 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sunderland Speedway
|
| |
|
Sunderland Greyhound Stadium, Newcastle Road,
East Boldon, Co Durham. Speedway took place here in 1964 and 1971-1974 The
team was known as The Saints, The Stars and the Gladiators
|
|
|
| |
| Sunderland Badges |
| |
| |
|
Jim Airey
1964
|
| |
 |
|
Courtesy of Steve McClurey
|
| |
 |
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
| Sunderland Saints
1964 |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
| Vic Ridgeon |
| |
 |
| |
|
Very Stylish Vic Ridgeon
|
| |
| |
|
One of Vic's Bikes After Restoration
|
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
Newcastle
Next Week! |
| |
 |
| |
| The above
photo is from the Sunderland v Middlesbrough Programme 19th May 1964
advertising Newcastle as next weeks visitors.
I can only name 2 of the riders. Mike Watkin and Russ Dent, can you help with
the others?
John |
Dave Gifford has been in touch and
has the following to say about the above photo:
Hi John mate, the Sunderland Middlesbrough photo 1964. I
would say its Maury Robinson on the right. |
| Thanks Dave but there are still 3 names to find. |
|
Brenda Robinson says: 1st left is mechanic (we think to
Mike Watkin) 2nd left is Derek Greaves - far right is Maury Robinson (next to
Derek is Brough Park's track marshall !) |
| |
|
| |
1964
Sunderland v Newcastle |
| |
 |
| |
.jpg) |
| |
.jpg) |
| |
| |
|
What
is the ultimate event on Wearside? A match of any kind against the
"enemy" from Newcastle!.. Here above, is a copy of a programme that signalled
the rallying call. Sunderland v Newcastle circa 1964 |
| |
| A great programme cover, art work excellent and the price too!
It would be great to get Sunderland back in operation in the same league as
Newcastle what great local derbies we could have against the Saints (Stars
Gladiators). |
| |
|
| |
| Sunderland had their brief
encounter with speedway in 1964 and it took 7 years before they
were to take to the track again |
| |
|
| |
| |
| 1971 Comeback |
| |
.jpg) |
| |
| |
| Sunderland Stars
1971 |
| |
 |
| Courtesy of John Spoor |
| |
| John Knock, John Goodall, Manager: Alan Middleton,
George Barclay, Brian Whalley, Alan Mackie, John Lynch and Captain
Scarlet: Russ Dent on bike. |
| |
| |
| Russ Dent |
| |
 |
| |
| Russ Dent says: My
happiest time in speedway was with Sunderland in the early 1970s |
| |
|
| |
| |
| Sunderland v Teesside |
| Opening Meeting |
| 2nd May 1971 |
| |
 |
|
Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop
|
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
|
First programme of Sunderland's second spell
1971
|
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
| Sunderland v Rayleigh |
| |
| 9th May 1971 |
| |
.jpg) |
| |
.jpg) |
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Sunderland Badges |
| |
| As Sunderland only operated for 5
campaigns 1964, 1971, 1972, 1973 & 1974 I expect badges from
Sunderland's speedway years will likely be highly collectible items. |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| 1964 |
1971 |
1972 |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
|
| 1973 |
1974 |
|
| |
|
|
| John says: My thanks to Wattie
Dunlop for sending
me scans of his Sunderland badges. 1964 Sunderland Saints,
1971-1973 Sunderland Stars & 1974 Sunderland Gladiators |
| |
| |
|
| |
| Sunderland Stars
Team
1972 |
| |
 |
| |
Help please with names and the year
Steve Remington says: The year is 1972 Colin Armistead (manager), Jim Wells,
Graeme Smith, George Barclay, Jack Millen, Dave Gatenby, Peter Wrathall and Russ
Dent on machine |
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
| East Boldon Stadium |
| |
 |
| |
|
East Boldon Stadium, home of Sunderland Speedway
|
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
The Stadium In
More Recent Times |
| |
 |
| |
| This is Sunderland Speedway
Stadium now, alas only the Greyhounds race around this track now. There has been
no speedway here for 31 years at the time of writing this in 2005: - |
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
| Action From Sunderland |
| |
 |
| |
|
Action from Sunderland Russ Dent gate 2 and
George Barclay gate 4, 1972 were you there? let's hear from you if you were
there.
|
| Mike Stores has been in touch he says he was
probably amongst the faces on the photo. |
| |
|
| |
| |
| Sunderland v Peterborough |
| 13th July 1973 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Courtesy of Andrew Gallon |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Sunderland Stars
|
| |
 |
| |
|
Sunderland v Teesside 31/05/1974 Brian
Havelock & Roger Wright
|
| |
|
| |
| |
| Sunderland v Teesside
|
| 31st May 1974 |
| |
 |
| |
|
Sunderland V Teesside 31/05/1974 Bruce
Forrester & Russ Dent
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Vic Harding
|
| |
 |
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Archie Cooper's
Photographs
|
| |
| My friend Archie was at a match between the
Gladiators and the Rockets with his camera and he took the following
pictures: - I will ask Sunderland stalwart Bob
Ferry for the names of the riders |
| |
| Sunderland v Rayleigh |
| |
 |
| |
|
Steve Clarke (white)
Russ Dent Pete Wigley(y/b) & George Barclay
|
| |
| More of Archie's Photos: - |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
| John says: Archies 3 photos feature the Sunderland Gladiators can you name
anyone and say the year, I believe Sunderland were the
Gladiators in 1974 Help please in naming the riders
John |
| |
| Bob Ferry says: Hi John, Pretty sure pic 1
is George Barclay, pic 2 is Jim Wells & George Barclay, (with Bob Young
and Trevor Barnwell). 3 is George Barclay and Jim Wells, with Brian
Foote (Rye House) All pics taken on 3/5/74, score was Sunderland 38-
Rye House 39 |
| |
|
Steve Baker says:
Hello John, I have some
names for Archie Cooper`s photo`s.
