The 1960's - Part Two
Goog Allen Ken Sharples Bob Duckworth Jack Winstanley Alan Butterfield Mike Watkin Peter Kelly Russ Dent Brian Brett
1963 Exeter's Len Silver attempts to go around Newcastle's Ivan Mauger with Pete Landsdale in the background. The crowd in modern times no longer fills that part of the stadium.
Mike Parker with the new Provincial League Riders Champion Ivan Mauger. The two men were rumoured not to get on but it doesn't show on this picture. I am told that this title was Mauger's first major honour.
Ivan Mauger Reg Fearman at Middlesborough September 1963.
Courtesy of Steve McClurey
Peter Kelly, Ivan Mauger, Goog Allen and Mike Watkin are the riders. I guess that the tall guy with the beard is track announcer Barry Wallace but don't quote me on that. It was a long time ago.
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Courtesy of Barry Stephenson
The best team in the Provincial League! 1964 Newcastle Diamonds
Courtesy of Ivan Mauger
Lining up against Halifax Dukes. Ivan Mauger, Russ Dent, Brian Craven, Mike Watkin, Goog Allen, Peter Kelly, and Ken Sharples
Brough Park 1964 Provincial League Championship round Bruce Ovenden John Dews Goog Allen Pete Jarman, stretcher for Dews as all 4 come down in a heap.
Where did the name Goog come from ? Was he Gordon?
Thanks Giffy
2 New Zealanders, Goog and Bill Andrew
Goog looking good in action
1964 Belle Vue as Newcastle attempt the Provincial League Riders Championship. Peter Kelly is our man and he looks to be in charge in this heat against George Hunter, Ivor Brown and Norman Storer, go on Peter!
Been looking through old clippings from the chronicle again and came across this shot of Sunderland Saints captain Ken Sharples. Not many Saints shot’s around so I thought it might interest you. I guess it was taken at the Northern League Match at Brough on Monday May 18th 1964, you can just see a black and white hooped Rugby shirt over Ken’s right shoulder.
Ken top scored for Sunderland that night with 8 points. Ivan Mauger and Peter Kelly scored 12 point maximums for the Diamonds. The final score being Newcastle 53 Sunderland 25. I’ve also attached the program cover, as it’s the only time a Sunderland team has appeared at Brough. Newcastle lost the return match at Sunderland on May 26th the score being Sunderland 39 Newcastle 37.
Sunderland's loss was Newcastle's gain when Ken Sharples joined the Diamonds he transformed a good side into a top of the table team. We won the league with 2 local lads in the side Mike Watkin and Russ Dent.
Ken Sharples.. The reason we won the league title? Well one of them, his average of 8.66 was unexpected and he was overshadowed only by Ivan, so who could complain about that? His career was halted by a fractured skull, mores the pity. Ken lost his life in 1967 as a result of a road accident in Manchester
Eric Hockaday Ivor Brown Jack Winstanley and Ivan Mauger about to establish the lead. I believe the photo was taken in heat 9 on the 8th June 1964. The race result was Mauger from Brown, Hockaday, and Winstanley. The time 74.4 seconds.
1963 Bob Duckworth a New Zealander who came to Newcastle from Belle Vue
3 pictures of New Zealander Bob Duckworth
Peter Kelly Bob Duckworth and Stokes Pete Jarman 1963 Provincial League match.
Ivan at Hyde Rd Belle Vue after winning the 1963 Provincial League Riders Championship
The fixtures speak for themselves, winning ways in 1964 but one thing that didn't seem right with Ivan Mauger in great form the end of season track record holder at Brough wasn't Ivan it was Peter Jarman. 71 4/5
Provincial League Champions 1964.
Mike Parker, Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Ivan Mauger, Jack Winstanley, Russ Dent, Maury Robinson, Ken Sharples, Bill Andrew, Unknown, Goog Allan, Mike Watkin
Jack Winstanley
A commendation for Jack in his Sheffield days
Courtesy of George Winstanley (Jack's son)
Jack Winstanley 2007. With Newcastle, Jack was riding for a strong team in a strong
league but he managed very respectable scores during his time with the
Diamonds.
This picture was taken 6 months before he passed away.
Courtesy of George Winstanley
Jack's passport photo shows him in riding gear and his profession as farmer
Courtesy of George Winstanley (Jack's son)
Jack "courting" late 1940's
Courtesy of George Winstanley (Jack's son)
Jack in his Long Eaton days
Courtesy of George Winstanley (Jack's son)
Jack in his Newcastle days
Courtesy George Winstanley
Jack with his friend Skid
Jacks gear ratios typed up on one of Oliver Harts business cards
Courtesy George Winstanley
Jack Winstanley
Jacks son says: So dad was 38 when he left Newcastle in the
sixties and 42 when he retired after the crash at Nelson, their first meeting
of the 1969 season. In the Nelson results, (defunct speedway website) I
noticed the last meeting of the 1968 season was away at Rayleigh. I remember
going to that meeting with my dad (I had just turned 9). When we got there,
and got into the pits, my dad just lifted me over the fence, and gave me to
this couple, saying "can you look after my lad, please" , and they did ! you
couldn't do that these days, or am I just being old ?
