BLACKLEY CHALLENGE - posted 4 February 2012

Over last week or two, and somewhat tongue in cheek, I prompted John Whiting to pull his finger out regards the Manchester track but now, having seen the plans on the FC United website, the track would be swallowed up within the development site.  The question to be asked is, would the track in full use have survived such a large development, let alone after years of none use?

A little too late is perhaps the moral to this story but on another note, my brother walks his dogs up to the old Blackley track within Heaton Park, which is still there and vastly overgrown.  Another tongue-in-cheek conversation a couple of years ago with the powers that be within the park and a forwarding letter on to the Council, the reply was "with a business plan and proof of funding the track could possibly be developed" - especially with all the parking facilities now on the
Sheepfoot Lane entrance, which is close to the track area.

Just a thought!  Come on JW - pull your finger out!!!
 
Paul Graham

BROADHURST REVIVAL SHOULDN'T BE RULED OUT - posted 3 February 2012

Interesting to read all the various points on the defunct Broadhurst Park track in Manchester. I only rode there once but was impressed in aspects by the facility.
 
I do not think we should completely rule out any prospect of reviving this venue.  Certainly, it would seem an uphill struggle, not least because, as John Whiting says, of the current shortage of riders in the North West.
 
Does not the location of the track hold some hope? I am sure if we could find someone willing to come forward from Manchester who would be willing to explore prospects, then the fact that the venue is in Manchester, home of British Cycling, offers hope.
 
I am sure if we could find a suitable `Project Manager`, indeed someone like John Whiting, or perhaps Martin Gamble?  We could then make contact and find some one from British Cycling HQ to run with it, along with community leaders, youth workers, local Police and sports development workers in the Broadhurst Park area, then who knows?
 
A meeting could be called with such agencies and former Manchester/Blackley riders could be invited. With the increasingly willingness of British Cycling as a whole, with individuals like Paul West taking the lead, to fully embrace Cycle Speedway, then the prospect of helping to revive another major cycling venue in the city that houses their national headquarters must be appealing if this was presented in the right way.
 
I would be very happy to handle the publicity to rally interest if we could get local people to arrange something. As has been pointed out, there`s been issues in the past in Manchester that rules out a Mancunian team racing nationally. But this is a separate matter, is it not possible to come together for the overall good? After all, its in all of our interests to get as many former venues operating as possible.
 
Joe McLaughlin
Coventry

BROADHURST NON-STARTER - posted 3 February 2012

I agree entirely with John Whiting!  The days when the Manchester area had an abundance of team and riders will never return, but more importantly the Broadhurst Park track will not survive the FC United ( Manchester United anti-Glazer breakaway club ) stadium development as planning permission will eventually be granted, indeed planning permission was recommended by Manchester City Council planning officers on 27 October 2011 with the local residents hoping that the Charity Commission will invoke historic covenants on the existing playing fields - however this is considered unlikely.

Having previously seen the stadium specification and tender documents whilst employed within the construction design industry prior to my recent retirement, I can confirm that the area where the track is currently located will be swallowed up as part of the overall development which includes the stadium, clubhouse, pitches and car parking.

Dave Wilson

DEARTH OF RIDERS IN NORTH-WEST - posted 2 February 2012

In reply to Tim Metcalfe, I'd already responded to Paul Graham via Facebook on those lines. It would be simple to get the track back into racing shape, the problems begin there with a dearth of riders in the North-West. Although Stockport and Bury have reasonable amounts of riders, there are none at Astley, and Heckmondwike are being supported by Sheffield this year. 

The idea of a Premier League club incorporating riders from the teams you quote was mooted by me as regional rep three or four years ago and turned down immediately.  People have long memories.

Also seeing I am from the area, I have a pretty good knowledge of the local set up and opportunities and it's not good. The demography of the area has changed considerably in the past five to ten years, with the Manchester United football club also having permission to build a stadium there.

It's a real shame as there was some great racing there.  The floodlights
were brilliant and bright - and would support Steve Harvie's vision of Saturday night racing but not to be sadly.

John Whiting

TRACKS NEED PEOPLE - posted 2 February 2012

A great shame to see the photos of Broadhurst Park on the site. I have some good memories of racing there, including the one and only time I beat Derek Garnett!!

It would be good to see it restored but to what end? Tracks need a purpose to survive, and for a cycle speedway track this is an active club. We are seeing this with the rebirth at Coventry and North Park and the rejuvenation at Swindon. 