Russ Dent of Sunderland is in all three pictures, Jimmy
Wells is the other Gladiators rider in pics 2 and 3.
Brian Foote is the Rye House rider in pic 3.
Trevor Barnwell is the Rye rider in Y/B in pic 2 and I think
the other Rye rider is Bob Young.
The year is 1974.
|
| |
| Bob Ferry says: Hi John,
I think
Steve is wrong, I would say def not Russ Dent, also have the
prog and Jim Wells didn't ride with Russ in that meeting,
Barclay was his partner, also has a distinct style does
Barclay. Sorry to disagree with Steve. |
| |
| Steve Brown says: I have to agree with Bob Ferry. The
only one I wasn't sure of was Bob Young, but I would
certainly say that it was George Barclay; it's
definitely not Russ Dent. |
| |
| Steve Baker says: Bob Ferry is quite right about
George Barclay. When I looked at the photo`s Dent and
Barclay had very similar leathers plus a white scarf and
I picked the wrong one! I bow to your superior knowledge
Bob! |
| |
| John says: Yes Steve we all
expect Bob to get it right with Sunderland riders. |
| |
|
| |
| |
| Sunderland v Coatbridge |
| |
| 14th June 1974 |
| |
.jpg) |
| |
.jpg) |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Russ Dent &
George Barclay
|
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Local Rider John Robson |
| |
 |
| |
|
Vic Harding (Right) Pete Wigley John Robson & Steve Clarke
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Brian Havelock Leads
Bob Young &
Trevor Barnwell
|
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Russ Dent inside
Pete Moore
Brian Havelock
& Pete Wigley
|
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
John Robson
& Russ Dent |
| |
 |
| |
| Local riders, John Robson (left) with
Sunderland captain Russ Dent. John's first taste of racing
was as a stock car driver before he turned to speedway. It
is fair to say John never reached the heights enjoyed by his two
sons Stuart and Scott |
| |
 |
| |
| John Robson warming his engine up in the
Sunderland pits |
| |
 |
| John Robson |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
George Barclay
|
| |
 |
| |
|
All names supplied by Bob Ferry. Visit Bob's website for more about
Sunderland
www.sunderlandspeedway.co.uk
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Graeme Smith
|
| |
 |
|
Courtesy of Graeme Smith
|
| |
| |
|
John says: I attended the 2005 Sunderland Reunion and here are some
pictures from the reunion night. The event was well supported with many ex
riders in attendance.
|
| |
| |
2005 Reunion
Ove Fundin's
Rotrax JAP |
| |
 |
| |
|
Ove Fundin's Jap from the 1950's John (ginger) Abigail is the current owner of
this machine.
|
| |
| |
|
Website
Owner John Skinner With Ove's Bike |
| |
 |
| |
|
Above: Defunct
Speedway website & Newcastle
History Site webmaster John Skinner with Ove's bike, (it is nearly as
old as John), wishing he owned it!
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Pictures from
Colin Poole: left ex-riders, Ray Day & Norman Redmond. right Russ Dent & Brian
Havelock
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Peter Baldwin's Photos
|
| |
 |
| |
|
Above Jim Wells and Sid Sheldrick
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
George Barclay & Tom Owen
|
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Russ Dent &
Chris Roynon
|
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
|
George Barclay
Tom Owen &
Terry Kelly
|
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Jim Wells &
Chris Roynon
|
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Russ Dent Leading Tom Owen
|
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Sunderland Gladiators
|
| |
 |
|
Courtesy of Archie Cooper
|
| |
|
I can only be sure of Brian Havelock and Russ
Dent can you name the rest and confirm the year which I guess is 1974
John |
| |
Tony Richardson Says: Is the rider on the far right John
Robson, Scott & Stuart Robson’s Dad?
Update: Line up from almost the same photo in Richard Nicholson's book North
East Motorsport as follows: Sunderland Gladiators 1974 Paul Callaghan,
George Barclay, Brian Havelock, Vic Harding, Jim Wells, Colin Armistead, John
Robson and Russ Dent on the bike |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
George Barclay
|
| |
 |
|
Courtesy of Archie Cooper |
| |
| |
|
If you can scan your photographs, programme covers or
badges I would like to hear from you
John |
| |
|
| The contents of the site are © and should not be
reproduced elsewhere for financial gain. The contributors to this site
gave the pictures and information on that understanding. If anyone has
any issue or objections to any items on the site please
e-mail
and I will amend or remove the
item. Where possible credit has been given to the owner of each item |