George Winstanley
Courtesy George Winstanley
Jack Winstanley
Courtesy George Winstanley
Jack Winstanley
John Hyam has been in touch. He wrote a
piece on Jack which appeared in 'Vintage Speedway Magazine' - now known as
'Classic Speedway".
I reproduce John's article below: -
This article originally appeared in Vintage Speedway Magazine in 2007::::
JACK WINSTANLEY was what they term in football circles a ‘good journeyman.’ He spent 22 years racing for many tracks,
never a star, but a good honest dedicated trackman. JOHN HYAM gives an insight into the career of one of speedway’s most
dedicated performers.
When Jack Winstanley went along to former England rider Oliver Hart’s speedway training school in the winter of 1946-47
it was to get advice from him on how to tune a motorcycle engine for use in road racing. “I had no idea that it would lead
me to a career in speedway that was to extend for the next 22 years. It was a great and wonderful experience for me,” he said.
Winstanley was then just 20 years old. “I had been riding motorcycles since I was 14 and desperately wanted to be a
good road racer. Oliver was a renowned local motorcycle racer and I was confident that he could put me in touch with a
good engine tuner,” Jack recalled.
“He had laid a speedway practice track on his farm at Coppull, which was about four miles from my home in Lancashire.
I didn’t know anything about this when I saw Oliver at his home, but he invited to go and have a look at his speedway track.”
Winstanley added, “When we got there I found a crowd of speedway riders and their bikes. Among them were
Jack and Alec Gordon, Cyril Cooper, Eric Blain, Harry Welch, Ernie and Norman Price. Those in charge were Bill Kitchen,
Ron Clarke, Oliver and Ron Hart. It was an impressive array of speedway talent.”
It was then that Winstanley made the decision that was to change his concept of motor racing. “One of them - I think it was
Ron Clarke - persuaded me to try and ride an old speedway Rudge which was there for use by the real beginners,” Jack said.
“After watching the other riders and doing a few practice laps, I got the idea of what speedway was all about. I was very keen
and became a regular at the practice sessions. I was always impressed when Wembley’s Bill Kitchen went out on the track -
he rode so smoothly and made it all look so easy, something I admired.
“In March, Oliver confirmed that he was behind plans to introduce speedway at Wigan’s Poolstock Stadium and he said that
I was good enough to take part in the opening meeting.
“However, I was reluctant to commit myself because I did not own a bike that was up to racing specifications. Oliver then
offered me the use of the bike he had raced during the 1946 season at Wimbledon. For his part, Oliver said he was buying
a new bike for 1947, when he would be riding for Bradford.
“And he struck a deal with me - I would only pay £50 for his old bike provided I signed a contract for Wigan. It was also
agreed that the sale would be on a hire-purchase agreement, with payments taken from my points money.
“This was a wonderful offer and I agreed. So it was, I was included in the line-up for Wigan’s opening meeting the
Easter Cup on Good Friday, April 4, 1947. I was plunged in at the deep end but took two seconds and a third place.
In my first race I was second to Don Houghton but ahead of Cyril Cooper and pre-war England international Bob Harrison.
Next time out I came second to Oliver Hart. It was a memorable debut for me and the start of a very happy time in my life.
“Another memorable first season meeting was a best pairs on May 24, when I partnered the renowned England and Wimbledon star
Norman Parker. We finished third behind winners Bill Kitchen and Jack Baxter and the runners-up Ron Johnson and Geoff Goodwin.
All great stuff for a first season novice.”
Over the years, Winstanley became ‘a man of many tracks.’ From Wigan he moved on the Fleetwood and Wombwell the
following season. In 1949 he rode for Newcastle and in 1950 was at Leicester, then became a Long Eaton rider in 1951.
After starting the 1952 season at Station Road, Winstanley moved on to for his first spell with Sheffield, riding for them until
the end of 1953.
Then speedway went into its decline, tracks closed and many riders were without a club - Winstanley was among them.
When the Provincial League started in the early 1960s, Winstanley had another spell in Sheffield’s colours, and also rode for
the Greenfield Stadium team at Bradford in 1963, besides turning out for Newcastle that season.
In 1967, Winstanley joined the Nelson club. He recalls, “I really went to Nelson as their coach, but they always seemed to be short
of a rider and I was a fairly regular starter in the team. My speedway career ended at the start of the 1969 when I was
injured in Nelson’s opening meeting.”
Apart from his British teams, Winstanley also rode at the Chapelizioid track in Dublin in 1951. The following season he was a
member of an international team led by Bill Kitchen which raced at Odense in Denmark.
