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Speedway back at Odsal ?

Discussion in 'General Sport' started by Bronco, Feb 19, 2020.

  1. Bronco

    Bronco Star Player
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  2. Old Grey Fox

    Old Grey Fox Squad Player
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    Great track,but in the wrong place,speedway will never return to Odsal,the stadium would swallow up huge amounts of money,and sadly,the crowds for speedway nowadays could not support it.
     
  3. ahar964

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    If Odsal is too big back to the Shay then? Is it still there?
     
  4. Bronco

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    No I believe that was one of the original reasons The Dukes moved from the Shay because they were paying 30,000 a year rent and the floodlights would need moving, in 1986 after the world final at Odsal they left Halifax and returned to Bradford,
    It's a shame Odsal cant be utilised for some sport but @Old Grey Fox@Old Grey Fox sounds pretty certain it wont return to Odsal.
     
  5. Old Grey Fox

    Old Grey Fox Squad Player
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    Dave,you are correct in that Eric Boothroyd moved the Dukes from Halifax because the money,but I think he was also keen to move to the refurbished track at Odsal,as he had more flexibility there regarding practice and training sessions.The Shay was also in a poor state of repair,it had never been great even when the Dukes 're-opened in 1965,but it was getting worse.Of course,there is no way the Shay could accommodate speedway now,but with the best track in the country just over the hill in Manchester,and with Sheffield moving in to the top league,things could be worse for speedway fans in this area.
     
  6. Bronco

    Bronco Star Player
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    I enjoy speedway on TV especially the Grand Prix meetings, given your Manchester/Sheffield comment I don't really have any interest in most club meeting unless it was a Bradford team.
    I have attended during the times they raced at Odsal, Greenfield Stadium, the Shay, the second time at Odsal they were almost unbeatable with the likes of, Gary Havelock, Simon Wigg, Kelvin Tatum, Mark Loram, Joe Screen and the late great Kenny Carter.
    I've played the odd game of Crown Green Bowls with Ray Day and shared some great memories.
     
  7. Idlebantam

    Idlebantam Squad Player
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    I remember going to the Shay to watch the Dukes in the late 60's and early 70's. Riders from that era that spring to mind that rode for the Dukes were Eric Boocock, Dave Younghusband and Dennis Gavros.

    I believe the attendances for the Dukes in that era were larger than what Halifax Town were getting?

    My family seemed to lose interest in the sport, and being too young to travel over by myself, I never renewed my interest when they moved to Odsal in the 80's
     
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  8. Bronco

    Bronco Star Player
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    The Dukes at the Shay was the start to a good Saturday night out in Halifax, plenty of good pubs in and around the town centre then late train back home.
     
  9. Idlebantam

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    It was a bottle of pop and crisps for me back then Bronco!
     
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  10. Bronco

    Bronco Star Player
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    OK OK I get your point :(;).
     
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  11. ahar964

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    I got into it a bit later during the Kenny Carter era, but sort of lost interest after that and never really went to Odsal
     
  12. Old Grey Fox

    Old Grey Fox Squad Player
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    I remember Ray from his time at Greenfield,and he rode for the Dukes in their first match back at the Shay in 65,replacing Bryan Elliott,who i think was injured.Lovely bloke,but never a prolific scorer.
     
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  13. Bronco

    Bronco Star Player
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    As you say Ray had a big heart but never going to be your star rider, and he accepted that, never a motor bike man myself but it takes some bottle to fly around a track at 60/70 mph with 3 other riders trying to beat you on bikes with no brakes.
     
  14. Old Grey Fox

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  15. Nottsy

    Nottsy Squad Player

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    It would be good to have it back. But, When I lived in Wyke as a kid, you could hear the roar of the engines, or even smell the fumes (lovely smell) if the wind was strong enough, and that’s 2 or 3 miles away. They might get a bit of opposition from the local population, probably more so from the new builds up there that were built well after the motorsport went, and they’d have a point.
     
  16. Bronco

    Bronco Star Player
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    The good old days getting high on methanol fumes from the pits.
     
  17. trevor

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    Found the Speedway a bit boring TBH but the Stock cars were great, They offered to put a huge amount of money in to Odsal in return for half the lease for security, Typically Bradford Norther turned it down even though the council were in favour and maybe a sweetener.
     
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  18. Polo-Bantam

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    Tickets now on sale for the first 2 stock car and banger racing meetings in April
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
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  19. bailiff bridge bantam

    P.L.22/23 Entrant Euro 2020

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    Is John Lund still racing?
     
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