25yearfan

I think your quite correct Rog. But theirs no doubt that a track within walking distance from urban population areas stands a much better chance than a track in the middle of nowhere. King's Lynn you mention, but I know that quite a few KL regulars walk to the stadium from King's Lynn which is only the other side of the Saddlebow roundabout. King's Lynns near neighbouurs Mildenhall I feel suffer from being stuck out in the middle of nowhere. If Mildenhall was right against Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge or even Norwich then crowds would be quite higher I suspect. On the same point I was in Edinburgh the other week and paid a visit to their former home the old but still quite good facility Meadowbank stadium which is right in the City. Now I think that if Edinburgh could get back in at Meadowbank (pleny of room inside athletics track now that no football is played there!) which is in Edinburgh with decent stands rather their present home at Armadale which offers basic facilities 20 miles away from Edinburgh then the Monarchs would get much bigger crowds. Though I'm sure the Monarchs promotion have looked into doing this in the past? With Hull I thought that Craven Park was ideal as it was a very nice place to watch speedway, with only the narrow nature of the track the only down side. But am I right in saying that if the previous promotion would of had the neccessary clout then speedway could of remained at Craven Park because the greyhounds have now gone and the speedway track could have been installed over the old dog track? If you and associates are looking at out of town/City locations then Hulls old track from the late 40's Haldon would be ideal? Yes I think that inner City tracks are going to be nearly extinct in future years. Out of town area maybe the only way for speedway tracks to exist? If Exeter get P/P at the ironicaly called Haldon racecourse then this could lead to othr racecourses looking at installing speedway tracks. Redcar speedway is situated within a designated moto sports park so this is another avenue that could be fruitful for potential new tracks. Hulls near neigbours Scunthorpe have their speedway set up situated in an industrial estate which every town and City has. I think a well run Hull Vikings speedway outfit would be viable. Good luck!

The Southampton outfit of a few years back that ran challenge matches at CL level was run by Dave # Name Removed # who later went onto be part of the Wimbledon promotion and is now team manager of the IoW Islanders. I believe Mr # Name Removed # looked into finding a site in the Southampton area without any joy. I think someone even asked Southampton FC when they were building the St Marys Stadium if speedway could be accommodated. Southampton remains to this day since the closure of Bannister Court in the early 60's an untapped potential hotbed for speedway.

Yes I'd agree that its no an ideal situation but we live in a far from perfect world! Rye House wouldn't be where they are now if it wern't for the efforts of fans who revived the Rockets in 1999 who then rode most of their matches at Mildenhall with a couple at Eastbourne and King's Lynn. - Len Silver probably wouldn't of reopened Hoddesdon to speedway racing but for the efforts of fans in 1999. I'd hazard at a guess and say that the efforts of Steve Harland and associates in running a Middlesbrough Bears outfit at 6 heat 2nd half level helped to maintain a level of interest in Teeside that could of helped Chris Van Stratton and Gareth Rogers to make up their minds and seriously consider reopening a track in the area. Boston nearly managed the same but for the anti speedway atitude of the local council. The very suceessful 'Club Cradley' outfit of a few years back that ran challenge matches at CL level has no doubt at the time helped to keep the Cradley Heathens name alive with some good publicity. Why not call the Newport Mavericks the Cardiff Dragons? - Afterall the team is just run as something of an after thought (Though credit must be given to Newport for running a CL outfit at all). I bet the Mavericks riders struggle to get sponsorship from the Newport area cause any what is there would go to the Wasps team. Calling the team Cardiff would ignite interest in Cardiff and sponsorship and support from the Welsh capital could arise out it. Also I think Cardiff would make a good venue for a League team so the Council could be persuaded to make provisions for a stadium if anyone was about to run a track in Cardiff? - Rather than take away from Newport I think a track in Cardiff would help Newport to become more suceesful.

Couldn't agree more. If a tracks CL or reserve League team was called the name of a nearby defunct track or even a place thats never staged speedway before then it would benefit speedway so much more. This is cause spectators from the places represented by the teams would be enticed to pay entrance money to support them and sponsorship could also come as well. We need more tracks and British speedway would be far more healthy as a result. So in the long term if new tracks were opened due to teams initially running out of other tracks then all the better. I find it so shortsighted and restrictive that 2nd teams share the ame name as the 1st team cause the 1st team get al the benefits while the 2nd team get drips.

A new greyhound stadium is meant to be built near to the site of the old Eldfield Park track cause the Groveway has now been closed and will be developed. I believe this new greyhound stadium will have Council approval for speedway should any promotor wish to reopen the Milton Keynes Knights. While I don't think Milton Keynes speedway would be viable in the top 2 leagues I'm sure that CL racing could be sustainable.

