Attendances 1964-65

[BOBBATH]

Gustix's topic of 80,000 attendances in 1946 got me thinking of attendances in 64-65(the golden year). I have the idea that attendances greatly increased in 1965. For example in the Star of 4 Sept 1964-the report on the British Final at Wembley said the attendance was 32,000. This was a big meeting as the qualifying riders went to the World Final, so 32,000 doesn't sound that great for that time. (BTW and off topic-the meeting report -presumably by either Paul Parish or Philip Rising-was most erudite and in perfect English-which IMHO shows how the usage of the English language has declined since then). As many will recall that was the year that Brian Brett had led the qualifiers to the British Final and was considered a certainty to get to the WF and maybe even become British Champion-but crashed out-who would have thunk it.!!

Anyway getting back to 1965- and I'm talking about meetings at tracks other than the Wembley World Final - does anybody know what the big attendances were. For example at Newport (and thanx for bringing it up billybikes)- at the GB v. Soviet test of 1965 -the place was packed to the gills-no question-maybe 20,000 ,10,000, who knows. The stadiums I went to in 1965 e.g. Swindon, Cradley Heath always seemed packed -in my view at least to the level of third Division soccer or maybe more. Does anybody know the size of the crowds in those halcyon days.?? Wish we could bring 'em back.

[The White Knight]

Gustix's topic of 80,000 attendances in 1946 got me thinking of attendances in 64-65(the golden year). I have the idea that attendances greatly increased in 1965. For example in the Star of 4 Sept 1964-the report on the British Final at Wembley said the attendance was 32,000. This was a big meeting as the qualifying riders went to the World Final, so 32,000 doesn't sound that great for that time. (BTW and off topic-the meeting report -presumably by either Paul Parish or Philip Rising-was most erudite and in perfect English-which IMHO shows how the usage of the English language has declined since then). As many will recall that was the year that Brian Brett had led the qualifiers to the British Final and was considered a certainty to get to the WF and maybe even become British Champion-but crashed out-who would have thunk it.!!

Anyway getting back to 1965- and I'm talking about meetings at tracks other than the Wembley World Final - does anybody know what the big attendances were. For example at Newport (and thanx for bringing it up billybikes)- at the GB v. Soviet test of 1965 -the place was packed to the gills-no question-maybe 20,000 ,10,000, who knows. The stadiums I went to in 1965 e.g. Swindon, Cradley Heath always seemed packed -in my view at least to the level of third Division soccer or maybe more. Does anybody know the size of the crowds in those halcyon days.?? Wish we could bring 'em back.

The Days - or - the Crowds BOBBATH?

 

Both for me.

[BOBBATH]

Both whitenight both

Don't know why there is a line going thru' my response!! but my comment stands-

More on this subject-does anybody recall the TV show "Tonight" with Cliff Michelmore, sometime in 1963 there was an item on speedway -Michelmore was at a track and the gist of the piece was that more people went to see tracks where there was more exciting racing although they had less famous riders-clearly he must have been talking about the Prov. league vs. the Nats.. Anyone recall this, further does anyone recall the size of the crowds at the Prov. League (best league ever) in 1964??

[billybikespeedway]

Hi all 1965 Russia test match crowd reported a Somerton Park capacity of 25,000, Plechanov and Kurilenko Both Broke the track record Class riders

[arnieg]

 

Here are some 1964 attendances:

 

National League

West Ham reopener 12,000 (East London Adveriser 10/4) increased to 15,000 at 3^rd mtg ( ELA 24/4); 26/5 v Swin – 8,000 (Swindon Evng Adveriser 27/5)

Wimbledon – 7,000

Swindon v Oxford - 10,000 (Swin Evng Advertiser 28/3)

Norwich v Oxo 6428 (Ox Mail 27/4)

Coventry - averaging over 5,000 (Cov Express 11/9)

Only Oxford had 'poor' crowds

• Oxford v Cov crowd 2,000 - one of smallest for years (Ox Mail 26/5)

• Oxford v BV - 3000 (Ox Mail 8/5)

• ave crowd one third of other NL venues (Ox Mail 27/5; and 21.5 programme)

• crowd increases slightly to 3,700 after 300 comps given away (Ox Mail 5/6 )

 

Provincial League

White City - 8-10,000 (Glasgow Evng Citizen 2/4)

M'brough - 7,000 [Middlesbrough EvngGazette]

Poole - capacity crowd, 300 locked out

Exeter v Poole - 7,000 [Poole &Dorset Herald 1.4.64]

Sheffield v Crad - 7,500 (Wolv. Express &Star 28/3)

Newcastle v Midd - 8,000 for (M,borgh Evng Gazette 21.4.64)

Newport v Poole - 12.000 (Poole & Dorset Herald 6.5.64)

Edinburgh - 8,000 (3 different meetings reported in Wolves Express & Star 18/5, Midd. Evng Gazette 27/4 and Edin Evng News & Despatch 6/4)

Hackney v Poole - 4,500 (Hack Gazette 19/6)

 

General tenor of crowd reporting for 1964 was that crowds were up in both leagues with Oxford being the notable exception.

