Graham Warren Query

[Ross Garrigan]

Would anyone know what role John Deeley had in Graham making the decision to travel to England in 1948?

[Brian Bott]

How he, Graham Warren, came to Birmingham in the first instance depends on which article you read; Graham himself had two versions. Les Marshall, in an introduction in his Birmingham Speedway programme notes, referred to a letter of introduction, to himself, from Mr John Deeley (ex manager of Liverpool and future manager of Walthamstow). This version tallies with Graham’s own book, “Speedway and Me” published in 1950, and also with an article published in Stenner’s Speedway Journal in 1948. However, in 1996, in an interview for the Vintage Speedway Magazine, Graham was quoted as saying that his first contact was with West Ham, who wouldn’t give him a ride. (it was subsequently reported in August, that the Hammers had offered £4000 for his transfer. This was at a time when, typically, transfer fees were in the order of £500.) Graham was then further quoted as “having a scribbled note on the back of an envelope to introduce me to Charles Ochiltree at Coventry, but Norman Parker had told me that Les Marshall was looking for riders at Birmingham.”

 

I realise that there isn't a lot of information in the above, but it is the best I can do at the moment. Hope it isn't too confusing! Incidentally, I am old enough to have seen Graham in his heyday at Birmingham, and to me he was the greatest.

[Ross Garrigan]

I realise that there isn't a lot of information in the above, but it is the best I can do at the moment.  Hope it isn't too confusing!  Incidentally, I am old enough to have seen Graham in his heyday at Birmingham, and to me he was the greatest.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thanks for that. I spoke to Graham about Les Marshall but wasn't aware at the time about Deeley. Even though he was ill at the time of our conversation, Graham still spoke of Marshall as "the boss". He even spoke to me about my childhood hero, Keith Gurtner. It made my day. I walked away from that meeting knowing I had been in the presence of a true legend of the sport.

[stansolo]

You both have indeed such wonderful memories in your heads and hearts ....good luck t'ya both