Like a lot of tracks in them days you could stand right against the fence at Romford and almost touch the riders as they went past! Nowadays Romfords fence would of been condemed as solid concrete walls aren't allowed and spectators would of had to stand further away from the fence. Though still to this day tracks in New Zealand and Australia use solid concrete walls that don't move even if cars hit them! Romford were sucessful during their 3 season spell at the now defunct Brooklands stadium. The anti speedway campaign and subsequent closure of Romford was disgusting. I believe that Ipswich Witches legends John 'Tiger' Louis and Tony 'Shrimp' Davey are the joint track record holders, a record that will never be broken! I think Romford Greyhound stadium would be an ideal place to reopen the Romford Bombers speedway team. Though I'm sure obtaining P/P would be difficult I wonder if any promotor has looked into it?

Yes agree totally and utterly! Anyone whos been to grasstrack or 'sandbahns' (we know them as longtracks) in Germany would be amazed at how much better they are than the British at running and supporting events. In Germany people support sports events and turn them into festivals that bring thousands into attend. Football grounds in Germany are also much bigger and crowds are much larger than most in Britain. Trouble with this country is that we've have so much red tape just to do anything these days as well as got to many NIMBY'S and do gooders who don't see the 'big picture', don't undertand what they are complaining about and don't want anything to happen. - The same people then complain about the British yob culture in towns and Cities and wonder why we lag behind in so many different sports! The ignorance and shotsightedness that is rife in all walks of society in this Country is appalling to say the least. For instance look at the ongoing attempts to reopen Birmingham Brummies speedway team at their spiritual home at Perry Bar stadium that got turned down by the local Council planning committee recently who cited noise nuisance. - For christ sakes the sport ran their years ago when the bikes were much more noisier with no problems, over 90% of Brummie residents polled want the speedway back there as do local Perry Bar residents who were asked and only 14 letters of complaint against hundreds in support were handed into Council offices. Anyone whos been to the area where the stadium is would be absolutely bewildered at the claims that 24-28 2 hour speedway meetings a year speedway would be a noise nuisance when their is 2 main roads either side of the stadium and the motorway hums away in the distance! White City was a wonderful venue that would of been suitable for big speedway meetings but league speedway wasn't viable there. Ironically near neighours Queens Park Rangers FC have complained their 19,000 CAP Loftus Road ground is to small for the club to ever progress in and are looking to move to a new bigger venue. If White City would of still been standing today it could of been converted into at least a 40,000 all seater and QPR would of been provided with their bigger arena. It could of also hosted events in the 2012 Olympic games. Leicesters Blackbird Road was similar to my old 'haunt' Norwichs Firs stadium in that they were atmospheric large stadiums which gave pleasure to many thouands, with big following for the speedwy teams, with fabulous tracks that should of never been allowed to of been demolished. Subsequently both Councils in Norwich and Leicester' poor atitude towards speedway has hampered any revival bids for new speedway set ups in the respective areas. Blackbird Road was sold by the Ochiltrees in order to make a quick buck and with the hope that Lions fans would convert to Coventry. They certainly made a quick buck but when a speedway track goes then a large majority of its support stops going to speedway as well. I know that a Leicester speedway supporters club still hold get togethers in the Leicester area quite regularly, so if anyone knows how to find out about these meetings then post on here to inform others that might be interested in going. I'm also led to believe that moves are afoot to relaunch a speedway set up in the area. I've heard this from a source recently and it has been mentioned in the speedway star recently. I'll believe it when it happens not a moment before but wouldn't it be great to not have to talk about Leicester speedway in this 'years gone by' section, instead talk about the Lions on track progress in one of the League sections! I'm sure a reopened Leicester speedway would pull in good crowds!

I'm sure their would be huge interest if Bristol reopened. I'd say probably a reborn Bristol speedway operation ran well would comfortably get the biggest crowds in British speedway just like they did in the late 70's. Apart from seeing a former 'boom' centre reopen which would be a huge boost for speedway a reopened Bristol Bulldogs speedway set up would put more pressure on the Reading promotion to drop their ridiculous renaming of Reading to the Bulldogs and revert them back to their proper name of the Racers! A multi sports venue featuring speedway, greyhounds and others would do well and would ensure the viability of the venture. I think this thread would get more publicity (EG more people would look at it!) ifit was in the general discussion section rather than this section!

