Glasgow Tigers , The Nomads Of Speedway

[Paulco]

I remember Backtrack magazine doing a piece on this a couple of years back , it really is incredible we're still going considering the amount of times we've had to upsticks and move house .

I was 9 when my Dad first took me to the White City track in 1968 , which turned out to be the final season there as it made way for the M8 motorway . I actually thought i was going to the football first time i went as it wasn't too far from Glasgow Rangers' ground . Dont really remember too much about it , apart from finding a ten shilling note on the ground one night and my father taking care of it for me , and a spectacular crash between Glasgow's Bo Josefsson and Edinburgh's George Hunter when the two locked together coming up the home straight and demolishing the starting gate .

It was Hampden Park next , a couple of thousand of us crammed into the main stand and the rest of the huge stadium empty , hardly condusive to atmospheric speedway . Charlie Monk and Jim McMillan were my heroes in those days , though again memories are sketchy . The sad death on track of SveIn Kassa , when he clipped Martin Ashby's back wheel and shot up into the air , is sadly one of the vivid ones . Old Jimmy Beaton wanting to fight anyone who remotely went near Bobby on track , opposition or team mates , didnt matter which haha . And a Nordic - British final where Ivan Mauger rode with a plaster cast on his foot being the ones that immediately spring to mind .

Coatbridge next , what a dump but i loved the place . The roof on the back straight terrace had more holes than actual roof and you got soaked when it rained , the pee used to flow out of the door of the lavvys , but the track was amazing . Huge scary bankings were awesome . One night it staged a Scotland v Norway test match , the pipe band were strutting their stuff on track before the meeting , shame the referee never noticed them before sending the riders out for heat 1 and forced them to scatter ...........or maybe he did .

Blantyre 1 was a culture shock after Coatbridge , after the huge bankings it was a tight wee trick track . Though i grew to love the place and watch in awe at Steve Lawson rule supreme around it . Even Bruce Penhall had to play second fiddle to God round there .

Blantyre 2 was an awful place , D shaped track , crap teams apart from Super Steve , and a sad eviction which saw us trying to see the season out at Workington . Even only charging one pound on the supporters bus couldn't tempt folk to make the journey , and changing the name to Workington Tigers couldn't tempt the locals to go . So we were out of the league .

But we re-emerged at Shawfield the following year , and the glory part of Glasgow's history was about to begin . The National Trophy success of 1990 was the springboard to unprecedented glory . KO Cup runners up to the mighty Arena Essex side after a replay in 1991 , the only 2nd tier side to eliminate a top flight club in 1992's inter league cup , what an atmosphere as we won a heat 15 decider against Cradley Heath . Robert Nagy winning the 1992 Div 2 Riders Championship at Coventry after a shambolic series of run offs against Mick Poole . And then League and Cup double success in 93 and 94 . 95 saw us nearly fold again as the ill conceived league amalgamation crippled us . 96 saw us without a team and Edinburgh without a track , so the Scottish Monarchs was born . Another daft idea that saw Monarchs fans refusing to watch their team at Glasgow and us turning up to cheer the opposition . Not a great success , but it did keep speedway in Scotland alive .

But 97 saw us back , but only for another couple of seasons at Shawfield , before 99 saw us open at our present home of Ashfield . A couple of financial scares , a couple of attempts by residents and planners to force us out , another few pieces of silverware , and we're still going . By the skin of our teeth a few times , but we seem to be speedway's great survivors .

 

 

 

[The White Knight]

And long may Glasgow's survival last Paulco. Let's hope for many more years of Speedway in your City.

[cityrebel]

An excellent post paulco and an excellent insight into the roving history of the tiggers. I've been to the last four of the glasgow tracks plus the last ever workington tigers against my wimbledon dons. After a good few years at ashfield you must be due to move again!

[The White Knight]

An excellent post paulco and an excellent insight into the roving history of the tiggers. I've been to the last four of the glasgow tracks plus the last ever workington tigers against my wimbledon dons. After a good few years at ashfield you must be due to move again!

 

Let's hope not.

[25yearfan]

Excellent piece by someone who has certainly been a commited Glasgow speedway fan!

 

Glasgow speedway has certainly had a colourful and chequered past!

 

You should count yourself lucky that beings Glasgows such a big City, you've had other venues available after losing a previous track!

 

I often wonder had White City near to Glasgow Rangers FC survived then would speedway in Glasgow be more popular?

 

I loved going to Hampden Park, what a venue, particularly when speedway was there with its huge terraces. Unfortunately this venue was too big!

 

The 1980's were mainly a very lean period spell for the club. The 2nd Blantyre venue would be a poor 3rd Division venue.

 

Glasgow have done well to keep going.

 

I'd love to see a National League team open up somewhere in Scotland to help produce some Scottish riders something of which we haven't seen much of lately!

