Wolfie456 Posted January 19, 2023 Report Share Posted January 19, 2023 8 hours ago, Beowulf said: I once looked into this i.e. the 2 tracks nearest to each other. The answer, unless someone can prove otherwise, was West Ham and Hackney who were only 3 miles apart. So that could be said to be the biggest derby. Certainly Wolves v Cradley had a ferocity to it that perhaps wasn't matched elsewhere, and I have seen fighting at those matches. Yes the only time you'd see 2 police officers walking on the terraces was at Wolves Cradley meetings never seen at any other meetings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 On 1/11/2023 at 11:16 PM, Wolfie456 said: The biggest derby in speedway. Oxford and Swindon took some beating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sweetman Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 57 minutes ago, steve roberts said: Oxford and Swindon took some beating. Nah...doesn't even come close,can't even call it a local derby being nearly 50 miles apart,where as Wolvo and Cradley is only eight as the crow flies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 (edited) 58 minutes ago, Tommy Sweetman said: Nah...doesn't even come close,can't even call it a local derby being nearly 50 miles apart,where as Wolvo and Cradley is only eight as the crow flies. Have to disagree. Try telling that to fans of "The Cheetahs", The Reading "Berks" and "The Budgies"...Oxford's and Swindon's rivalry went back to 1949 and matches between the two were always keenly anticipated with plenty of controversy mixed in down the years! Add in Reading (much later) and there was always a good mix at the various stadia and the fans from all three tracks were keen to get one over another! Edited February 1, 2023 by steve roberts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Jones Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 14 minutes ago, steve roberts said: Have to disagree. Trying telling that to fans of "The Cheetahs", The Reading "Berks" and "The Budgies"...Oxford's and Swindon's rivalry went back to 1949 and matches between the two were always keenly anticipated with plenty of controversy mixed in down the years! Add in Reading (much later) and there was always a good mix at the various stadia and the fans from all three tracks were keen to get one over another! I think you will find that the same applied to the Wolves/Cradley matches. I always made sure I got to theses matches & there was always a strong turn out of other Bees fans too. The attendances at both Monmore & Dudley Wood were always excellent, the atmosphere was something special & way above the usual. Wonderful days very sadly missed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skydog Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 27 minutes ago, steve roberts said: Have to disagree. Trying telling that to fans of "The Cheetahs", The Reading "Berks" and "The Budgies"...Oxford's and Swindon's rivalry went back to 1949 and matches between the two were always keenly anticipated with plenty of controversy mixed in down the years! Add in Reading (much later) and there was always a good mix at the various stadia and the fans from all three tracks were keen to get one over another! We had some great rows - sorry banter , with the coach load of Oxford fans that used to come and stand by us on the 2nd bend at Smallmead. It always ended civilly though with comments like "see you at the British Final". It was similar with Wolves fans but never ended on such good terms with them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 17 minutes ago, skydog said: We had some great rows - sorry banter , with the coach load of Oxford fans that used to come and stand by us on the 2nd bend at Smallmead. It always ended civilly though with comments like "see you at the British Final". It was similar with Wolves fans but never ended on such good terms with them! ...funny I had similar experiences with Wolves fans. There were a group of Cradley fans who used to visit Cowley and were quite frankly looking for trouble! Most fans mixed quite happily and, as you say, had rows but would often end civilly. Great days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pauldoveyspeedway Posted February 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 2 hours ago, Dave Jones said: I think you will find that the same applied to the Wolves/Cradley matches. I always made sure I got to theses matches & there was always a strong turn out of other Bees fans too. The attendances at both Monmore & Dudley Wood were always excellent, the atmosphere was something special & way above the usual. Wonderful days very sadly missed. Yeah...i agree....good old days ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sweetman Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 I would say some of the most fiercely held derbies would be between some of the old London tracks,only visited a few of them,some could be tasty,but wouldn't include Wimbledon they were far to civilised coming from the posh side of town lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 