Ellesmere Port Gunners

[Onceadon]

I went once in '85 and my overriding memory (the Dons got stuffed) is of the pub across the road - 'The Gunners' with its racejackets, programmes and pictures. Went back a few years later and nearly everything had gone.

[FAST GATER]

The Gunners Pub also had Colin Goad on the sign at one time sadly there are just a few pictures on the walls there now I believe

[jacko]

Some pictures of Jacko and Co.

 

http://rides.webshots.com/album/478097118ZLoeTn

[Hot Shoe]

Some pictures of Jacko and Co.

 

Thanks for the great pics.

 

I like the one with Jacko at the back - Bet he didn't stay at the back for long

[FAST GATER]

Some pictures of Jacko and Co.

 

http://rides.webshots.com/album/478097118ZLoeTn

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Great pictures I was in JJ pit crew for almost all his career at the Gunners and it was great to see him with his foot off the footrest as he always rode turn 2.A magician on a bike with the ability to go that much faster than many of his fellow riders just his gatting let him down some times. I had many nights of watching IMO one of the most naturaly gifted riders I have ever seen,after a race he hardly ever looked out of breath it was just so easy for him.I have said before that he rode for over 15YRS and never broke a bone and missed a hand full of matches due to injury if that. He always rode within himself and often said a safe 10 points is better than a dodgy 12 points' a fact sadly borne out by one of his greatest adversaries Joey Owen .

[Gunners]

Great pictures.

 

Brings back the old days.

[25yearfan]

Great club that enjoyed a good spell in the sport from 1972-1982, then the last season in 1985.

 

I feel the Council were very short sighted in turning down Tony Moles 2001 application to reopen Ellesmere Port at their old Thornton Road home.

 

With Mr Mole at the helm I feel the Gunners could of held their own at PL level and been viable.

 

With the Stadium still being in place, the possibility of speedway returning remains.

 

Has their been any changes at Council level since 2001?

 

What sort of interest is their in speedway in the area?

 

An Ellesmere Port speedway website has recently been created so their is some interest in it and they have stated they are looking into whether speedway could run in the area again!

 

It would great to see Ellesmere Port Gunners speedway team back in the Leagues. Good luck!

[FAST GATER]

Great club that enjoyed a good spell in the sport from 1972-1982, then the last season in 1985.

 

I feel the Council were very short sighted in turning down Tony Moles 2001 application to reopen Ellesmere Port at their old Thornton Road home.

 

With Mr Mole at the helm I feel the Gunners could of held their own at PL level and been viable.

 

With the Stadium still being in place, the possibility of speedway returning remains.

 

Has their been any changes at Council level since 2001?

 

What sort of interest is their in speedway in the area?

 

An Ellesmere Port speedway website has recently been created so their is some interest in it and they have stated they are looking into whether speedway could run in the area again!

 

It would great to see Ellesmere Port Gunners speedway team back in the Leagues. Good luck!

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Do you know the web site address for the Gunners by any chance please!!!!!

[25yearfan]

I don't know the address for the Ellemere Port speedway website but i can tell you how to get to it!

 

I rather stumbled across it one day while on the Cradleyspeedway.co.uk website when looking through the 'links' section.

 

Just go to the Cradley speedway website, go into links. There you will find Ellesmere Port speedway which if you click onto will take you onto their website!

 

Seems crazy that when the stadium is still there, the atitude of some probably misinformed Councillors has prevented the Gunners returning to speedway!

 

But stranger things happen, so who knows in the future?

[FAST GATER]

I don't know the address for the Ellemere Port speedway website but i can tell you how to get to it!

 

I rather stumbled across it one day while on the Cradleyspeedway.co.uk website when looking through the 'links' section.

 

Just go to the Cradley speedway website, go into links. There you will find Ellesmere Port speedway which if you click onto will take you onto their website!

 

Seems crazy that when the stadium is still there, the atitude of some probably misinformed Councillors has prevented the Gunners returning to speedway!

 

But stranger things happen, so who knows in the future?

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Thanks for the link still live in hope that the sport will return to the Port as I was by the stadium this week your right the track is still there.Seems a shame as when I speak many of the locals they seem up for it and say there is very little else in the area.At least I can dream while looking at the web site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[25yearfan]

Had a look on the Ellesmere Port speedway website last night after reading your mssage.

 

Its very basic and they haven't update it for a while but its good to see it around!