 

Any potential venues in Scotland for a National League team?

 

 

[Falcon Hammer]

Jon Cook was recently talking about a scheme to help develop juniors in Scotland. Not sure of the finer details, but the idea is that once they acquire a first team place, the said team will then make repayments - personally I think this is fantastic, forward thinking as Scotland desparately need more riders

[cyclone]

Coatbridge next , what a dump but i loved the place . The roof on the back straight terrace had more holes than actual roof and you got soaked when it rained , the pee used to flow out of the door of the lavvys , but the track was amazing . Huge scary bankings were awesome . One night it staged a Scotland v Norway test match , the pipe band were strutting their stuff on track before the meeting , shame the referee never noticed them before sending the riders out for heat 1 and forced them to scatter ...........or maybe he did .

 

 

 

 

I was told that the ref that night, Ernie Chapman, was accompanied by his dog into the ref's box as usual.

 

However on this occassion Fido decided to jump up and it's paw hit the tapes release button

[The White Knight]

 

I was told that the ref that night, Ernie Chapman, was accompanied by his dog into the ref's box as usual.

 

However on this occassion Fido decided to jump up and it's paw hit the tapes release button

 

Obviously this Meeting was dogged with problems from the Start. :rofl: :rofl:

Edited March 12, 2014 by The White Knight

[stratton]

I remember Backtrack magazine doing a piece on this a couple of years back , it really is incredible we're still going considering the amount of times we've had to upsticks and move house .

I was 9 when my Dad first took me to the White City track in 1968 , which turned out to be the final season there as it made way for the M8 motorway . I actually thought i was going to the football first time i went as it wasn't too far from Glasgow Rangers' ground . Dont really remember too much about it , apart from finding a ten shilling note on the ground one night and my father taking care of it for me , and a spectacular crash between Glasgow's Bo Josefsson and Edinburgh's George Hunter when the two locked together coming up the home straight and demolishing the starting gate .

It was Hampden Park next , a couple of thousand of us crammed into the main stand and the rest of the huge stadium empty , hardly condusive to atmospheric speedway . Charlie Monk and Jim McMillan were my heroes in those days , though again memories are sketchy . The sad death on track of SveIn Kassa , when he clipped Martin Ashby's back wheel and shot up into the air , is sadly one of the vivid ones . Old Jimmy Beaton wanting to fight anyone who remotely went near Bobby on track , opposition or team mates , didnt matter which haha . And a Nordic - British final where Ivan Mauger rode with a plaster cast on his foot being the ones that immediately spring to mind .

Coatbridge next , what a dump but i loved the place . The roof on the back straight terrace had more holes than actual roof and you got soaked when it rained , the pee used to flow out of the door of the lavvys , but the track was amazing . Huge scary bankings were awesome . One night it staged a Scotland v Norway test match , the pipe band were strutting their stuff on track before the meeting , shame the referee never noticed them before sending the riders out for heat 1 and forced them to scatter ...........or maybe he did .

Blantyre 1 was a culture shock after Coatbridge , after the huge bankings it was a tight wee trick track . Though i grew to love the place and watch in awe at Steve Lawson rule supreme around it . Even Bruce Penhall had to play second fiddle to God round there .

Blantyre 2 was an awful place , D shaped track , crap teams apart from Super Steve , and a sad eviction which saw us trying to see the season out at Workington . Even only charging one pound on the supporters bus couldn't tempt folk to make the journey , and changing the name to Workington Tigers couldn't tempt the locals to go . So we were out of the league .

But we re-emerged at Shawfield the following year , and the glory part of Glasgow's history was about to begin . The National Trophy success of 1990 was the springboard to unprecedented glory . KO Cup runners up to the mighty Arena Essex side after a replay in 1991 , the only 2nd tier side to eliminate a top flight club in 1992's inter league cup , what an atmosphere as we won a heat 15 decider against Cradley Heath . Robert Nagy winning the 1992 Div 2 Riders Championship at Coventry after a shambolic series of run offs against Mick Poole . And then League and Cup double success in 93 and 94 . 95 saw us nearly fold again as the ill conceived league amalgamation crippled us . 96 saw us without a team and Edinburgh without a track , so the Scottish Monarchs was born . Another daft idea that saw Monarchs fans refusing to watch their team at Glasgow and us turning up to cheer the opposition . Not a great success , but it did keep speedway in Scotland alive .

But 97 saw us back , but only for another couple of seasons at Shawfield , before 99 saw us open at our present home of Ashfield . A couple of financial scares , a couple of attempts by residents and planners to force us out , another few pieces of silverware , and we're still going . By the skin of our teeth a few times , but we seem to be speedway's great survivors .

 

Great post great memories, Charlie Monk did he ever smile ? Jimmy Mac was a favourite of mine but as you said Paulco Lawson was a legend. The team often took a few battering,s away from home but Steve often carried the ship.

