." We then placed them all in individual envelopes and delivered them to the Planning Office. (If they had all gone into the same envelope then the Planning Officer would have treated them as a petition which only counts as one supporting letter.) That's all that was needed to get it recorded.

Saddened to hear of the passing of Ken Middleditch. He was a fine rider and showed great loyalty to Poole for whom he was the leading scorer for many years. Most of these years were as a Second Division man but when Poole were promoted to Division One in 1956, he soon showed thast he was well capable to matching and beating most of the established First Division men. In addition to being a very good rider, Ken was widely regarded as a gentleman and a sportsman and was highly thought of by those of us who had the pleasure of watching him ride. His death, whilst not unexpected for he was well into his 90's, ends another link with speedway's illustrious past. Rest in the peace of the Lord Ken.

I can supply you with a variety of facts about Graham Warren's career if you can contact me with an E-Mail address.

Birmingham City Council in conjunction with the company redeveloping parts of Perry Barr, launched a competition a few months back, to find names for the six new roads which are being created on the site of the old University. The names, so they said, should reflect the history and current status of Perry Barr! So what have they come up with? - Diversity Grove, Equality Road, Destiny Road, Inspire Avenue, Respect Way and Humanity Close - all fully reflective of the district!!!!! Comments made by the seven judges were: "We were impressed by the creativity and range of names." "The names are a true reflection of both Perry Barr and the City." "The names in the winning entry just stood out." Who were the judges? Waseem Zaffar, Morriam Jan, Zulfigar Khan, Lincoln Moses, Aisha Masood, Anna Evans and Rebecca Farr.

Would think in these circumstances, the speedway operators would run a shuttle service. It's heartening to read that there seems to be a genuine possibility of Oxford being revived, but it's a pity that so many people seem to want to be negative in their comments. I wish the people behind the plans every success and look forward to one day being able to visit Oxford again - my last and only visit being on Good Friday of 1958 - the night that Jack Young made his comeback with Coventry!

Phil - I have tried repeatedly to phone your office to order a 2021 calendar but can only get music playing! Has the number changed?

The people who run Birmingham Speedway (ie David and Peter Mason and Laurence Rogers) are decent, hard working people, and I see no reason at all why they should be expected to "comment" on a situation which does not involve them. They have already made it plain that there is no place at Birmingham for Garrity after what he has done - ()and nor I would hope would there be a place for him at any other speedway club.) Making a public comment on something about which they had no knowledge and had no part in, could only be detrimental to the club they run, so it makes good sense not to do this. Knowing them, their private opinions will be exactly the same as the rest of us, so let's leave it at this.

Can't see how at least a certain amount of juggling with team strengths can be avoided myself. Some overseas riders probably won't return and Brexit is certain to have some effect on rider availability as well. In theory, things should stay as they are, but in practice, this seems unlikely.

A bit strange that a Workington site has been sidetracked a bit to a discussion about Norwich! I agree with 25 year fan that Norwich could easily support a speedway without detriment to King's Lynn,Ipswich or Mildenhall. In my opinion, Norwich is a City crying out for speedway. I visited the old track at the Firs numerous times and was always impressed with the size of the crowds and with the quality of the racing. Not only that, the stadium used to have a fullsized ballroom underneath the main stand, and after meetings would host dances with a full sized orchestra which were always well supported. I was there one Saturday night with ex Norwich rider Sandor Levai who was a very old friend of mine, and was highly amused to watch Ken McKinlay insist on dancing with Mrs Levai. Ken was about 5' 2" and Ilse Levai was 6' 6"" so it was a comical sight! Perhaps, we could lanch a site dedicated to the return of Norwich - if ever a City deserves a Speedway it is Norwich!

Responding to 25 Year Fan's query about Bordesley Green, the venue has recently been taken over lock stock and barrel by a new owner who happens to be the original stock car promoter from when the site opened in 1984 - Phil Bond. Apparently, Mr Bond has made it known that he would be more than interested in staging other motor sports as well as stock cars. The old speedway track has been tarmaced over for the cars for many years, but there is plenty of additional unused room available on the site, so it might be possible at some future date to perhaps put down a training track like Northside. Very much a long shot at the moment I agree - but this is an option that hasn't been available to us in the past, so who knows? I'd certainly second the opinions that several people have made regarding the merits of third division racing. It was Birmingham's salvation in 2015 after the Alan Phillips shambles, and fortunately, Birmingham folk didn't turn their noses up at the entertaining fare on offer -and hopefully, Workington supporters won't either.