 

They state they are ongoing in a search/effort to reopen speedway in the area. How genuine they are regarding this I don't know but its helkp to know their interest of some level to do this.

 

Theirs an E mail address on the site as well to contact them.

 

Yes its a massive shame Ellesmere Port aren't running when the old home for speedway Thornton Road still remains and is underused.

 

The reasons the Council turned down Tony Moles application in 2001 was cause of parking issues for big crowds and the usual noise issus!

 

- While I think EP speedway could of attracted viable crowds in modern times of 500-1000, these levels wouldn't of been near levels that watched at Thornton Rd in the 1970's, so in fact the claims were a complete cop out.

 

Locals were all in favour as the popular public meetings at the time suggested.

 

While the stadium is still there and no plans to demolish are known then in the future it could be worth another try if the Council could be persuaded?

[FAST GATER]

l I believe that when Tony Mole tried to get s/ay back in about 2001 it was said at the time that there was no proper planning permission for the sport.This was eventually proved wrong but in the meantime Mr Mole lost patience and looked else where sadly but the Brummies prove that miracles do happen.The secret is to get the council on board from day one and the local coucillors aswell,as you say parking and noise can be sorted.Maybe a 3yr initial period to test the water may presuade the local authority to give it a go again!!!!!!!!!

[jacko]

Apparently we were "delighted" that greyhounds won over speedway.

 

http://tinyurl.co.uk/tr04

 

 

Getting the local councillers on board may be harder than you think.

Edited October 15, 2006 by jacko

[FAST GATER]

Take your point jacko but the method is normaly divide and rule not all councillors are or were in favour of the dogs.There nothing to say that with the right presentation and with new methods of reducing noise that some maybe presuaded but your right it is an up hill battle

[jacko]

Take your point jacko but the method is normaly divide and rule not all councillors are or were in favour of the dogs.There nothing to say that with the right presentation and with new methods of reducing noise that some maybe presuaded but your right it is an up hill battle 

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Hmmm thought the name might ring a bell with you? Cough*Pitsmarshall*Cough

 

My memories of the Gunners:

 

Getting Beat by Mildenhall and Glasgow. (it was so rare)

Mike Ferreri heading stright towards me in mid air exiting the 4th Turn

The Banner Gang

Talking to Joe Shaw about a rumour that Steve Finch was about to be transferred.

Neil Collins giving Pete Ellams the finger after Ellams had forced his way by.

A 4TT involving Belle Vue, Cradley Heath and another side sponsered by Hustler Power boats. (Biggest crowd I can remember)

Paul Tyrers debut.

That mid track banking on the third turn that JJ used to go around the opposition

National League Pairs at Halifax. JJ beaten from the back by Nigel Boocock. The one and only time I saw him overtaken. Took a lot of stick off thr Halifax fans after being a bit vocal before.

Getting a 5-1 against Tom Owen when Newcastle looked as though they were about to beat us.

Watching a second half race where a rider had come up from Kings Lynn to practise. He looped the bike at the start and landed on the start line. Then went off to hospital I thought he was a tad unlucky.

JJ and Tom Owen in the Silver Helmet Match Races.

 

Any idea what JJ is doing now? Last I heard he was a panel beater but that was a long time ago and probably wrong.

[FAST GATER]

Hmmm thought the name might ring a bell with you? Cough*Pitsmarshall*Cough

 

My memories of the Gunners:

 

Getting Beat by Mildenhall and Glasgow. (it was so rare)

Mike Ferreri heading stright towards me in mid air exiting the 4th Turn

The Banner Gang

Talking to Joe Shaw about a rumour that Steve Finch was about to be transferred.

Neil Collins giving Pete Ellams the finger after Ellams had forced his way by.

A 4TT involving Belle Vue, Cradley Heath and another side sponsered by Hustler Power boats. (Biggest crowd  I can remember)

Paul Tyrers debut.

That mid track banking on the third turn that JJ used to go around the opposition

National League Pairs at Halifax. JJ beaten from the back by Nigel Boocock. The one and only time I saw him overtaken. Took a lot of stick off thr Halifax fans after being a bit vocal before.

Getting a 5-1 against Tom Owen when Newcastle looked as though they were about to beat us.

Watching a second half race where a rider had come up from Kings Lynn to practise. He looped the bike at the start and landed on the start line. Then went off to hospital I thought he was a tad unlucky.