[norbold]

Here are some 1964 attendances:

 

 

National League

West Ham reopener 12,000 (East London Adveriser 10/4) increased to 15,000 at 3^rd mtg ( ELA 24/4)

If it hadn't have been for me and my mate, John, those attendances would have been 11,998 and 14,998!

[BOBBATH]

Thanx Arnieg -most interesting stuff on the PL and NL attendances in 1964- I would guess the 1965 attendances went up and were even higher with the merger into the BL, were there some big say +10,000 crowds in 65? Was interested in the poor attendance at Oxford in 1964-after all they were all powerful that year.

My impression now is that crowds of less than 1,000 may occur -unthinkable back then!! How on earth do the tracks keep going-guess you have to go to Poland to see big crowds at League meetings these days!!

[lucifer sam]

Was interested in the poor attendance at Oxford in 1964-after all they were all powerful that year.

 

It would be interesting to see if crowds picked up in the latter part of the 1964 season, as Cheetahs homed in on the treble. But the combination of an all-powerful team and low (compared to other tracks) crowds probably explains why the promoters at Oxford that season were one-season wonders and were never seen again, and left between them a trail of debt. Danny Dunton (promoter at Oxford 1965-1975) once said it took him years after that to re-establish goodwill with local businesses, since Rycroft and Melville had left so many bills unpaid.

 

In contrast, crowds at Oxford in 1984, 1985 and 1986 were good compared to other tracks, and that’s why that period of success was more sustainable and carried on throughout the late 1980s. Mind you, as good as Arne Pander and Ron How had been, we’d never quite had a rider before like Hans Nielsen, a genuine contender for World Champion each and every season, while Simon Wigg was pure box office. Nielsen, Wiggy, the rest of a highly-competitive side (my favourites were Cocker and Rambo), a newly reshaped track which allowed far better racing around Sandy Lane, plus good promotion and presentation added up to a winning combination in getting the fans through the turnstiles. Maybe several aspects of that were missing in 1964.

 

I believe the crowds in the early-to-mid 70s at Cowley were very healthy, far better than 1964, despite the fact the team was nothing to write home about. I'm sure Steve Roberts can add to this, since the Rebels were very much 'his era' at Oxford.

 

All the best

Rob

Edited March 31, 2017 by lucifer sam

[keef robin]

Swindon were always one of the best supported clubs, still are. 60s crowds were said to average around 4-5000, with up to 10000 for big matches. Biggest crowd I've been in at The Abbey late 70s, gates locked with 16-17000 inside!

Loads climbed in.

Only get around 1200 now, but if the new stadium is built will be a big increase.

[steve roberts]

Swindon were always one of the best supported clubs, still are. 60s crowds were said to average around 4-5000, with up to 10000 for big matches. Biggest crowd I've been in at The Abbey late 70s, gates locked with 16-17000 inside!

Loads climbed in.

Only get around 1200 now, but if the new stadium is built will be a big increase.

...a big if!

 

It would be interesting to see if crowds picked up in the latter part of the 1964 season, as Cheetahs homed in on the treble. But the combination of an all-powerful team and low (compared to other tracks) crowds probably explains why the promoters at Oxford that season were one-season wonders and were never seen again, and left between them a trail of debt. Danny Dunton (promoter at Oxford 1965-1975) once said it took him years after that to re-establish goodwill with local businesses, since Rycroft and Melville had left so many bills unpaid.

 

In contrast, crowds at Oxford in 1984, 1985 and 1986 were good compared to other tracks, and that’s why that period of success was more sustainable and carried on throughout the late 1980s. Mind you, as good as Arne Pander and Ron How had been, we’d never quite had a rider before like Hans Nielsen, a genuine contender for World Champion each and every season, while Simon Wigg was pure box office. Nielsen, Wiggy, the rest of a highly-competitive side (my favourites were Cocker and Rambo), a newly reshaped track which allowed far better racing around Sandy Lane, plus good promotion and presentation added up to a winning combination in getting the fans through the turnstiles. Maybe several aspects of that were missing in 1964.

 

I believe the crowds in the early-to-mid 70s at Cowley were very healthy, far better than 1964, despite the fact the team was nothing to write home about. I'm sure Steve Roberts can add to this, since the Rebels were very much 'his era' at Oxford.

 

All the best

Rob

Certainly can Rob!

 

The crowds were very good during 'The Rebel' years. Tailed off significantly when the promotion moved to White City and it took time to build up interest again before things really took off during the Nielsen era!

 

Great days!

Edited April 1, 2017 by steve roberts