Where there is a core of people prepared to put the graft into renovating a track and then developing the community links now so important to a club's survival, the chances of success are good. Without this, the track will soon return to the weeds.
 
If a plan could be formulated for the development of a club based at Broughton there is a chance but this would really need Astley, Bury and Stockport working together to achieve what would probably initially be a junior club. 

An additional draw could be the basing of a Greater Manchester team to compete in the Premier and Elite set up, drawing the cream of these three clubs together. Just a thought, while it would
be good to see it back up and running, it needs to have a future to succeed.

Finally I can't believe the rubbish that has been pontificated about the so called 'loop-hole' in the Elite/Premier League regs. It just goes to show the 'win at all costs' mentality of some people and/or clubs - a mentality that will always hold the sport back.  
 
Tim Metcalfe

GREAT RACING CIRCUIT - posted 30 January 2012

I agree with John Whiting.  The Broadhurst Park track was one of the best racing circuits in the country. Great shape and size and plenty of opportunities to pull lines on.  To watch the likes of John Watchman race around here was inspiring.

The track did stage the 1983 British team final between Wolverhampton and Wednesfield as well as many other top individual competitions.

What a crying shame it is in such a bad state and an even greater pity that there is insufficent interest in this once great cycle speedway city to do anything about it!

Andy Franks

TULLOCH RODE FOR SPIXWORTH TOO - posted 30 January 2012

Didn't Dave Tulloch rode for Spixworth as well.

Kevin Smith

MANCHESTER TRACK COULD BE REJUVENATED - posted 29 January 2012

Regarding the recent article about Broadhurst Park, I was up there myself the other week "in the rain".  Shame to see it as it was a great track and had the best floodlights ever. Even now, a good skimming off the top and new shale would easily make it rideable with two or three weeks hard work.  It would be brill.

The track cost £24,000 plus in 1980 but was well worth it. I think the biggest regret was, that if it had been in Heaton Park where it was originally planned, Blackley would still be going.

Whilst Manchester cycle speedway club was successful in winning everything, it didn't achieve the success in the BTC that we had at Heaton Park. In fact after beating Thurrock at Sandwell in 1980 we never featured in any more finals.

John Whiting

WELL DONE DAVE - posted 29 January 2012

Well done Dave Tulloch on 50 years and a good article, although I might just comment that Blackley had uniform shirts very early on (Aston Villa maroon and blue) though we might have lost a bit of credibility when we changed to stars and stripes (that quickly shrunk) but at least we had uniform yellow shoes!!!  

Our next matching tops were woollen - of great use in the hottest
summer for years. Happy days!

Good too to see the comments from old rival Vic Haines and that's he back in the sport.

John Whiting

MEMORY LOSS - posted 29 January 2012

"Would just like to say what an interesting read about Dave and his 50
years in the sport.  His memory must be going at his age as he forgot he rode for Eaton as well!!!

Richard Browes

LOSING CREDIBILITY - posted 28 January 2012

I find it rather strange that someone has found a loophole after the new
Premier/Elite leagues have been set up, not before?

How much thought went into the the new leagues set up, or did they just follow the motorised version, implement it and will tweak it every year to suit some individual or team, as they do with the motorised version!

I do not wish to be disrespectful to any individual, team or league - but will this cycling discipline soon lose all its credibility?  Why don't
they have one league, Elite, and be done with it with eight to ten teams if demand is there?

Yes, some will say the seasons too long!  No different to when they go to Australia, Poland or USA for the Worlds!  Hope this mess is rectified and this loophole closed with immediate effect.

Hello to Mr Heard, found my lap top!  Helen locked it away in the shed, "hence the maintain radio silence!"

My thoughts only.

Dave Mould

THIRD TIER REGIONAL LEAGUES? - posted 28 January 2012

Further to the points raised here about the loophole that enables riders to ride both Premier to Elite (and vice-versa ?) with the secondary licence criteria, riders aren't allowed to ride under secondary licences side-by-side with different regional teams.

With the formation of the new Premier and Elite Leagues, which we all thought were introduced as another side-by-side competition, and would still keeping the "two tiered" system.  All this on the back of the recent "Development Conference".  

Does this now mean the regional leagues have now been dropped down to make a "third tier"?