Hope you are correct! Bradford and the splendid Odsal stadium would be welcome aditions to the speedway scene! Unfortunately the old 1985-97 pits area is now underneath executive boxes so an alternative area would have tro be found. But didn't the 1970-75 Odsal era have a different pits area? I think the track could be made almost identical to the 1997 version as the area hasn't been developed. Though that last year in 1997 proved that Bradford would have to be promoted right for the venture to be viable. Bradford won the very 1st EL in 97 with a very strong and expensive side but some of the crowds that year were very poor due to running quite a few Odsal meetings on a Tuesday night. Regular Saturday meetings would be the best bet to get good crowds at Odsal!

Odsal stadium featured heavily on yesterdays (Sat April 2nd) edition of grandstand. As I thought the boxes were only built over the splendid 1985-1997 pits area and not over the old 3rd and 4th bend. In fact you could clearly see where the old track used to be as the area has not been utilised and built on as yet. Only the shale and fence were missing from what would of been the 1997 track set up at Odsal. I know the possiblity of staging PL racing at Odsal was investigated 2 years ago. Just a shame the council gave/sold? the right to the grand old stadium to the Bradford Bulls Rugby team who don't want the sport back, even though they would make money fom speedway and stock cars returning. Bradford Northern and Halifax Dukes are 2 old West Yorkshire teams I'd love to see back in the sport though Halifax through the efforts of a supporters club and prospective promotor Mr Hayes seems the only one likely to.

Which Bradford track record was the person referring to? The last time Bradford staged speedway in 1997. The 1970 - 1975 Odsal era when the track was a different length to the 1980's/90s spell? The Greenfields era of the early 1960's? The original Odsal of the late 40's/1950's. I believe that executive boxes were built over the old pits which must of been the best pits area in the world! Aparently the boxes were built so the oval contours of the stadium were kept intact so the area where the track was situated hasn't been built on. Therefore it would be possible for a speedway track to go back in there but the Bradford Bulls Rugby club who now own the stadium are not keen on the idea. I haven't been to the stadium since speedways demise there and wouldn't really want to unless the great sport returns to one of its great homes so could anyone confirm what I just said?

Thats great news for the 'fight' to restore one of speedway famous names the Birmingham Brummies back at one of is spiritual homes Perry Bar stadium! Joe Thurley reopened and ran the Brummies at the old Ladbrokes greyhound arena across the road from the present venue from 1971 till the late 70's when I think he sold the promotion to Dan MCcormick I believe. Speedway crowds at Perry Bar Birmingham in this period were huge some of the best in the Country. The popular with locals Brummies team eventually went 1st division in 1976 after winning divsion 2 two years running. The locals were in overwhelming support of the speedway with no noise issues being raised. All this in a time when speedway bikes were much noisier than present day versions with their 'snazzy' silencers! I trust Mr Thurley will bring up these points when stating how good it would be for speedway to return to Birmingham. THIS SHOULD BE IN THE GENERAL DISCUSSIONS SECTION AS IT WILL BE VIEWED MORE AND IT IS A PRESNT DAY ISSUE!

Find a way of totally eliminating any noise leaving the stadium area was what I meant to say. Ipswich Witches top two heatleaders in 1971 John 'tiger' Louis and Tony 'shrimp' Davey are the now will be forever track record holders of Romfords now defunct and built over Brooklands Stadium circuit!

Yeah a long shot I'd agree but never say never. Though living near the busy Norwich - Liverpool St trainline would surely provide much more of a nuisance than 25, 2 hour speedway meetings a year? I think speedway authorities need to research and find methods/structures/barriers of noise prevention. If a way of totally eliminating noise leving the stadium then a whole load of stadiums would become possibilities to speedway. I think Romford Bombers racing at the dog track would be well supported!

Yeah all these noise issues about speedway really winds me up! Can't see where one 2 hour speedway meeting a week 25 times a year during March to October is really a problem for anyone. I live near a reasonably well attended football club. Yes in my garden I can hear the crowd, PA and see the floodlights, but it isn't a problem. Inside my house I can't hear anything! Now I'm sure my nearest football club stages more football events than any speedwaay track would in a year. What with first team, reserve team, youth team, County cup finals, county games etc! I think that Walthamstow could still be made into a good EL venue. Walthamstow Hawks would be a good name what with the link with the nearby old Hackney outfit. Does anyone know about the rumours about Walthamstow stadium being sold of for redevelopment!

Yes I remember looking at the Romford Bombers website a while back. I remember the circumstances behind their 1971 closure. - One moron who complained enough they shut down the Brooklands stadium speedway and aparently he moved soon after! Tragic when crowds were huge. I've been past the what looks like very smart Romford greyhound stadium many times on the Norwich-London Liverpool St line. I've always wondered if anyones tryed to revive the Bombers team there. Surely being within a stones throw of the busy London - Norwich train line 2.5 hours of speedway once a week wouldn't cause to much of a kerfuffle? Romford Bombers could still be a successfull speedway outfit here!