1, 2023 Report Share Posted February 1, 2023 1 hour ago, Tommy Sweetman said: I would say some of the most fiercely held derbies would be between some of the old London tracks,only visited a few of them,some could be tasty,but wouldn't include Wimbledon they were far to civilised coming from the posh side of town lol. I followed "The Rebels" to White City (although still following Oxford in the NL) but because they only ran for three years I guess it was too short to build up any sort of rivalry between Hackney and Wimbledon although London based "Rebels" may have felt different? Being an "out of towny" removed me from any direct link and/or close connection with the area so therefore didn't get the buzz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple.H. Posted February 2, 2023 Report Share Posted February 2, 2023 20 hours ago, Tommy Sweetman said: Nah...doesn't even come close,can't even call it a local derby being nearly 50 miles apart,where as Wolvo and Cradley is only eight as the crow flies. Think you need to recalibrate your AA roadmap 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sweetman Posted February 2, 2023 Report Share Posted February 2, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Triple.H. said: Think you need to recalibrate your AA roadmap Blame Alexa...Oxford to Swindon 48.4 miles.... Wolverhampton to Cradley 9.3 miles by road ...Talk about splitting hairs. Edited February 2, 2023 by Tommy Sweetman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple.H. Posted February 2, 2023 Report Share Posted February 2, 2023 1 hour ago, Tommy Sweetman said: Blame Alexa...Oxford to Swindon 48.4 miles.... Wolverhampton to Cradley 9.3 miles by road ...Talk about splitting hairs. Oxford to Swindon is about 30 miles 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bojangles Posted February 2, 2023 Report Share Posted February 2, 2023 18 minutes ago, Triple.H. said: Oxford to Swindon is about 30 miles Exactly. And even closer as the crow flies, less than 25 miles I'd imagine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sweetman Posted February 2, 2023 Report Share Posted February 2, 2023 It's a pity this topic didn't go under'Local Derbies'...Parry,s Sponsorship should have been in the Wolves thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 2, 2023 Report Share Posted February 2, 2023 3 hours ago, Tommy Sweetman said: It's a pity this topic didn't go under'Local Derbies'...Parry,s Sponsorship should have been in the Wolves thread. Problem is what qualifies as a "local derby?" My interpretation is your nearest rival track? Ipswich & King's Lynn, Coventry & Leicester, Boston & Peterborough, Belle Vue & Sheffield etc etc were alll seen as "local derbies" to the fans who supported those teams. Who were Birmingham's closest rivals...Cradley or Wolves? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted February 3, 2023 Report Share Posted February 3, 2023 (edited) As a Brummie watching the Wolves v Cradley in the Black Country derbies was surreal. Standing on the terraces at Monmore Green in between the two, listening to two sets of fans abuse each set of riders, each other and Brendan Kearney in some kind of foreign language was amazing. Edited February 3, 2023 by Deano 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pauldoveyspeedway Posted February 3, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2023 12 minutes ago, Deano said: As a Brummie watching the Wolves v Cradley in the Black Country derbies was surreal. Standing on the terraces at Monmore Green in between the two, listening to two sets of fans abuse each set of riders, each other and Brendan Kearney in some kind of foreign language was amazing. Fab crowds at M.G and Dudley wood ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie456 Posted February 3, 2023 Report Share Posted February 3, 2023 17 minutes ago, Deano said: As a Brummie watching the Wolves v Cradley in the Black Country derbies was surreal. Standing on the terraces at Monmore Green in between the two, listening to two sets of fans abuse each set of riders, each other and Brendan Kearney in some kind of foreign language was amazing. As I said nothing like Cradley Wolves matches.Though the atmosphere did unfortunately get toxic on a lot of occasions.Had to stop taking my mother to Dudley wood after she threatened to brain a spoon fan with her umbrella for abusing Ole Olsen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted February 3, 2023 Report Share Posted February 3, 2023 1 hour ago, Wolfie456 said: As I said nothing like Cradley Wolves matches.Though the atmosphere did unfortunately get toxic on a lot of occasions.Had to stop taking my mother to Dudley wood after she threatened to brain a spoon fan with her umbrella for abusing Ole Olsen. It did. My own mom and dad talk fondly of the moment Big Arthur touched/fenced* Ole Olsen at PB once and Browning got excluded. The place went into orbit! *view depended on whether you were a Brummie or bee fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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