[Paulco]

Great post great memories, Charlie Monk did he ever smile ? Jimmy Mac was a favourite of mine but as you said Paulco Lawson was a legend. The team often took a few battering,s away from home but Steve often carried the ship.

On our away trips the war cry had to wait till heat 8 when Super Steve was on a taccy

[BuckTaylor64]

You didn't try and finish a season at Workington, you tried to run a full season there in 1987.

 

The promotion were intending to move to Roseberry Park, however that died a death.

[lucifer sam]

I remember Backtrack magazine doing a piece on this a couple of years back , it really is incredible we're still going considering the amount of times we've had to upsticks and move house .

I was 9 when my Dad first took me to the White City track in 1968 , which turned out to be the final season there as it made way for the M8 motorway . I actually thought i was going to the football first time i went as it wasn't too far from Glasgow Rangers' ground . Dont really remember too much about it , apart from finding a ten shilling note on the ground one night and my father taking care of it for me , and a spectacular crash between Glasgow's Bo Josefsson and Edinburgh's George Hunter when the two locked together coming up the home straight and demolishing the starting gate .

It was Hampden Park next , a couple of thousand of us crammed into the main stand and the rest of the huge stadium empty , hardly condusive to atmospheric speedway . Charlie Monk and Jim McMillan were my heroes in those days , though again memories are sketchy . The sad death on track of SveIn Kassa , when he clipped Martin Ashby's back wheel and shot up into the air , is sadly one of the vivid ones . Old Jimmy Beaton wanting to fight anyone who remotely went near Bobby on track , opposition or team mates , didnt matter which haha . And a Nordic - British final where Ivan Mauger rode with a plaster cast on his foot being the ones that immediately spring to mind .

Coatbridge next , what a dump but i loved the place . The roof on the back straight terrace had more holes than actual roof and you got soaked when it rained , the pee used to flow out of the door of the lavvys , but the track was amazing . Huge scary bankings were awesome . One night it staged a Scotland v Norway test match , the pipe band were strutting their stuff on track before the meeting , shame the referee never noticed them before sending the riders out for heat 1 and forced them to scatter ...........or maybe he did .

Blantyre 1 was a culture shock after Coatbridge , after the huge bankings it was a tight wee trick track . Though i grew to love the place and watch in awe at Steve Lawson rule supreme around it . Even Bruce Penhall had to play second fiddle to God round there .

Blantyre 2 was an awful place , D shaped track , crap teams apart from Super Steve , and a sad eviction which saw us trying to see the season out at Workington . Even only charging one pound on the supporters bus couldn't tempt folk to make the journey , and changing the name to Workington Tigers couldn't tempt the locals to go . So we were out of the league .

But we re-emerged at Shawfield the following year , and the glory part of Glasgow's history was about to begin . The National Trophy success of 1990 was the springboard to unprecedented glory . KO Cup runners up to the mighty Arena Essex side after a replay in 1991 , the only 2nd tier side to eliminate a top flight club in 1992's inter league cup , what an atmosphere as we won a heat 15 decider against Cradley Heath . Robert Nagy winning the 1992 Div 2 Riders Championship at Coventry after a shambolic series of run offs against Mick Poole . And then League and Cup double success in 93 and 94 . 95 saw us nearly fold again as the ill conceived league amalgamation crippled us . 96 saw us without a team and Edinburgh without a track , so the Scottish Monarchs was born . Another daft idea that saw Monarchs fans refusing to watch their team at Glasgow and us turning up to cheer the opposition . Not a great success , but it did keep speedway in Scotland alive .

But 97 saw us back , but only for another couple of seasons at Shawfield , before 99 saw us open at our present home of Ashfield . A couple of financial scares , a couple of attempts by residents and planners to force us out , another few pieces of silverware , and we're still going . By the skin of our teeth a few times , but we seem to be speedway's great survivors .

 

 

 

 

It is amazing how many times Glasgow have changed their track - I think it's easily the most for a team. A testament to the never say die attitude of both Tigers' promoters and supporters alike.

 

Are the planning laws different in Scotland? it would be nearly impossible to move around like that in England. It can take tracks up to 30 years to find somewhere else to race.

 

My main early memory of Glasgow was an Oxford v Glasgow meeting in 1983. We were two points behind going into the final race, and Steve Lawson had been living up to his God billing that night - no-one could get within half a lap of him. But in Heat 16, Nigel Sparshott and Ian Clark flew out of the gate, team-rode for four laps and Steve Lawson could not get by. 49-47 to Oxford. Not many fans in the stadium doing those NL days, but those who were went mental!!!

 

That was a fine Glasgow team that year - also included Jim McMillan.

 

 

All the best

Rob

Edited March 17, 2014 by lucifer sam