Hackney 1991 Season

[Guest]

What league and division did Hackney compete in for the 1991 season please?

[norbold]

Hackney were in the BL Div 2 in 1991 but didn't complete the season, closing in July.

Edited October 9, 2015 by norbold

[Guest]

Hackney were in the BL Div 2 in 1991.

Thank you very much norbold.

Edited October 14, 2015 by Guest

[Mike.Butler]

I saw them at rye house that year just before they closed.

Rye didn't even know if that fixture was going to take place and when it did the Hawks were missing their expensive 1990 signings. Even so they put up a good fist of it with recent signing Richard Hellsen on board before losing 51-39 after conceding 5-1's in heat 14 and 15..

I think this may have been their last away match (14th July)

match was followed by..Rye House juniors 15 Hackney juniors 12

[moxey63]

HACKNEY suffered floodlight failure during their April 12 World Championship quarterfinal, leaving part of the stadium in darkness after five heats, the meeting abandoned for safety reasons. Later it was discovered the night’s takings, thought to be in the region of £10,000, had been stolen during a break in at the speedway office, although there was no visible sign of forced entry.

It was a continuation of problems for new owner Derek Howes who under the six-heat rule had to admit the crowd in free for the meeting’s restaging.

Hackney closed for financial reasons a couple of months later, the last home meeting in the KO Cup against Newcastle on July 5. A last-minute rescue attempt failed, meaning there would not be speedway in the Capital for the first time in the sport’s history.

Hackney raced 10 league, 10 Gold Cup and 2 KO Cup matches. They won just five of them.

 

HACKNEY 1991 Division Two

Whitaker, Paul 8.74

Olsson, Tony 7.79

Hamnett, Dave 6.57

Kalina, Vladimir 5.81

Warren, Michael 5.38

Hellsen, Richard 5.13

Karnas, Pavel 4.36

Pollard, Roland 2.25

Hunter, Tim 2.21

Phillips, Simon 2.00

Hardy, Julian 0.00

Sandford, Ricky 0.00

 

Source: Alan Robertson British Speedway Leagues 1991-2014. A terrific book indeed!

Edited October 18, 2015 by moxey63

[cityrebel]

I remember the collection buckets going around the stadium during the Newcastle match in an attempt to raise funds. It felt like the last rites for speedway in london with Wimbledon and hackney closing within weeks of each other.

[Terry]

I remember the collection buckets going around the stadium during the Newcastle match in an attempt to raise funds. It felt like the last rites for speedway in london with Wimbledon and hackney closing within weeks of each other.

 

That was a horrible time for us fans. What made it worse was we'd recently lost our no.1 Paul Whittaker to a badly broken arm, so bad in fact that there were real fears he might lose it.

 

He was riding better than at any time in his career at that point, and was being talked about for an England place. I think he rode for Rye House and then Middlesbrough when he recovered, but he was a shadow of the rider he was.

 

The big 'resurrection' as the London Lions in 96 was of course, a bit of a disaster to put it mildly. We had a pretty good team, with a top 2 to match anyone in Leigh Adams and Kelvin Tatum.

 

It wasn't a good track though, after being used to great racing at the 'Wick', it was very disappointing. I think it was only Crumpy, Hamill and Hancock who liked it. I know Leigh was critical of it, even though he scored plenty of course.

 

I followed Arena/Lakeside for a while after Hackneys first closure, but it just wasn't the same. There will only be one team for me.

 

"UP THE HAWKS!"

[Andy Downes]

 

That was a horrible time for us fans. What made it worse was we'd recently lost our no.1 Paul Whittaker to a badly broken arm, so bad in fact that there were real fears he might lose it.

 

He was riding better than at any time in his career at that point, and was being talked about for an England place. I think he rode for Rye House and then Middlesbrough when he recovered, but he was a shadow of the rider he was.

 

The big 'resurrection' as the London Lions in 96 was of course, a bit of a disaster to put it mildly. We had a pretty good team, with a top 2 to match anyone in Leigh Adams and Kelvin Tatum.

 

It wasn't a good track though, after being used to great racing at the 'Wick', it was very disappointing. I think it was only Crumpy, Hamill and Hancock who liked it. I know Leigh was critical of it, even though he scored plenty of course.

 

I followed Arena/Lakeside for a while after Hackneys first closure, but it just wasn't the same. There will only be one team for me.

 

"UP THE HAWKS!"

Couldn't agree more about 1991 - it didn't help that we had a new promoter who seemed patently out of his depth and having the worst team since the Kestrels moved from Crayford.

 

I couldn't get the enthusiasm to support Arena/Lakeside, and have never gone on a regular basis since

[BOBBATH]

Ah!! Hackney at Waterden Road, in 1967 recall catching the speedway special bus from Stratford Underground-it wended its way up Carpenters Road(street of a thousand smells)- can anybody tell me what is on the Waterden Road site now-something to do with the Olympics perhaps. A goddam shame Hackney's speedway home is gone(but not forgotten)!!

[Reviresco]

I first travelled to Hackney in my Austin 1100, along the Eastern Avenue, down Leyton Road, then up Carpenters Road (I remember the smells) and park at the bottom of Waterden Road and walk up from there. There used to be a decent fast food place in Leyton that some of the riders used to stop at after meetings.