That Swindon team of 1957 of Mike Broadbanks, (always think it sounds better with the "s"), Ernie Lessiter, Ken Middleditch, Bob Roger, Neil Street, George White and Ian Williams, didn't always look to be the strongest in the National League but it gelled together admirably and that remarkable record of winning the Second and First Divisions in successive seasons, was thoroughly deserved. I have an unhappy memory of my team (Birmingham) visiting Blunsdon that season and not only being massacred to the tune of 77-19 but being forced to ride the first 10 heats without body colours due to the team manager having them in the boot of his car, and rolling up excessively late. After the meeting, the referee Cecil Telling, submitted a report recommending that Birmingham be thrown out of the league - a report which somehow found it's way on to the back page of the "Daily Express!" What an embarrassing day! Perhaps the only consolation came when the Brummies inflicted the Robins first league defeat of the 1957 season on July 31st - the infamous night when Birmingham DID pull out of the league!

I've always wondered why the people trying to set up a "new" Norwich Speedway at Hevingham in (I think 1967), didn't persevere? I know they fell foul of authority by running a trial meeting without a licence, but although the place was pretty basic, the crowd was quite decent (the meeting WAS staged in December) and the half-built venue did look to have promise. I'm not local to the area, but I do believe that the site is still there and the outline of the track is still visible. Perhaps our Norwich friend can enlighten me? Very best wishes by the way, to the people trying to get Workington up and running again. I hope Workington people will back them regardless of which league the club joins.

They called him the "Black Prince" because of those immaculately polished black leathers. I have always wondered what became of them after he retired. I did ask Jack Hughes who is his brother-in-law and who was the grandfather of former Birmingham rider Ben Taylor, but he couldn't tell me.

Jeff Lloyd was born in Birmingham but to my knowledge never rode for the Brummies. He had two brothers Wally, and John (Jack) though, and both rode for the two Birmingham teams, Hall Green and Perry Barr, in the pre-war days - they were the first pair of brothers to ride in the same Southern League team - beating Jack and Norman Parker (Coventry) by just a week or so.

Sad to read in this thread that so many people seem so delighted to forecast a glut of track closures. I haven't seen any indication that any club is contemplating closure. Will season ticket holders will be refunded or allowed to carry these over to next season? That is perhaps not a decision that can be made instantly since as yet, we do not know how the Leagues will be constituted in 2021. We may have one big league, two divisions of equal numbers - perhaps Coventry and/or Oxford will be back (we can but hope!) Let's just not be so negative.

Christine, My apologies - I have only just picked up your message, but thank you so much for the photograph. I will try and get it enhanced and if I can, I will fix a copy to the wall of the stadium landing next to the plaque and the brief account of his life. I am so grateful for your help with this. Brian

Wonder what became of Swindon's "Esso" shaped track. The track manager there Alf Elliott, had a theory that a speedway track should be the shape of a riders' natural line and in 1958 I believe, he was given his head and allowed to reshape Swindon to this. There were complaints from the riders about the new track being bumpy and difficult to ride, but none that I remember about the shape, but the experiment was quietly forgotten and the track restored to its original shape after a very short time. Just wondering if any Swindon supporters remember this and can throw some more light on it?

The track at Fazeley did linger on until about 1961, as a greyhound circuit which also staged stock car racing. I believe it was looked at as a potential Provincial League track but I think it was already doomed to demolition by then. That's a pity, as Tamworth is a much larger town these days than it was in the 1940/50's.

Unfortunately, we can't relate that to speedway. Running the dogs on Monday and Thursday mornings and Wednesday afternoons will be for closed-television viewing and will be in a closed stadium with no spectators apart from the necessary track staff.

I used to have a huge collection of Speedway magazines dating back to 1932. I got married in 1969 and when I came back from honeymoon my Mother said to me "I've had a good clearout and have thrown all those old papers in your old bedroom away." Thanks Mum!!!!!

Thanks for that info. In the light of the current situation, I'll stick with the printed version for the duration of my present subscription, and switch to the digital version next time round! Many thanks for the prompt response.

I've taken the Speedway Star ever since I first "discovered" speedway in 1953, and have had a subscription for several years now. I renewed this subscription a fortnight ago, but I rather like the sound of the digital version and just wonder whether it is possible to switch to this? Well done to all concerned for producing a consistently interesting and informative magazine.

Panic over - my Speedway Star turned up late but still very readable. Congratulations to the staff for keeping up the standard even though nothing is going on at present.

Very sorry to learn of the passing of Eric Linden. Eric stuck with speedway throughout the bad times of the mid-1950's when he had other irons in the fire and could easily have ditched it and concentrated on these. He had common sense views on speedway and it's problems of the times, and was blunt in his opinions, but he never slated the sport or it's promotors. May he rest in the peace of the Lord.