Alan Hewitson

COMMISSION MUST ACT QUICKLY TO CLOSE LOOPHOLE - posted 27 January 2012

I agree with Jeff Radcliffe.  Surely the two leagues are the same, just split into two divisions. If there appears to be such an anomoly, the Commission can quickly close it by just a few phones calls between its members, a method adopted previously to deliver quick results and duly minuted, would be appropriate.

If clubs were prepared to use these method to win, it's not much for the spirit of the sport and any such publicity to advocate the sport would be laughable.  How would you explain Joe Bloggs racing for Birmingham one week, Horspath the next and then Stoke the week after (no offence to the clubs names, just examples) and then seriously try to sell the sport.

John Whiting

ORGANISERS SHOULD HAVE SEEN THIS COMING - posted 27 January 2012

I have to say that I was surprised that the Elite/Premier organisers had not seen this one coming and made sure rules were in place to stop it happening.  Having said that they haven't and so the fun can now begin!

Elite clubs will, I am sure, take advantage of it and for a select group of riders it will mean an extra four meetings - or will it?

Obviously the fixtures are now out and we can all see the four dates when the Premier and the Elite don't clash - so that means clubs can see which fixtures they will be able to bring in re-enforcements for.  This could be the problem and the start of a big row.

I deliberately haven't looked at the fixtures when writing this so I am talking in principle and reference to any club is just to show my point and nothing more.  Let's say that in the first week of the season Sheffield go to Poole.  Because there are no Premier matches, they 'beef up' their team with a number of secondary signings and pull off a win. Four weeks later when there is a clash with Premier League, Wednesfield have to go there, cannot add riders in and lose to the same Poole side.  How long will it be before complaints start.

Now clubs could take the rules in the spirit in which they were probably written - I can't believe that this loophole was intended - but then for those four dates they could be severly disadvantaged if they chose to stick to their own riders (Poole could 'beef up' too in my example above but lets say they choose not too), but it's not just Poole that it affects - it's the teams that race them and this could affect the final league table.

So move this argument on and use the example already used on Spokesman with Andy Angell and Sheffield. Yes he can race the four matches but what happens if on a Premier day Sheffield have a really tough home match with Horspath but on the same day Hull have a far easier home Premier match that they could probably win without Andy.  I'm thinking Andy must ride for his first licence club as there is a clash but is this definitely the case? Is it possible that the clubs could agree that Andy rides for Sheffield?

I just really hope that this is not the case and that this car crash does not get even worse with riders being able to choose which club they ride for.

My thoughts only to quote Mr Mould.  Where is he by the way?  Has Helen hidden the lap top?

John Heard

Editor's Note - What do you think? Should secondary registrations be allowed between Premier and Elite clubs?  Drop us a line and we'll share your viewpoint with other Spokesman readers.

NO LOOP TO CLOSE - posted 26 January 2012

With regard the “loophole” in the regs, it doesn’t strike me as there is a loophole to close.

Surely Elite League and Premier League are two divisions of the same competition and the rules as they are already prevent secondary licences in these cases.

Jeff Radcliffe

Editor's Note - You would have thought so Jeff - but this is not the case!

GOOD TO SEE VIC BACK - posted 26 January 2012

It was good to see Vic back in the news and that he is still around the sport.

When Vic joined Thurrock, my attitude about the sport was it was for fun and the taking part was the important thing. Vic soon taught me that winning was everything and nobody remembers the losers.

When Thurrock won the Senior Team Championship at Sandwell in 1985 the team, team manager and myself travelled alone in a minibus and our supporters were in a coach. As we left Sandwell to settle down to travel home Ian Gill said" You know who is missing today" and we all answered "Vic Haines". Vic motivated us to go for the Team Championship from the very start but never won a winner's medal.

He also taught me that early preperation brought results later in the
season and if you aimed for the British Championships the league honours came easy.  A truly great motivator, first class host but his arrogant attitude on the track often caused him grief and he should have won top honours in the sport as he did on the road.

Hopefully he will contact me so we can meet up again .

Bill Gill

ELLIS, GARNETT AND A LOAD OF BALLS - posted 26 January 2012

I see Newport have drawn Stockport away in the first round of the National Team Championships.  I'm assuming the track is located at the original Offerton site and with any luck "uncle Derek" will be in attendance.  Which no doubt will bring back memories. One in particular.....

