Sheffield Speedway Tigers

[Nwanda]

Ah - such happy memories. I remember all the names Nimrod mentioned. I was there the horribly sad night that Guy Allot fell from the back of the tractor under the chains. We were a great team in those days! I even missed the 1966 World Cup Final to go and see Sheffield v Coventry in Coventry - but we crashed into the back of a Mini in Deby and ended up in hospital - missed everything!

[Tradescanthia]

I intend to introduce my grandson to the sport this season, he's only 6 and never seen speedway. A nice warm summers evening will do. :)

[Falls]

Does anyone remember Tommy Allott a real favourite with the fans.

 

Hi,

 

In the 1940's just about every kid new of Frank Varey and Tommy Allott.

 

Does anybody remember Jack Parker, who used to ride for Belle Vue?

 

Regards

[CHAIRBOY]

http://www.motorsport-fanatic.co.uk/speedway-parker.htm

[keywest]

Here's a late reply to bushbaby.....

You probably used to deliver our family newspapers too. I lived a couple of doors from Frank Varey as a kid. His house was always open to a few of us neighbourhood children and he never wasted an opportunity to load us all into his mini van and drive us to the track during school holidays. I was about six at the time but allowed into the pits, the office, just about anywhere... which was amazing for a six or seven year old back then. We would arrive around three in the afternoon when the riders started to show up. Some of them travelled a long way. Ron Baguely from Ispwich, Clive Featherby from Norwich, Guy Allott from his farmhouse (somewhere on the moors). I remember the Boocock brothers, Nigel and Eric, hanging around when they weren't riding elsewhere...I think they fancied Christine, one of the promoter's daughters. I was in love with her too but didn't stand much chance at six! John Dews, a junior, became a star overnight one night and yes I was there when the tractor jumped forward ending Guy Allott's career as he fell under the track-grader.

I saw Peter Craven ride at Sheffield in an exhibition when he started on his own starting line 25 yards behind everyone else and still rode to maximum points. Before the meetings Nicky Allott used to do laps on the track on a scaled down bike his dad had built for him, whilst Guy prepared his gleaming machines for the night. His bike was always spotless, glistening in the floodlights which hung on low wires stretched across the track. Guy always took an outside line and I'll swear it was to keep his bike clean. He always seemed to have a little extra oomph at the end to finish first. It was unthinkable for him to score less than the maximum points at home. Ron Baguely's bike on the other hand was scruffy from the minute he arrived. He needed all the help he could get and would let me assist in cutting the rubber tread on his tires. That would never happen today, handing a six year old a super-sharp knife and letting him slice the tires your life would depend on for the next few hours. I would get a bucket of water and some soap suds which we both dipped the knife into periodically to keep it lubricated.

There was a certain smell in the air and a smoky excitement I would never forget. I think my maths skills improved adding up the scores on the programme as the night slipped by. At the end we would make our way back to Frank's office where his wife Gladys would keep a motherly eye on us. It was not much more than a shed really. We helped ourselves to Sheffield Tigers' transfers, old programmes and picked up tear-away goggles used by the heroes of the night. We got to listen to the inside jokes the riders would be telling, laugh about their mistakes - like we knew - and get high on life at the speedway. Then, early the following night we would pile into Frank's mini van and head back to the track to help pick up litter from the speedway. He couldn't get enough of us kids and we couldn't get enough of Frank. As we picked up the rubbish the greyhounds would be running. We'd make bets, just between ourselves and Frank. He always lost on purpose. We picked 'em by their names. Form meant nothing. I remember winning a bobble hat when Nutty Sombrero romped home at six to one. It was my favourite ice-cream of the day from Mr Whippy. That and a penny's worth of wafers. Anyway, one day my mum was called into school and shown an entry in my diary which we began every day by writing. It said: "Last night I went to the dogs with my friend Frank." The teacher considered that an inappropriate way for a young boy to spend his summer evenings. Little did she know. Obviously she never met "My friend Frank" Varey, or his wife Gladys, or the Allotts, or Clive Featherby (who WAS a misery gutts but an awesome rider on his day) or Ron Baguley, John Dews, the famous Peter Craven, and a host of others. Not to mention the Boococks when they were around and Christine. Oooo Christine!

I know Cath was there. Were you?

[kath]

have not been on sheffield forum for ages,but really enjoyed your posting keywest!I just wanted to say that your happy memories of the speedway brought me lots of sunshine on this cold wet murky day.Thanks a lot,Kath

[classicfan]

Hi Kath,

What about the Jay brothers, Alan & Stuart who own Jay's Car Breakers at Treeton. My wife lived near them at Catcliffe and used to polish Alan's leathers when she was about 13. I also remeber Ivan Mauger riding around 1968, and as others have mentioned the Boococks, Eric & Nigel and Clive Fetherby who was excellent. Not been since 1970, got into road racing and still go to the classic and vintage meetings.

[keywest]

Sorry about the spelling of some names - memory loss! Yes, the Jays...I'd forgotten them. I was happy to be able to take you back there for a moment Kath, if only to escape the weather. It's 89 degrees (farenheit - remember that too?) in Key West today.

[CHAIRBOY]

Mike Lee is the rider in question. He ended up doing time for Drugs. This ended his speedway. Is now employed as a coach at Mildenhall Speedway.

 

I went to the World Final in 1981 at Wembley and Lee was in the line-up, that's how talented he was. Another Brit in the final that night was Halifax's Kenny Carter who tragically ended his life with a shot-gun. Californian, Bruce Penhall, won the final which was no big surprise. I saw him arrive at Owlerton for a meeting with three bikes which any other mortal would have died to have got their hands on his spares.

 

Just a few more Tigers' riders to mull over. Ron Bagley has been mentioned elsewhere but Sheffield had a very good inside rider called Len Williams. They had a very good team player in Ronnie Rolfe and a mad Aussie called (Derryl ?) Melbin.

 

My memory has re-stirred! Jack Kitchen from Belle Vue was a front-liner and Jack Winstanley was a good team rider. I remember a more journeyman rider called Bernard McArthur in the blue and gold of the Tigers.

[bluebird62]

Hi Kath,

What about the Jay brothers, Alan & Stuart who own Jay's Car Breakers at Treeton. My wife lived near them at Catcliffe and used to polish Alan's leathers when she was about 13. I also remeber Ivan Mauger riding around 1968, and as others have mentioned the Boococks, Eric & Nigel and Clive Fetherby who was excellent. Not been since 1970, got into road racing and still go to the classic and vintage meetings.

 

Hello classicfan

Do you remember Bob Paulson, Bob Valentine,Alan Jay, Reggy Wilson,Billy Bales, Dougy Wyer, Taffy Owen, Jack Kitchen, Clive Featherby, Craig Pendlebury and later Bent Larsonn,

Crumpy and Arny Haley who wrapped his bike round the lampost on the 2nd bend.

Can you remember Alf Parker who used to keep a push bike shop on spittle hill

and used to ride for Sheffield in the 1950's.

My husband Keith used to go to Sun Street at Handley on Stoke - on- Trent when they rode on cinders, entrance fee was 6d [6 penny's] and programmes was 1d [1 penny]everyone had a good time.