 

The Media Centre for the 2012 Olympics was built on the site of the Hackney Wick stadium. Since the Olympics, the Centre has been renamed Here East and the following links provide info on what is going on here, including a home for BT Sport:

 

http://queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/the-park/business/here-east

 

http://hereeast.com/discover/buildings/

[Terry]

Couldn't agree more about 1991 - it didn't help that we had a new promoter who seemed patently out of his depth and having the worst team since the Kestrels moved from Crayford.

 

I couldn't get the enthusiasm to support Arena/Lakeside, and have never gone on a regular basis since

 

I think the writing was on the wall when we lost both Andy Galvin and Steve Schofield. We signed Tony Olsson who did ok, but we were badly understrength.

I seem to recall Vladimir Kalina showing some potential, along with some battling displays from Michael Warren and Dave Hamnett. (Sad to think they're both no longer with us.)

 

All that's left now is to bask in the glow of 1988.

[Andy Downes]

 

I think the writing was on the wall when we lost both Andy Galvin and Steve Schofield. We signed Tony Olsson who did ok, but we were badly understrength.

I seem to recall Vladimir Kalina showing some potential, along with some battling displays from Michael Warren and Dave Hamnett. (Sad to think they're both no longer with us.)

 

All that's left now is to bask in the glow of 1988.

I Knew Michael Warren died of cancer but I didn't know Dave Hamnett had died - assume was it an illness as I don't recall him losing his life in a track crash

[salty]

Certainly some bad memories. Strange that Hackney and Wimbledon would close so (relatively) soon after having such strong seasons in the late 80's.

Having said that, my own personal circumstances meant that I couldn't afford to attend from 1990 onwards, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one in those economically difficult times.

[BOBBATH]

I first travelled to Hackney in my Austin 1100, along the Eastern Avenue, down Leyton Road, then up Carpenters Road (I remember the smells) and park at the bottom of Waterden Road and walk up from there. There used to be a decent fast food place in Leyton that some of the riders used to stop at after meetings.

 

The Media Centre for the 2012 Olympics was built on the site of the Hackney Wick stadium. Since the Olympics, the Centre has been renamed Here East and the following links provide info on what is going on here, including a home for BT Sport:

 

http://queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/the-park/business/here-east

 

http://hereeast.com/discover/buildings/

Thanx Macca, went to those websites-at least there is still a Waterden Road, not sure re Carpenters Road. A thing that stuck in my mind was that in the Hackney programmes in the sixties job adverts. for Lesney's makers of Matchbox toys under the heading "GET A BETTER JOB IN HACKNEY-you could apply at Eastway next to the stadium-wot happened to all those jobs available in the sixties!! Wot went wrong since then I ask.I remember practically zero unemployment. Its a tragedy.

[Terry]

Certainly some bad memories. Strange that Hackney and Wimbledon would close so (relatively) soon after having such strong seasons in the late 80's.

Having said that, my own personal circumstances meant that I couldn't afford to attend from 1990 onwards, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one in those economically difficult times.

 

If I remember correctly Russell Lanning wanted British League racing at Plough lane in 1990, mainly so he could hold on to Todd Wiltshire. He'd signed Andy Galvin, and was after Leigh Adams. For one reason or another they didn't move up and Lanning left.

 

I think it started going downhill for them then, because Russell and his father Dave did a great job in turning 'the enemy' into one of the most talked about clubs in the league.

 

We had some great battles down the years, including of course the all London ko final of 88. Which Hackney won comfortably.

[Chadster]

I used to take the train over to Hackney Wick station and walk to the track. Retraced that Journey earlier this year. I walked up to the canal and all was as I remembered it. Walked over the bridge and it was a completely different world. If I hadn't have known where I was I wouldn't have known where I was, if you follow me. Brought back some happy memories, though.

 

If I remember correctly Russell Lanning wanted British League racing at Plough lane in 1990, mainly so he could hold on to Todd Wiltshire. He'd signed Andy Galvin, and was after Leigh Adams. For one reason or another they didn't move up and Lanning left.

 

I think it started going downhill for them then, because Russell and his father Dave did a great job in turning 'the enemy' into one of the most talked about clubs in the league.

 

We had some great battles down the years, including of course the all London ko final of 88. Which Hackney won comfortably.

 

I think Lanning was after Jeremy Doncaster as a no 1. i always think we should have gone up and built the team around Wiltshire, who was actually terrific that season at Reading. Once Lanning went, the sparkle went out of Plough Lane and I think the closure became inevitable. A pity Russell Lanning was lost to the sport, he was far and away the best promoter at any track I attende regularly.

[Terry]

I used to take the train over to Hackney Wick station and walk to the track. Retraced that Journey earlier this year. I walked up to the canal and all was as I remembered it. Walked over the bridge and it was a completely different world. If I hadn't have known where I was I wouldn't have known where I was, if you follow me. Brought back some happy memories, though.

 

I think Lanning was after Jeremy Doncaster as a no 1. i always think we should have gone up and built the team around Wiltshire, who was actually terrific that season at Reading. Once Lanning went, the sparkle went out of Plough Lane and I think the closure became inevitable. A pity Russell Lanning was lost to the sport, he was far and away the best promoter at any track I attende regularly.

 

You're right, it was Jeremy. I remember top flight teams showing little interest in Todd, thinking he was 'not forceful enough' for the British league. Reading signed him at the last minute and he won the league for them, ending the year with a higher average than the world champion!

[Terry]

I Knew Michael Warren died of cancer but I didn't know Dave Hamnett had died - assume was it an illness as I don't recall him losing his life in a track crash

 

Dave died in a motocross crash in 2006.

[norbold]

I used to walk to Hackney. Twenty minutes across the marshes.