White City Rebels 1976 - 1978

[rusky]

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=74189

 

kindly posted by spinkox

 

Think that you need to have a look at this star ghost....lol

[tonyd]

He also recalled that, in their efforts to drum up entertainment for the fans, promoters Bob Dugard and Danny Dunton arranged for various 'acts' to appear at the Wood Lane venue, including rock band Hawkwind (of Silver Machine fame). They even had a female belly dancer performing in front of the crowd one night. Much more exciting than Gordon Kennett!

 

I also seem to remember that they had go go dancers as well to try and pull in the crowds.

 

It was a crying shame about the lack of crowd as the houses and flats that made up the White City estate one would have thought that a lot more would have gone to support a local team.

I also seem to remember that they were in trouble with the race relations board at one point when they offered any coloured male over 16 the chance to have a go and they would loan them a bike and leathers.

Felt sorry for Bob and Danny because in 3 seasons they had a good team and won the league but still could not draw in enough of a crowd to run at a profit.

 

AND NOW ITS A BLUDDY CAR PARK!!!!!!!

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

My, oh my...: for all of us who just LOVED the grand old place check THIS out..

 

 

Bloody great to see the place in all its glory. Crazy chase scene though...: and why didn't the hero follow age old tradition in such chases and climb onto the roof!!??

 

Man in A Suitcase reminds me of that gaffe in the Wimbledon prog when the writer was trying to be clever and referred to the diminutive King brother, Jason as the 'Rider in the Suitcase', picking up on the character name he shared with the hero of that series.. Only to be corrected by the baying Pitbend Loonies telling him (okay, okay it was ME!! ) that of course Jason King was the character in Department S...

[chunky]

Man in A Suitcase reminds me of that gaffe in the Wimbledon prog when the writer was trying to be clever and referred to the diminutive King brother, Jason as the 'Rider in the Suitcase', picking up on the character name he shared with the hero of that series.. Only to be corrected by the baying Pitbend Loonies telling him (okay, okay it was ME!! ) that of course Jason King was the character in Department S...

 

Aah... Peter Wyngarde, another great blast from the past...

 

Anyway, my memories:

 

The 1976 Grand Prix Final, my first time at the track.

The General Smuts pub just round the corner in Bloemfontein Rd.

John Davis missing out on the 1977 World Final after that clash with Mauger.

The Aussies winning the 1976 World Team Cup.

All that bloody dust that used to affect the Sunday afternoon meetings!

The 1977 ICF.

As already mentioned, the 220 bus and the Central Line trains.

The last meeting in 1978 against Bristol, and watching Steve Gresham win the second half final from the centre green.

 

Steve

[Shadders]

All that bloody dust that used to affect the Sunday afternoon meetings!

Len Silver track curator?

 

[keef]

Remember Swindon winning there in the 70s...about half the crowd were Robins fans.

They had an interval running race around the track that was won by a mate of mine.

[lucifer sam]

Aah... Peter Wyngarde, another great blast from the past...

 

Yes, a very well known name. He whipped Diana Rigg in the Avengers, and also appeared in Flash Gordon (behind a mask) as Klytus. Flash Gordon was the first film I ever saw at the cinema.

 

All the best

Rob

[RobMcCaffery]

Yes, a very well known name. He whipped Diana Rigg in the Avengers, and also appeared in Flash Gordon (behind a mask) as Klytus. Flash Gordon was the first film I ever saw at the cinema.

 

All the best

Rob

 

Wasn't Flash Gordon number one for the Rebels?

 

(Ooops - it's a Rayleigh v Eastbourne thing.....even after nearly 40 years - I blame that guy Lanning....)

 

Rob McCaffery.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

Flash Gordon was the first film I ever saw at the cinema.

All the best

Rob

 

What this one...?

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027623/

 

[lucifer sam]

What this one...?

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027623/

 

 

Parsloes, nope with one with the soundtrack by Queen was the one I saw at the cinema.

 

Although the 1936 film series was repeated on BBC2 in 1980 was what got me into wanting to see the film. I actually bought the 1936 serial on DVD and it was SO disappointing. I remembered it being something special, and instead it was awfully dated and just cr*p.

 

All the best

Rob

Edited March 3, 2010 by lucifer sam

[RobMcCaffery]

Parsloes, nope with one with the soundtrack by Queen was the one I saw at the cinema.

 

Although the 1936 film series was repeated on BBC2 in 1980 was what got me into wanting to see the film. I actually bought the 1936 serial on DVD and it was SO disappointing. I remembered it being something special, and instead it was awfully dated and just cr*p.

 

All the best

Rob

 

I preferred the other version where the vowel in the first name was changed - but this IS a family forum...

 

Rob McCaffery

[lgodleman]

Hello

 

Like your Forum Name

 

White City Speedway?

Loved the stadium the track and a Great Team

Gordon Kennett,My all time hero could beat anyone always great in last heat deciders loved it when we did the double over the Dons on our way to the title in 77,How many coaches did we sent to Wolverhampton when we won the league,

Steve Weatherley how far would he had gone so sad..............Kai Niemi always great from the back,Marek Cieslak first year

was great also,so sad we coundnt get the crowds in the only downside,also if you heard a race from just inside the stadium

sounded fantastic really lound,one more thing John Earrey best mic man they was..............

