panthersfan Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 It appears that my first meeting may have actually been in 1995... as a panthers program has been found... April 21st 1995... Panthers vs Witches. I'll probably scan it in tomorrow if anyone's interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Come on the Skipper Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Not entirely sure but I think my first meeting was Hackney vs Leicester towards the end of June 1975..............2 things stick in my mind the first was Len Silver's programme notes about Begnt Jansson having gone awol and secondly was the report in the following weeks Newham Recorder that Tony Lomas had a 'mare as his new leathers were too tight........... If anybody can remember that and confirm mind isn't complete mush I'd be very pleased Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazysue Posted August 4, 2003 Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 My first meeting would have been in July 1988 at Exeter, I can't remember who it was against. Only went because we made a deal with a friend of ours who was a mad speedway fan that if he came out with us to celebrate an anniversary then we would go with him to the speedway. We were on holiday at the time so thought we would give it a try. I was hooked straight away (although Exeter won by a mile). My husband was less than impressed and couldn't see the attraction. As soon as we came home, I started going to Foxhall and went every week untill near the end of the 1993 season when I then had to go into hospital to have my first son. Went to the first meeting of 1994 and then couldn't afford it anymore. For the next eight years kept tabs on what was happening by news reports/ceefax and later sky. Finally got around to going again last year(again when we were on holiday) at Poole (thanks to the same bloke who first introduced me) this time taking my eldest son and got hooked again....and so did my son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjw ministerofport Posted August 22, 2003 Report Share Posted August 22, 2003 Cradley heatherns v Edinborough Monarcs 38 years ago. I think Edinorough won. A rider, i think his name was Erick gave me his goggles, i think he was a reserve. The smell the noise hooked me for life. Wish i could remember his full name? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frigbo Posted August 22, 2003 Report Share Posted August 22, 2003 Cradley heatherns v Edinborough Monarcs 38 years ago. I think Edinorough won. A rider, i think his name was Erick gave me his goggles, i think he was a reserve. The smell the noise hooked me for life. Wish i could remember his full name? Probably Eric Hockaday. Cradley 43 Edinburgh 35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjw ministerofport Posted August 22, 2003 Report Share Posted August 22, 2003 Thanks Frigbo that,s good of you.Sorry about the spelling before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pinstripe2k3 Posted August 23, 2003 Report Share Posted August 23, 2003 My first meeting was Newport Wasps Vs Reading Racers 1999 15th March. I can remember we gave them a hammering,58-32 i think it was.Wato was unbeaten,Anders Henriksson had 13 from 5,dropping his points to Justin Elkins in heat 15.Elkins was there top scorer funnily enough.Wato won his races from the back . Mullett was also ok,the rest were crap. the teams were - Newport Wasps - 1.Craig Watson 2.Chris Neath 3.Anders Henriksson 4.Scott Peglar 5.Frank Smart 6.Bobby Eldridge 7.Andrew Appleton Reading Racers 1.Dave Mullett 2.Justin Elkins 3.Phil Morris 4.Paul Clews 5.Petri Kokko 6.Shane Colvin 7.Peter Collier Not sure on there two reserves, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Posted August 23, 2003 Report Share Posted August 23, 2003 First meeting - taken as a birthday treat to Kings Lynn by my uncle. Must have been 1965/66. Can't remember the opposition, but I do remember Terry Betts and David Crane. 1967 world final at Wembley - Ove Fundin won his 5th crown. Remember a happy aunt - Fundin fan - and a less than happy uncle - Barry Briggs for him! First match which lead to regular attendance was at Peterborough in 1970, against Kings Lynn II. Remember Ian Turner getting 15 point maximum for KL and the Panthers winning 40-38. Turner set the track record at 69.8 which stood for a few years, but is now about 10 seconds slower than the current Flyin' Ryan record time. Recently haven't been to any matches for about 10 years until we went to Cardiff in June, and then up to the Showground last Wednesday for the Coventry match. I have to thank my daughter, Meg, for getting into speedway on her own - friend at school took her to Oxford - for bringing me back. Although I live about 20 miles from Oxford, old loyalties are still there so I guess it's the Panthers for me. Good thing as Meg is a dead kean Ryan fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngy105 Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Don't remember match details but it was the first Belle Vue Vs Coventry match of the 1979 season. I was only a babby so can't remember much. The first meeting I remember that sticks out in my mind is the 1983 northern riders final....Belle Vue provided the first 3 with 'Mighty Mort' scoring a 15 point maximum and providing the best race of speedway i've ever seen when he came from the back to beat Kenny Carter. That was what speedway is all about....pure racing:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pinstripe2k3 Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Elkins was there top scorer funnily enough. He rode well that day, like a real heat leader, wasn't that the meeting where the riders were paraded around the track on top of the fire engine having just won the Severn Bridge Trophy? As you say, Wato won all his races from the back, he always did in them days, them days being pre-Elite League! Same he gates so often now, though we do get to see glimpses of the old Wato when he misses the start. Details that day. 'Talkback' Wasps Watson 33333=15 Neath 1120=4 Henriksson 33331=13 Peglar F02'1=3+1 Smart 0332'=8+1 Eldridge 2'02'0=4+2 Appleton 321'1=7+1 Racers Mullett 21'301=7+1 Clews F2R1=3 Morris 1'1'1'22'0=7+4 Elkins 22232=11 Kokko 3210=6 Colvin 10F=1 Collyer R10=1 oh yes,Efkins didnt get a ef that day?? oh well,he must of had Trickos bikes to beat Anders round Newport in those days . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obidos23 Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Just dug out my programmes to find that my first meeting was July 13th 1989, Witches vs Berwick Bandits : score 63 - 27 (those were the days!) Been going ever since and only missed about 8 home meetings due to hols. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandman Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Don't remember match details but it was the first Belle Vue Vs Coventry match of the 1979 season. I was only a babby so can't remember much. The first meeting I remember that sticks out in my mind is the 1983 northern riders final....Belle Vue provided the first 3 with 'Mighty Mort' scoring a 15 point maximum and providing the best race of speedway i've ever seen when he came from the back to beat Kenny Carter. That was what speedway is all about....pure racing:D Mort could beat anyone from the back in his day. Too bad he isnt 20 years old now! 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupus Posted August 28, 2003 Report Share Posted August 28, 2003 Well MY first meeting was when I was 3 weeks and 2 days old!!! My daughter beat that by being 2 weeks and 5 days old!!! My first meeting would have been Swindon V ??? on the (?)28th August 1965 - any friendly 'anorak' types out there like to help me fill in the details? My daughter's first meeting was the Olympique at wolverhmpton (October 2000!) My husband was the 'late-starter' in our family...he didn't go until he wa about three months old - one of the problems of being a February baby!!! We're a bit of a scary speedway-obsessed family to be honest...my daughter is actually a fourth generation speedway fan on BOTH sides!!! My husband's grandad was the first to go on his side and my maternal grandparents attended the first meeting at Swindon in 1948. Also MY parents met at the speedway in the late 1950's and my hubby and I met at the speedway in 1985!!! There's very little hope of my daughter NOT being a speedway fan, is there?!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21st century heathen Posted August 29, 2003 Report Share Posted August 29, 2003 May 1975 at Cradley Heath at the grand old age of 6 months, cant bear to look at the place now, just a field with a circular dip in the middle where our beloved track used to be no idea who the opposition were :? Can remember playing on the terraces at CH and insisting on being picked up when Bruce Penhall rode, had good taste from an early age Can remember Wembley 81 quite clearly and the La colliseium the following year as my first clear memories of the actual racing. I can almost mirror that. I'm a christmas baby so I was 3 months old by the time the speedway circus came back to town. I can't really remember a particular match before '83. I remember Bruce riding, and I remember seeing Dave Perks. I have no idea why I remember him but I do. I also remember seeing Lance King have a spin after a match before he signed for us. Along with the Carter 'incident' those are my earliest memories. The first match I remember was Poole at Cradley in '83. Sorry to bring it up Poole fans, but you got hammered 57-21. I remember seeing the TV cameras there for that one. We got to about 35-7 and Erik said we'd go for the white wash. Next race John Davies (I think) aimed himself at King on the first turn, and almost put him through the fence. King recovered to 3rd, but missed out on the paid win by a couple of bike lengths. It was a hell of an effort though from so far back. There was plenty of good old fashioned team riding in that match. Some of todays heat leaders could learn a thing or two from Erik in that match alone. A brilliant team rider, as well as one of the best individual riders to ever grace a speedway track. Great memories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Allan Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 My first meeting was at Peterborough in 1971 i think, Panthers V Boston and Andy Ross broke his leg. I watched the meeting from the centre green as i was with St John Ambulance. i have been hooked ever since Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 I know it is supposed to be a bonus to watch Speedway from the centre green, but personally I have never found the idea very attractive. All that pivoting round on the spot to follow the action. I'm afraid it doesn't appeal to me as I'd probably just end up feeling dizzy. What do you think Allan and Jennythedoc, A61 for instance, who have viewed from the centre green? Is it very much better or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehone Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 it seems faster but you can get dizzy as you say.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frigbo Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 Well MY first meeting was when I was 3 weeks and 2 days old!!! My daughter beat that by being 2 weeks and 5 days old!!! My first meeting would have been Swindon V ??? on the (?)28th August 1965 - any friendly 'anorak' types out there like to help me fill in the details? Just brushed the cobwebs off the old Anorak, sewed some more patches on and came up with this!! August 28th 1965 Swindon 54, Broadbank 12, Briggs 12, Ashby 9, Keen 7, Kilby 7, Sampson 6, Jackson 1. Glasgow 24, Monk 10, Scott 7, Mcmillan 3, Coombes 1, Hicks 1, Lagrosse 1, Ovenden1. Apparently it was persisting it down with rain. Right, where are those rosettes and badges?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mart W Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 April 1964 Newport v Cradley, Ivor Brown won the first ever race at Somerton Park the Wasps team consisted of Alby Golden, Peter Vandenburgh, Jon Erskine. I was 6 years old my dad used to sit me on his shoulders, the crowds were so big then. I remember the Wasps lost (no change there then !) but the scores & details ...I can't remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthamptonKnights Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Didn't go for another 8 years probably cos you were scared of the noise, just like the time I took you to the Nene Valley Railway, with Jp & Kt, and you tried to run and hide when the big bad steam engine chuffed into the station! My first meeting was when I was seven, so about a decade ago! I think it was Peterborough vs someone, but I can't be sure.... I didn't like it, I kept getting shale in my eyes and up my nose... I didn't go for another 8 years after that! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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