Newcastle

The Geordies were probably our first visitors. It is thought that the meeting was staged fairly early in the 1969 season as Norrie Allan was the steward – he was soon to depart the scene in a spectacular “huff”!

Newcastle had been racing longer than us and were expected to be too strong (how right!) and in the end a Hampden/Kingsway select team was chosen to race them. The inexperience of the Glasgow riders who hadn’t previously ridden in Edinburgh was all too evident, with five of us managing only eight points between us! Hawks Dick Barrie and Colin Caffrey both rode to double figures with Kingsway’s Brian Gilliland chipping in with eight and their efforts gave the final scoreline some respectability.

The Select side battled hard and managed to keep a two point lead until heat ten, thanks to Dick Barrie, Brian Gilliland and Colin Caffrey winning eight of the nine heats. However Newcastle then let rip with three 5-1s and a 5-0 and the meeting was well beyond us.

Nicky Nicolson remembers being paired with “Caff”, who won his first two starts from the inside gates. Nicky then persuaded “Caff” that it was his turn to have the choice of gates. “I was off two and was to take the Newcastle guy on three wide at the first bend and let “Caff” come through. It didn’t quite work out like that! There was no sign of “Caff” and the guy off three was getting round me coming out the second bend. I was moving him further out when “Caff” came charging under both of us and put both of us into the fence!

 

Hampden/ Kingsway

Colin Caffrey 12; Dick Barrie 10; Brian Gilliland 8; Sandy Robertson 3; Ronnie Young 2; David Norrie 2; Nicky Nicolson 1; Coilin McMillan 0

                                                                                                Total  38

Newcastle

K Kerr 8; G Aitkenson 8; M Dobson 8; N Carson 7; T Kirkup 7; K Dyer 7; G Taylor 6; J Smith 6:                                                        Total 57

 

 

Oldbury

This meeting was held on the afternoon of October 11th 1969, prior to the Coatbridge Monarchs v Cradley Heath speedway meeting in the evening. Oldbury were Cradley supporters. This was to prove to be quite historic as it was the last time the Monarchs rode at Coatbridge. The licence was sold to Wembley during the winter.

Oldbury rode in two meetings in Glasgow, against separate Hampden and Kingsway sides, on the Saturday and against Liberton in Edinburgh on the Sunday morning before going home.

Brian Buck, the Oldbury team manager, sent a report on the meetings to the “Spokesman” magazine. His report contained various mistakes, referring to Kingsway as the “Glasgow Cup  winners” – the KO Cup final was the following day and Hampden won it!!- and Hampden as “league champions” – Kingsway won the league!!  Hopefully the rest of his report was correct!! With the KO Cup final the next day, Hampden were not taking any chances and lost 55-41

Hampden: Colin Caffrey 12; Dick Barrie 9; Mike Blair 7; Pete Gentles 4; Moosh Nicolson 4; Nicky Nicolson 2; Neil Grant 2; Gordon Aitken1                                                                                    Total 41

Oldbury ; K Baker 12; D Perks 10; P Cockburn 7; D Davies 7;

J Rudland 7; S Bastable 6;

M Slater4;LBate2:                                                             Total 55

 

Kingsway on seeing the first meeting recruited Billy Russell (Ralston) and Frank McKinnon (Hampden) for their meeting in which they lost 45-51.

 

Super enthusiasts, Mr and Mrs Mansebridge, were reviving the Hungerford Panthers and brought their charges to Scotland for the Easter weekend in 1970. They were really just a junior team and only Cox and the eldest of the three Talmage brothers offered any real resistance. Indeed despite Hawks withdrawing Nicky Nicolson and Dick Barrie from their final races in favour of their reserves, we still ran up 60 against our plucky younger visitors.

Sadly it was one of the wettest Easters for some time but fortunately the Hampden track stood up to rain surprisingly well, given how early in the season it was. While the Hawks were pleased to get off home to watch speedway on “World of Sport”, The Hungerford lads barely had time to wring out their gear before heading over to Kingsway.