JJ and Tom Owen in the Silver Helmet Match Races.

 

Any idea what JJ is doing now? Last I heard he was a panel beater but that was a long time ago and probably wrong.

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JJ after he retired work at Ben Whitehouse's just out side Chester he has since set

up his own panebeating business in Willington near Kelsal .I don't know whether you know but his nephew Gary( son of his late brother Fred ) has just won the British Speedway sidecar championship.So there is still a Jackson winning races on shale and Gary is one of the nicest people you could wish to meet!!!!!!

[wertyuio]

Writing these off the top of my head, so please be lenient on factuality of content:

 

- Glenn Parrott & Steve Finch - The Birdmen of Ellesmere Port

- Phil Alderman's broken jaw in '85 from a handlebar that went up inside his helmet while grasstracking (Germany?)

- Eric Monaghan breaking a couple of toes along the back straight fence (did he ride without a boot in subsequent weeks?)

- Narrowly beating Newcastle at home and being battered away in K O Cup in '82 (remembering the Diamonds team of the early eighties, it could have been any season and League or Cup)

- Beating Hackney 50-28 at home and then taking a 5-1 in the first heat away (Dave Morton & Miles Evans) at Waterden Road (1985 K O Cup Semi). Good job really as we lost 49-29 for a narrow aggregate win. These meetings followed on: Thursday at home & Friday away. I'm sure that the Hackeny management implied that Louis Carr's engine was oversized and invoked some rule that it could be impounded for a period of time awaiting measurement, in order to deprive him of it the next night. It was actually measured there and then (somehow) and found to be 493.8 cc

 

I'm sure there are big holes in the last anecdote, so let me know. In the meantime, I'll try and come up with some more.

[FAST GATER]

Pete Jarman hitting the tractor after the race in the mid70's when the trackman did not see remount to finish the race.Pete had no serious injuries but his Jap powered bike looked worse for wear!!! Another thing that sticks in my mind was the promoter Jim Sefton ( early70's) liked to introduce the riders himself and always made a pig's breakfast of it.He was that informed that he once said is this brake working properly pulling the clutch lever in and out. Sadly lost his nephew in an accident while practicing on a s/way bike at a local beach when he hit a piece of drift wood. This was a huge loss to the man and led to him selling the promotion

to Ernie Parkes one of the nicest people I ever met in s/way .Only for his premature death we may still of had s/way at E/Port even today as he was both true fan and a very wealthy man !!!!

[Onceadon]

Had a look on the Ellesmere Port speedway website last night after reading your mssage.

 

Its very basic and they haven't update it for a while but its good to see it around!

 

They state they are ongoing in a search/effort to reopen speedway in the area. How genuine they are regarding this I don't know but its helkp to know their interest of some level to do this.

 

Theirs an E mail address on the site as well to contact them.

 

Yes its a massive shame Ellesmere Port aren't running when the old home for speedway Thornton Road still remains and is underused.

 

The reasons the Council turned down Tony Moles application in 2001 was cause of parking issues for big crowds and the usual noise issus!

 

- While I think EP speedway could of attracted viable crowds in modern times of 500-1000, these levels wouldn't of been near levels that watched at Thornton Rd in the 1970's, so in fact the claims were a complete cop out.

 

Locals were all in favour as the popular public meetings at the time suggested.

 

While the stadium is still there and no plans to demolish are known then in the future it could be worth another try if the Council could be persuaded?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Not so certain it would be viable at PL level but must stand a chance at CL.

 

Reading my old speedy stars and yearbooks, the Gunners mainly stayed afloat by selling riders produced at training schools - the Collins (Phil & Neil) & Carr brothers spring to mind. Gates were never that good and I know that's one reason why they closed down in 85.

Edited November 5, 2006 by Onceadon

[FAST GATER]

Not so certain it would be viable at PL level but must stand a chance at CL.

 

Reading my old speedy stars and yearbooks, the Gunners mainly stayed afloat by selling riders produced at training schools - the Collins  (Phil & Neil) & Carr brothers spring to mind. Gates were never that good and I know that's one reason why they closed down in 85.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Another nail in coffin was the career ending crash of Joey Owen ripped the guts out of the team and fans alike and I think your right CL at least to start.Even if planning was given it would for 2yrs at first before it was granted permanently.This seems the way councils deal with new or reopened tracks today but IMO there is a fan base in the Port.