Ivan Maugers declining health has been quite sudden Simon. It was only a couple of years ago or less that he was still riding at big events (such as the NZ GP) as a guest star attraction. I first saw him in August of 1975 when he was captain of the Exeter Falcons, along with another of my favourites from that era, Scott Autrey. The County Ground was a formidable place if you came to grief with steel plate fencing... I guess you go back to the good old Radipole Lane track at Weymouth then and the likes of Martin Yeates who used to double up with Swindon ? I went there a couple of times.
Yes Martin Yeates was my hero back in the day - saw him and Simon Wigg (RIP) win the National League Pairs title at Swindon That banking at Exeter was very spectacular, but also very scary
I used to follow the speedway around the country back when the Bulldogs were at Eastville..I used to love that smell. My mates Dad was mad on it and we travelled the country in a minibus to watch them, playing up on the way.
I used to go all over the country to watch it too. The crowds at Eastville in '77 and '78 were massive compared to the rest of the league. It was a shame that the Bristol track wasn't up to much given it was a compound of different materials that were used for it, including lots of sand. But the NIMBYS got their own way as always and had it shut down after just 2 seasons. Prior to that my Mum, Uncle and family used to go to the original Bristol Bulldogs which was just off the Wells Road (heading into town) before you get to where Kwik Fit is and the Happy Landings was. I went to many tracks such as Hackney, Poole, Cradley Heath, Middlesbrough, Reading, Wimbledon, Exeter, Newport, Swindon, Bristol, Wolves, and I saw 3 x World Finals at Wembley in '75, '78 and '81
It was a long time ago, but remember going to Belle vue, Wembley, White City, Newport, Swindon amongst others.. Always seemed to be hot back then?
My memory is obviously shot away too. I went to Belle Vue and saw the British League Riders Championship in 1982 as part of my Honeymoon (title was won by Kenny Carter) and I went to White City several times, and Oxford at Sandy Lane. White City was a lovely stadium, but sadly is no longer there.
I used to go to Weymouth on a Tuesday and Poole on a Wednesday Other tacks where I have seen Speedway - Wembley (saw Bruce Penhall win the World title), White City, Wimbledon, Hackney, Eastborne, Reading, Oxford, Swindon, Millenium Stadium, Exeter, Birmingham, Belle Vue, Kings Lynn, Mildenhall, Peterborough, Coventry and Rye House
You saw the same Wembley final as I did then in '81, which was the last one I saw live in that 'one off' format. I saw Ryan Sullivan win the British GP at Cardiff a few years ago.
Yes, it's quite a few years ago since it was a working pub. It lay empty for ages but renovation work seemingly on it started a while ago, so can only assume it will either be turned into flats or an Old Peoples Home. Can't see it being a pub ever again.