 

 

In response to how many coaches we sent to Wolverhampton that day ... it was 13. My Dad was Secretary of the Supporters Club, Mum was Treasurer and I was Membership Secretary and we had great fun (albeit hectic!!) in organising a large advance to the Wolves with a great result at the end of it.

 

Does anyone remember 'Pop' Riches ... he was Supporters Club Chairman and a man of advanced years, but he never failed to turn up for a meeting.

[Igor]

The 1976 WTC Final: swapping badges with the great USSR rider, Victor Trofimov!!!

 

So happy and poignant memories...

 

The 1976 WTC Final: team of the USSR.

 

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

The 1976 WTC Final: team of the USSR.

 

What a fantastic picture - and many thanx for your PM too. I shall of course be replying to you.

Best wishes and fraternal greetings,

 

Derek

[longlivefrankie]

ahhhh the memories.

Went down to White City, i think it was a bank holiday because we went to Wimbledon for the Embassy Internationale meeting on the night. Anyway think we set of from Hull about 6 in the morning, to get to Wood Lane for lunch time. We hade a quick look at Television Centre then found a little pub over the back of white city for a couple of pints.

The main event.....WHITE CITY REBELS V HULL LADA VIKINGS. I remember Mitch Graham emerging from the changing rooms and rearranging the WHITE CITY REBELS boards to read WIT CHITY BERELS ....That was funny after a few pints.

I also remember Hull won by about ten point's...also think there was a half point in there aswell. In the second half the top scoring riders rode for the Benidorm Cup........and we won that as well. The hull team was , i think..IVAN,BOBBY BEATON,JOE OWEN,MITCH GRAHAM,MIKE CUROSO,TOM OWEN, FRANK AUFFRET.......AWSOME!. BRILLIANT DAY. <img src="http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_lol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_lol.gif" />

 

yrs it was a bnak holiday monday im sure we did reading v hackney in the morning white city v hull in the afternoon and the interntaionale at wimbledon so its was whit monday i believe ehose were the days and we were wasps fans lol

[Mike Lee - the best ever]

My main memory of White City was seeing probably one of the best speedway meetings ever in I think it was the semi final of the 1977 KO Cup. Kings Lynn V White City.

 

White City won thwe fist leg at home by I think 8 points. They then proceeded to reel off 2 5-1's in the first 2 heats at Kings Lynn and remember in those days there were only 13 heats in a meeting...

 

Kings Lynn dragged their way back into the meeting and went through to the final in the last heat.

 

fantastic evening that I can still remember many years on.......

[GARY POPPS]

<!--quoteo(post=1446037:date=Mar 25 2009, 12:59 AM:name=tmc)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tmc @ Mar 25 2009, 12:59 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1446037"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->He also recalled that, in their efforts to drum up entertainment for the fans, promoters Bob Dugard and Danny Dunton arranged for various 'acts' to appear at the Wood Lane venue, including rock band Hawkwind (of Silver Machine fame). They even had a female belly dancer performing in front of the crowd one night. Much more exciting than Gordon Kennett!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

 

I also seem to remember that they had go go dancers as well to try and pull in the crowds.

 

It was a crying shame about the lack of crowd as the houses and flats that made up the White City estate one would have thought that a lot more would have gone to support a local team.

<i>I also seem to remember that they were in trouble with the race relations board at one point when they offered any coloured male over 16 the chance to have a go and they would loan them a bike and leathers.</i>

Felt sorry for Bob and Danny because in 3 seasons they had a good team and won the league but still could not draw in enough of a crowd to run at a profit.

 

AND NOW ITS A BLUDDY CAR PARK!!!!!!!

[GARY POPPS]

<!--quoteo(post=1446037:date=Mar 25 2009, 12:59 AM:name=tmc)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tmc @ Mar 25 2009, 12:59 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1446037"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->He also recalled that, in their efforts to drum up entertainment for the fans, promoters Bob Dugard and Danny Dunton arranged for various 'acts' to appear at the Wood Lane venue, including rock band Hawkwind (of Silver Machine fame). They even had a female belly dancer performing in front of the crowd one night. Much more exciting than Gordon Kennett!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

 

I also seem to remember that they had go go dancers as well to try and pull in the crowds.

 

It was a crying shame about the lack of crowd as the houses and flats that made up the White City estate one would have thought that a lot more would have gone to support a local team.

<i>I also seem to remember that they were in trouble with the race relations board at one point when they offered any coloured male over 16 the chance to have a go and they would loan them a bike and leathers.</i>

Felt sorry for Bob and Danny because in 3 seasons they had a good team and won the league but still could not draw in enough of a crowd to run at a profit.

 

AND NOW ITS A BLUDDY CAR PARK!!!!!!!

 

Not sure if it will make anyone feel any better but the BBC only used the site as a car park until construction started on a new BBC building.

This building was completed in 1990 as is now known as the BBC Media Village, this is used among other things ,for the production of TOP GEAR and THE ONE SHOW.

[cityrebel]

speedway at the white city or the one show. it's a tough choice!.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

Not sure if it will make anyone feel any better but the BBC only used the site as a car park until construction started on a new BBC building.

This building was completed in 1990 as is now known as the BBC Media Village, this is used among other things ,for the production of TOP GEAR and THE ONE SHOW.

 

I hate that smug Christine Bleakley even more than ever now!!!