All the talk over the last year or so is of the grand old stadiumn being sold of to developers by the family that owns it. The old speedway track though tarmaced over with a big podium like brick structure built on it on the home straight still reains to this day nearly 55 years since speedway was last staged there. - I'd imagine it wouldn't be a massive job to reinstate a speedway circuit. I think it would be a good speedway venue (Terry Russell EL exercise though I'm sure he must of lookd at it) but it would be a big gamble for a wealthy person to 'bite the bullet'. And of course how long is it actually going to remain as a stadium?

'Shazzybird' Your atitude towards Iwade is what I was touching on in my earlier post. You sound like you were quite a regular Canterbury supporter so I feel your atitude symtomises how most Kentish speedway fans feel about Iwade - Great training facility yes but bona fide league venue for Kent - No! I do feel if an authentic stadium was built or found that could stage PL or EL level speedway then many dormant and new Kentish supporters would come out of the woodwork and the venue would get sustainable crowds. - I bet your not the only ex Canterbury fan who gos to Eastbourne 'Shazztbird'. - This leads me again to Central Park Sittingbourne. - Great facilities, easy to get to of motorways, sufficient room for track aparently designed with speedway in mind I've been told - This venue would be ideal for a 'Sittingbourne Kent Crusaders' speedway team. - Has anyone looked into trying again at this excellent venue again cause it has ernormous potential for speedway.

Would of been interesting to see how long Canterbury speedway would have lasted if they had managed to open up for the 1988 season. How many more seasons could they of got through? - Shame casuse the stadium was still there until the late 1990's I believe and is just now a piece of waistland Sittingbourne dog track would of been ideal but Terry Rusells half hearted planning application ruined chances there. - Maybe if it could be done better and researched more thoroughly (Tony Mole style) then I feel this is Kents best hope of a bona fide League set up. No disrespect to the merry bunch down at Iwade Messrs Ribbons and Arnold but I don't think the current Kentish CL venue will ever get fully established as a League set up cause of the poor facilities and training track reputation. Though Iwade does a marvellous job as a training facility and non league/amateur venue and may it long continue to do so! I did hear recently that Canterbury Council are still looking for a suitable site where they could put a multi sports stadium possibly speedway included if persons were interested in running the speedway? Can you indulge us anymore 'Shazzytbird'?

This is certainly a more ethical tactical move. Although the double points ruling does seem a bit micky mouse in practise it has kept more than a few matchs interesting.

If you did manage to bring Bristol Bulldogs speedway back into League action then I think you would have to have a better atitude towards Bristol City. This is cause they are a well supported sporting club in Britol so it would maybe wise to try and make links and keep good relations with them and any other such organisation! Good luck with your plans, hope this weeks site visit is a productive and going forward one!

Yes I did and thanks! Is their any greyhound tracks in the Bristol area these days? Speedway has much to thank greyhound racing for! I see that Bristol City got thrashed 7-1 yesterday away at Swansea! The City of Bristols sporting fraternity needs cheering up: Bring back the Bulldogs speedway team!

On the subject of that great benefactor of speedway - Tony Mole. Although he obviously loves his speedway and has chucked a lot of money at it over the years, he normally only gets involved if their is a buck or 2 to be made. This is why he sees the proposed return of the Birmingham Brummies to their spirtual home at Perry Bar as a potential goldmine. - And I'd agree, as I feel it has the potential to make the same impact as Workington did when Mr Mole resurrected them in 1999. My point is: With the huge potential that a reborn Bristol speedway team has, I'm sure Tony Mole would be interested in getting the Bulldogs running again? He has got the financial clout ansd experience to make things hapen! I'd agree with you Mr Bulldog, I would get great satisfaction from seeing the Brummies and Bulldogs racing each other, 2 currently defunct large clubs from the past!

Hi Mr Bulldog! You didn't answer my questions but ah well you aren't the first and I suspect the last! Sounds interesting your current search for a site to house Bristol Bulldogs speedway on! Hope your searching and working bears fruition and we see Bristol Bulldogs back in the British League at their own track! But like anything in life I'll believe it when it happens not a moment sooner!

Also what about any moto parks, you know those places designed for motorsports. Or what about areas designated for noisy/nuisance sports? Speedway needs Bristol needs speedway! If other places can come back after long periods away from the sport then Bristol Bulldogs can!