hellsgrannie

My first meeting was at the old Hyde Road, Belle Vue v ???? I can't remember much about it as I was only 6 weeks old. Have supported Belle Vue ever since.

Rugby Union and, dare I say it, F1 Stock Cars.

Thanks for reading my post guys. I will definitely visit the new stadium IF I can bully my husband to go with me. I could have quite a job on my hands though, because he won't even watch speedway on TV let alone travel more than an hour to watch it. I don't think any stadium could ever match Hyde Road, I guess I was spoiled!!

My parents took me to Hyde Road at the tender age of 6 weeks in September 1952. They had done a lot of their courting at the speedway and it was a way of life for them. Every Saturday we went off to Belle Vue to take our place in our pre-booked seats, C block M row, seats 14 and 15 (they used to squash me in the middle or I sat on someones knee). My pram used to be parked outside the office and I once had my photo taken with Johnnie Hoskins in his office, the photo was then printed in the programme as I was the Aces youngest supporter. Over the years I saw some fabulous races and all the top riders. My favourite rider was the Wizard of Balance, the great Peter Craven, and the atmosphere when there was a Golden Helmet match race on was electric. The stadium was always full, the noise from the crowd often drowning out the noise of the bikes. As time went by, my parents stopped going to BV but I carried on going with my friends. The highlight of the year was always the BLRC, you had to get there very early to get a decent place, we always headed for the first bend. I must admit though that I did get a bit fed up of Briggo winning it every year! As for meetings that stand out, I saw so many I really can't pick any. The racing wasn't always fantastic, but it was always on a superbly prepared track. I can still see Stan Ford chugging around on his tractor making sure everything was OK. The one meeting I do remember was the famous BV v Leicester which ended in a huge brawl on the pit bend. It wasn't speedway, but it was funny and is still talked about today. I stopped going in 1975 when I got married and moved away. My husband had never been keen on speedway but went because I loved it. I still kept in touch through the Speedway Star but lost all contact when the children came along and life changed. The girls knew I had been interested in speedway and one day the youngest one, Rachel, asked if could we go and watch it. It was 1999, so it was a long time since I had been and of course Hyde Road was long gone. It was a Test Match v Australia and we decided to watch it from the grassy knoll. I don't know what I was expecting, but to put it mildly, I was disappointed. No atmosphere, very little crowd noise and nobody seemed very interested. Even the riders didn't look like they wanted to be there. But Rachel loved it, my other daughter, Sarah, hated it and has never been to a meeting since. Me and Rachel carried on going to Kirky Lane, but it was not speedway as I remembered it. Rachel was really into it though and even went on one of Ron Shaw's trips to a GP in Poland. She met her husband on that trip, he was the coach driver. A couple of years later they took their son Cameron to his first speedway meeting, he was 10 weeks old. We carried on going to the occasional meeting but gradually lost interest a couple of years ago and haven't been to the speedway since. Me and my husband still go to Kirky Lane, but now it's to watch Stock Cars. Sorry if this sounds like my life story, but as you can see, speedway has played a big part in our lives, and it all started at Hyde Road.

I may be biased but it's got to be Hyde Road for me, everything you needed for the perfect night out! Also enjoyed the Shay and Blackbird Road.

Hyde Road was brilliant. I was taken to my first meeting there in September 1952 at the tender age of 6 weeks. My parents were avid fans and I can't remember us missing many meetings in my early years. It had an atmosphere all it's own, I've never come across anything like it anywhere else. The crowds were huge and the stands used to shake when the fans got excited, which was just about every week as the racing was second to none. The BLRC was the meeting of the season and if you hadn't bought your ticket in advance, you had a long wait in the huge queues that formed outside the stadium. No particular meeting stands out for me as they were all good in my book. The new stadium has got a lot to live up to.

I vaguely remember Ron How riding for Wimbledon, he was always my Mum's favourite rider.

Can't help much with any details but I remember I used to fancy him! Lived in Long Eaton I think.

Thanks very much manchesterpaul, you're a hero!

I've been trying to find any reference to Gilson (Gil) Seaton who I believe rode for Hall Green. If anyone can help I'd be very grateful.