Derek used to organise an annual Offerton open event, sponsored by local cycle shop owner Albert   There was always a formidable line up of top riders, only too grateful to be invited by one of sports greats.  So in the company of my late father, Dave Greaves who was an avid follower of the sport, we eagerly turned up to witness a guaranteed spectacle of first class racing.

Anyway about midway through the programme the four competing riders for that heat placed under starters orders.  Just as the tapes went up there was an almighty crack! and groan as big Roger Ellis came down full force onto his crossbar.

It became apparent Roger's rear sprocket had disintegrated under the
immense force required to propel such a bulk off the grid.  Every man in the pits and spectator around the perimeter of the track winced in sympathy at the poor fellow's plight.

In obvious distress, Roger was assisted back to the pits and rather
gingerly sat down on the bench, nursing his lower person in one of shovel like hands of his.

A very concerned Derek Garnett immediately set off and soon returned with a tub of soothing balm/ointment which he assured his forlorn guest would help alleviate the pain. So there it was Derek knelt in front of his big race buddy, offering a small jar in his outstretched hand.

Roger looking into Derek's eyes and Derek into Roger's. For a brief moment if you hadn't witnessed the prior event, you might well of assumed this tender moment was proof Derek had gone soft and was
proposing his hand in marriage.

"Jesus Christ Roger.  You're going have to apply it yourself", Derek exclaimed leaping to his feet.  "If I were to do it for you I'd be your friend for life!!"

That it's true to say had everyone in stitches, apart from poor old Mr
Ellis. Well that set the ball rolling (no pun intended).  Every wag in attendance had his little aside to add to the occasion.  The
gates marshall began sweeping the debris from the starting grid enquiring as to how many ball bearings contained in a rear sprocket?

"Thirty two in both races races making sixty four in total" came the
knowledgeable reply.

"That's strange we seem to of swept up sixty six" the gate marshall added. "Get Roger to do a quick recount" someone quipped.

Johnny Watchman sprang up and claimed he wasn't sure Roger could count that high and should Roger run short off Savlon he was welcome to a squirt of his Wintergreen - resulting in a impromptu chorus from the pits of that Jerry Lee Lewis classic "Great Balls of Fire".

Happy days

Kevin Greaves

REVISITED TRACKS BROUGHT BACK WONDERFUL MEMORIES - posted 22 January 2011

It certainly brought the memories flooding back to see the article in regards to “Finding Old Tracks” under General News. The track on the Rushmere golf course was where I too began my cycle speedway career way back in 1952, taking my brand

new road bike out for a race, only to lose nearly half the spokes on the third lap. I can still see the look on my fathers face when I returned home, certainly not a ‘Happy Chappie’.

The track was quite overgrown, even back in those days, and one
of my first jobs, together with much help, was to dig the track out and widen it somewhat. We then formed a local team, the Rushmere Red Devils, and during the next two years raced many other teams in the Ipswich & District Friendly League, not losing one single match. 

At the age of thirteen I joined the Kesgrave Panthers whose original track in Kesgrave was behind the village scout hut. The old track is
still there, and can be seen quite clearly.  However, the very first track was on Foxhall Heath, very close to the Speedway track, and this is still ride-able too.  The team were then called the Foxhall Panthers.

As to the Woodbridge track, this holds many memories, firstly where I won my second County Individual in 1958, secondly where I rode and managed the team in 1961, thirdly where I came runner up to Rob Smith in the County Individual in 1973. Woodbridge was certainly one of my favourite tracks.

Then we come to Grundisburgh, a track that I personally built, and
where I first came into contact with Tim Snook, a rider whom I immediately recognised had a lot of potential on a bike, with outstanding balance. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute at Grundisburgh, with many touring teams requesting a visit, followed by our regular jaunt to the ‘Half Moon’, where many a person tried to down a half yard of beer.  Neil Attoe was the King at this, with  Rod Witham just behind.

The team spirit at Grundisburgh was second to none, with never a complaint in regards to my strict training methods (ten lap races, which sometimes doubled up in number). Great days, where we enjoyed our racing, and the whole club was just one happy family.

I personally think these were the best days of Cycle Speedway, where
everybody worked together, instead of having personal issues with their very own children, without a thought for the other members of the team. The sport has changed a lot over the past quarter of a century, not for the better may I add, and I truly think that the lack of experience by officials, and the lack of commitment by riders has been extremely detrimental to our sport.