Graham Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Hi everyone How many speedway matches (not including shared events) have been held at neutral tracks? Regarding my own club I can think of four examples: Glasgow v Sheffield (1948, Edinburgh) Glasgow v Edinburgh (1949, Ashfield) Glasgow v Edinburgh (1953, Motherwell) Glasgow v Cradley Heath (1971, Belle Vue) I'm sure there must be lots of other examples from the past so let's hear about them. I'd also be interested as to the reasons why the neutral venue was chosen. I'm also struggling to remember the last time a neutral track was used for a challenge match. Any suggestions? Cheers, Graham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 Hi everyone How many speedway matches (not including shared events) have been held at neutral tracks? Cheers, Graham. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> 1971 Wembley v Belle Vue @ Newport because there were not enough dates at Wembley and it was unavailable until late May Rochdale staged a double header @ Belle Vue in 1971 and I remember watching the Isle of Wight ride at "home" to Long Eaton in 1997 at Peterboro. Also saw the Wolves v Peterboro KO cup final @ Long Eaton in 1996 (The Wolves track was unavailable because of track alterations Then there was Wembley's 1948 season most of which was ridden at Wimbledon because of the Olympics (although you might put this in a seperate category (along with Glasgow @ Workington in 1987) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sotonian Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 Good topic. Halifax v ? (Odsal 1950's) Neath v Stoke (St Austell 17.7.62) Neath v Bradford (St Austell 31.7.62) Neath v Edinburgh (St Austell 1962) Norwich v Southampton (Ipswich 1951) but abandoned Rochdale double header v ? & ? (Belle Vue 1971) Tamworth v Rayleigh & Leicester (Birmingham 18.10.50) Wembley v Belle Vue (Newport 16.4.71) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star ghost Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 (edited) Norwich staged numerous "neutral track" challenge matches in the 40s. These often took place when Norwich were riding Away to other Saturday Tracks. The home & away League meetings with Edinburgh one season were staged at Middlesbrough & Sheffield. I think this was due to upcoming end of season and distance involved making it easier to ride "halfway". As stated Wembley often used to ride home meetings "away" and also use Plough Lane whilst the Empire Stadium was used for Olympics and football. Yarmouth also staged Norwich v Cradley or Birmingham on nights when the Bloaters were away. Edited October 6, 2006 by star ghost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofdiamonds Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 Berwick were made homeless from Shielfield Park in 1981, and as their new track at Berrington Lough was not ready they rode at various tracks in a failed bid to maintain their league status. Meetings were held at Workington, Barrow (Park Road), Glasgow (Craighead Park) and Newcastle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted October 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 Berwick were made homeless from Shielfield Park in 1981, and as their new track at Berrington Lough was not ready they rode at various tracks in a failed bid to maintain their league status.These weren't, strictly-speaking, neutral track meetings. Like Glasgow in 1987 the track may have been distant from the town in question but the team still wore the red and blue helmet colours and the venue was still designated "home" even though it was associated with another team. A minor error - Berwick's meetings at Glasgow were in fact at the Blantyre Greyhound track and not Craighead Park which didn't open until the following season. Any advance on 1971 for the most recent meeting held at a neutral track? Graham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conkers Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 arnieg Posted Oct 6 2006, 08:07 AM Rochdale staged a double header @ Belle Vue in 1971 Rochdale staged their Double Header on Wednesday 25th August 1971 and took on Berwick in the first match, them Romford in the second. There is a copy of the cover HERE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndBender Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 Anyone got a full list of scorers from that Wembley match at Newport in '71? I can't remember why I wasn't there, (I was in Art College at the time so that probably had something to do with it!), and I know the score, but my copy of the programme is completely blank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25yearfan Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 (edited) The Rye House 'home' leg of the 1992 Division 2 Ko cup final against Peterborough was staged at Arena Essex cause it couldn't be fitted in at Hoddesdon. In 1999 when Rye Houuse reopened they ran most of their 'home' meetings at Mildenhall and one at Eastbourne and King's Lynn. I remember a 2001 Mildenhall V's Boston CL meeting being staged at Rye House right late in the season cause Mildenhall wasn't thought to of been a viable proporsition on any day other than a weekend. Wembley often used other venues during thei time in League racing caue of the tight schedule the gret stadium had. They used Wimbledon alot in 1948 when Wembley staged the Olympics. I remember in 1951-52 the great Norwich Stars raced one or two 'home' matches at the new Ipswich circuit which was then a 'nursery' track to Norwich. Their has been more 'neutral' matches in the past I'm sure but my memories not that good! Its normally happened late in October when teams have been fully stretched to complete their fixtures in time. Edited October 22, 2006 by 25yearfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invader Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 I remember a Wolverhampton vs Peterborough match held at Station Road in the 90's. I think that was one of the legs of a final. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star ghost Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Sorry 25 year fan but the Stars never raced any "home" fixtures at Ipswich and that track was never a nursery track to us. If anywhere could be called a nursery track for the Stars it would have been Yarmouth Bloaters at Caister Road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25yearfan Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 I thought Norwich did ride a match or two at neutral Ipswich in the first season after Foxhall stadium was built. But then again it was a long time ago and my memories not that good! When Ipswich first opened in 51 I believe, the majority of the team was made up of Norwich juniors. I believe the Norwich management played a big part in the development and very early years of Ipswich speedway. While it may not of been official, Ipswich was in effect a nursery outfit to Norwich due to these factors and racing in a lower league than the Stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Just thought of another unusual one: 1997 Peterborough v Lathallan. Rained-off at Peterborough and staged the next day at Mildenhall (I think as part of a double header with Mild. v Lath.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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