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Wimbledon Memories


superdons

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25 minutes ago, stevehone said:

i agree, once they closed off most of the stadium it really lost it's attractiveness .. it was going downhill for years but that really did it for me.

good memories of sitting on the bend 2 terrace arguing with Ipswich supporters :D

Always lively 'banter' on the terraces there, Steve! I could have been one of the fans you were having discussions with! Normally it was the Dons fans getting frustrated as the Witches were winning so easily!

I enjoyed my visits to Plough Lane. In the 70's early 80's it was the polar opposite to Foxhall Heath. The stadium looked so smart. Always felt I should wipe my feet on entering! The racing was entertaining, good atmosphere on the steep terracing and I liked how compact and enclosed it was, again the total opposite to Foxhall. You could sense the history.

Enjoyable as it was watching the customary tonking of the Dons back in 70's, I think the most fun was had though in the two seasons the Witches dropped down to the NL, 1989 and 90. The PA was always cranked up, Dave Lanning really got the crowd going and there were some superb meetings between the two teams. I think the Dons won them all! - but always tight. We would have a sweepstake amongst us as to which section of fence Moggo would take out first. Mind you, we did that everywhere...

 

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1 hour ago, prodons said:

Never much fun when DJ rode for us either!
 

He always seemed to have an ef at a crucial stage of the meeting, or looked disinterested. 

Didn’t like him at Wimbledon, didn’t seem interested, just going through the motions

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14 minutes ago, JohnHyam said:

Does any one know where Alan Clark, the Wimbledon speedway photographer circa 2002-2005, might be these days? The accompanying Link gives an interesting insight into Alan's speedway involvement:

http://www.speedwaymuseumonline.co.uk/alan clark.html

Not that i ever went in that period, but i thought the photographer was someone called Young, the father of Jess Young who used to be a member here ?

At least he is the guy who took pics of my cousin when he was riding at Plough Lane. Maybe there were a few togs though 

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46 minutes ago, iris123 said:

Not that i ever went in that period, but i thought the photographer was someone called Young, the father of Jess Young who used to be a member here ?

At least he is the guy who took pics of my cousin when he was riding at Plough Lane. Maybe there were a few togs though 

That would be Geoff, wouldn't it?

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6 minutes ago, iris123 said:

Yes , that's it. Also took pics at Eastie i think. Couldn't remember his name

I'm friends with him on Facebook. I don't know whether he was "the" official photographer, but he always had a camera around his neck!

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On 12/21/2007 at 10:22 PM, superdons said:

Reading the current Backtrack and the review of Plough Lane made me both happy and sad. There was so much more to say about the place, but undoubtedly not the space to write it. What were your memories of Wimbledon and the Dons in general?

 

My favourite memories are: Seeing Trevor Hedge made Captain, beating Wolverhampton and Halifax away from home during the remarkable 1978 season, travelling on the Supporters Club coaches with "Tufty" Graham at the wheel, singing with the Pit bend Loonies, the fun slanging matches with "Soldier Boy" at Belle Vue, the intense rivalry with Hackney and the joy when we beat them, the chats with Maido at the Watford Gap about our (slim) chances of winning away from home, the team-riding of Ronnie Moore and finally, the feeling of "family" there was at Plough Lane.

 

Worst memories? Tommy Jansson's death - there are certain records that were in the charts in May 1976 that I still cannot listen to without welling up; Silly Love Songs (Wings) and Fool to Cry (Stones). Rudy Muts breaking his neck and the Cradley rider responsible not being excluded, but needing an escort out of the stadium. Being at the 4TT at Hackney when Vic Harding and Steve Weatherley crashed - and finally, the last top-flight meeting in 1991.

 

Overall, many more happy memories than sad - and I still miss the place and those days.

Back to December 12, 2007 at !0.22pm: this was the opening thread in this topic. Thank you for a great thread superdons...last visited October 2014!

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1 hour ago, JohnHyam said:

This IMO is 'amazing.' superdons who originated this thread last visited the BSF in October 2014!!!!!

Not THAT amazing; people leave the BSF for various reasons. You yourself have done so - several times...

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19 minutes ago, JohnHyam said:

Of course the answer why superdons stopped BSF posting was that he no longer had an interest in Wimbledon Speedway after the club closed?

Really? That's a very bizarre comment to make! I'm still on here, despite Wimbledon closing. So is iris123. And cityrebel. And Robbie B. Come to think of it, MOST of us who are on here have lost our tracks, yet it's no cause for us to leave the BSF.

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20 minutes ago, JohnHyam said:

 

A good comment chunky! Looking back I missed a KEY WORD in the one I originally made. My remark should have read "Of course the answer why superdons stopped BSF posting was that he POSSIBLY no longer had an interest in Wimbledon Speedway after the club closed?"

Besides, Wimbledon had already been closed for a couple of years before he even joined the BSF, so I honestly don't think that was the reason...

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1 hour ago, chunky said:

Really? That's a very bizarre comment to make! I'm still on here, despite Wimbledon closing. So is iris123. And cityrebel. And Robbie B. Come to think of it, MOST of us who are on here have lost our tracks, yet it's no cause for us to leave the BSF.

I don't know what happened - a quote of mine 'disappeared!' It read as follows: "A good comment chunky! Looking back I missed a KEY WORD in the one I originally made. My remark should have read "Of course the answer why superdons stopped BSF posting was that he POSSIBLY no longer had an interest in Wimbledon Speedway after the club closed?" You have responded so far as I can see. Thank you - as always - for answering.

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In the 1946-49 era at Wimbledon there was a reserve rider named Jimmy Coy. I think he also had spells on loan with Eastbourne, Cradley Heath and Oxford? Does any member have fuller details on his speedway career please?

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44 minutes ago, JohnHyam said:

In the 1946-49 era at Wimbledon there was a reserve rider named Jimmy Coy. I think he also had spells on loan with Eastbourne, Cradley Heath and Oxford? Does any member have fuller details on his speedway career please?

Have a look here http://www.cradleyspeedway.co.uk/riders/jimmycoy.htm

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