salty Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 Refer to my earlier post, winners of the Midland Cup 3 times. In the early 70's this was quite a tough cup to win competed for by Coventry, Cradley, Wolves, Oxford and Swindon as well as the Lions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaledodger Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 Honours or no honours, Leicester had one of the best race tracks in the country with lots of passing lines, unlike a certain other Midlands track in the same ownership. It was an act of speedway vandalism of the greatest magnitude when Blackbird Road was sold for housing - and I have only been to Coventry once since, in 2004. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 Quote from Martin Rogers book "In my View" "I don't blame Charles Ochiltree or Midland Sports for cashing in 11.58 acres of inner city development land. But I won't ever forgive them for the manner in which it was done" "We had not a word of warning, not a hint. We had gone through the rigmarole of moving house. The club had bought Mike Lanham and Eric Monaghan, when if we had known the closure was imminent, a loan deal or some temporary signings would have done just as well. I talked to riders about our on-going pland. We were already selling season tickets for 1984 when the news broke" All this bearing in mind that preliminary talks with developers and planning officials had begun 9 months before. No further comment necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 The last two posts sums it up nicely as far as I'm concerned. BTW, in an earlier post I said Leicestershire had had three tracks, but I was wrong, they have in fact had four. Anyone like to have a guess a to where the fourth track was? & no, I'm not referring to the indoor speedway held at Granby Halls in the early 70's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 Racing at Melton Mowbray in 1949. (from Homes of British Speedway) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave67 Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 On a serious note, Charles Ochiltree was a bit of a promoting legend in my eyes, obviously he won't be that popular in Leicester if this is in fact what he did...... What is it they say about sucessful business men & being ruthless? He certainly was sucessful, as I recall during the 70's 80's he was one of the few, if not the only full time speedway promoter around.... And by all accounts he was equally ruthless..... Wonder why he never gave Rogers the chance to own Blackbird Rd? It would also be nice to get the full version of events from both sides as to the events surrounding the sale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 (edited) Charles Ochiltree was a bit of a promoting legend in my eyes, obviously he won't be that popular in Leicester if this is in fact what he did...... Now you know why a lot of ex-Leicester fans wouldn't ever go to Brandon. It wasn't so much the closure of the track but the manner in which it was done, as Martin has said in his book and which he repeated at the recent Leicester reunion. It's no good being bitter though, if you love Speedway you transfer to the nearest track, which in my case was Coventry. It would also be nice to get the full version of events from both sides as to the events surrounding the sale . Don't think we will ever get to know that now Mr O. isn't around any more. I reckon it was because Leicester used to beat Coventry so many times he was getting rid of a rival track. Edited April 11, 2005 by Gemini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave67 Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 Don't think we will ever get to know that now Mr O. isn't around any more. I reckon it was because Leicester used to beat Coventry so many times he was getting rid of a rival track. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Its funny how the years cloud your mind Gem, I seem to recall regular tonkings for the lions at the hands of the mighty Bees' With regard to moving to you nearest track should yours close, a word of caution, Wolves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 No chance of me ever battling through the traffic on the M6 every week. I don't like going to Monmore at the best of times. I can't take the dog with me and everyone is squashed in on the home straight. Not my favourite place unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave67 Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 I've got to say I would struggle, I've been to Sheffield a few times as its only up the road, but its just not the same as supporting the Bees' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whowasthatberntpersson Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 I really enjoyed my visits to Blackbird Road, the atmosphere in the main straight was electric during Leicester v Cradley fixtures, and I enjoyed the racing there. I'll never forget the last heat decider in 1980 when Rolf Grandstad? beat Bruce Penhall, didn't Rolf get badly injured shortly after?. A team of triers in the early eighties too. Personally i'd watch speedway almost anywhere, not sure where I'd go if I had to choose between Wolverhampton and Coventry though.....probably Stoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerblade Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 (edited) I'll never forget the last heat decider in 1980 when Rolf Grandstad? beat Bruce Penhall, didn't Rolf get badly injured shortly after?. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Rolf Gramstad suffered serious spinal injuries in a meeting on the continent, the weekend of the 1981 World Final. Unfortunately for the Lions and him, the Tuesday before this, they were tonked 45 33 at home by us, and believe me, we WERE bad away from home in those days I only ever went to Blackbird Road a couple of times, but can still remember the place quite clearly. Edited April 12, 2005 by Tigerblade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madbiker Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Its funny how the years cloud your mind Gem, I seem to recall regular tonkings for the lions at the hands of the mighty Bees' And vice versa, I too also remember the Mighty Lions thrashing the Bees on many many occasions, Leicester had also got something Cov never had, and still in fact don`t have, a RACE track, the racing at Blackbird Road was fantastic week in week out, a pass PER SEASON was the best Brandon ever had to offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 Its funny how the years cloud your mind Gem.... In my case I don't need years. Just a matter of days is enough to cloud my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 You poor old soul. I'm dreading reaching your age... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 (edited) Do you mean to say you aren't going upstairs yet and standing there wondering what you went up for? Don't worry it will come. It's all downhill from 50. To keep on topic I can't wait for Alan Jones new book to come out in June, covering Leicester Speedway - The Lions era. It will be interesting to see just how many of the matches against Coventry that Leicester won. Edited May 4, 2005 by Gemini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave67 Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 I take it I can get ready if they have won more than the Bees then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionheart Posted May 6, 2005 Report Share Posted May 6, 2005 I went to Blackbird Rd in both the Wilson era's, Ron Wilson as a rider, and later Ron Wilson as promoter, and son Ray Wilson as a rider. As others have said, it was an absolutely brilliant track with fantastic racing every week. When I first started following the Hunters there were still one or two leg-trailers riding. The only one that can remember was Phil Bishop. It really was thrilling back then, when riders used to battle to get to the fence, and not the white line ! Of course back then there was actually some dirt on the track, not the bald circuits that now pass for speedway tracks.It did mean that you went home as black as the ace of spades (Cinders not shale) but WHAT excitement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted May 6, 2005 Report Share Posted May 6, 2005 Welcome to the forum Lionheart, particularly as I might just have lost the title of being the oldest person on here. I started going to Blackbird Road in 1949, but I can't remember seeing Phil Bishop ride. We're not talking pre-war are we at the Leicester Super? Even I don't go back that far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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