He said, “Phil Bishop - the original ‘king of crash’ - was on that tour and I struck up a firm friendship with him. As a result,
he took me on many other trips to Europe. In the early 1950s, Holland was very much a stronghold for speedway -
the annual ‘Golden Helmet’ series were always well supported by riders from many different countries.
“I took part in several of these series in the mid-1950s. The nearest I took to winning one was in 1955 at the
Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam. I was beaten in a decider by the Australian international Bill Longley.”
He was back in Holland in 1957 as a member of the England team beaten 3-1 by the host nation in an unofficial test series.
Winstanley was also in a group of riders that leading 1960s promoter Mike Parker took to Rimini in Italy.
“We did the pioneer work then for a country which has since produced some good international class riders,” Winstanley said.
He also rode extensively in long-track meetings in Germany and Austria. “On these tours I became very friendly with
the Austrian star Josef Kamper. Towards the end of the 1970s, I lost contact with him.
“It was a shock to me when I tried to trace him a couple of years ago and heard that he was killed in a mid-1980s road
accident, ironically on the way to a dinner organised by Ove Fundin to mark his achievements in the sport.”
As a rider whose career originally embraced the National League, then the Provincial League, Winstanley was quick to
debunk theories that in its hey-day the two lower divisions of the National League were stronger competitions than the PL.
He said, “Take it from me, there was no difference in standards. It was equally hard in both of them to score points and earn
prize money.”
Looking back on his career, Winstanley felt that his happiest time in the sport was the years spent at Long Eaton.
“And the greatest rider I was team partner to was the legendary Ivan Mauger when we were at Newcastle in the early 1960s,”
Winstanley commented.
Outside speedway, Winstanley also rode frequently in road race motorcycle meetings in Northern Ireland and the
North of England. Winstanley commented, “And I also drove midget cars in some of Mike Parker’s ‘Cavalcade of Speed’
meetings in the mid-1960s. These meetings also featured sidecars and stock-motorcycles. The midgets were fast but easy
to drive, but in no way did they generate the same sort of excitement as riding a speedway bike.”
Swindon's Barry Briggs enjoying a joke with Brian Brett. The other riders are Peter Kelly Mike Watkin and Brian Craven. I notice Giffy in the background wondering what he is missing or were you camera-shy in those days Dave?
1966 Ivan Mauger wearing his New Zealand Race Jacket. taking part in the Scottish Open Championship at Old Meadowbank Edinburgh
Ivan on the white line. The Poole rider behind him must have been a real optimist. No way would Ivan make a mistake to let him through on the inside. Mauger could do what he wanted at Brough and the opposition could only try in vain to beat him.
Name them yourself there are plenty other pics on the site showing their names! I will start you off Ivan Mauger on the bike.
Front cover of the monthly Speedway Post from December 1964 (the year we won the league). A nice shot showing the two race jackets used in the 60’s, Ken has the older 61-63 jacket, Peter the 64-69 jacket with the White border.
A hard one to put a name to. Possibly Ken Sharples.
Update: The injured rider is Goog Allan at West Ham in June 1968. The injury put him out of the match and he missed the rest of the season and never rode for Newcastle again. Quite a few bad injuries in the sixties. Ken Sharples fractured skull and did not ride again, Peter Kelly fractured skull in 1967 and out for over a season, Erik Tilgaard career ended after horrific crash in only his third meeting in 1969, Ivan Mauger broken ankle and, I think, Murray Burt broken leg. There may have been more I have missed but these spring to mind. Joe Wake
Thanks Joe Yes I can now see the picture is of
Goog
1965 figures shown above. This was my favourite Newcastle line up. Dave Gifford arrived and did ok Ivan had injuries keeping his average down, Brian Brett came in as cover for Ivan's absences and stayed the season, he was quality.
1965
Eddie Glennon, Peter Kelly & Mike Parker 1965
Brian quit for season 1964 having lost his Brother Peter. He came back in 1965 and retired for good at the end of season 65
The two pictures shown above were taken at the British League Riders Championship at Belle Vue on Saturday October 16th 1965. Ivan with former Diamond George Major, and one time Brough track record holder Pete Jarman. I don’t have any details from the meeting other than Barry Briggs won. The second photo was taken during the meeting. Whatever Ken is saying must be very interesting.
Alan in Middlesbrough colours 1964
Alan 1966?
Picture supplied by Pauline Percival, Thanks Pauline and maybe I can talk you into supplying some more of your photographs?
A great team man, Alan was the first rider in the Newcastle team to use a Czechoslovakian ESO engine which he housed in a Mattingley frame. He still lives locally in Consett, Co Durham. "Butters" is well known for his interest in classic machines, he has 6 classic British bikes and farm machinery including a "Vintage Plough",- What's that about then Alan? He takes part in vintage ploughing competitions, which I hope to get along to see one day.
Picture courtesy of Richard Nicholson
Alan Butterfield - Newcastle v Leicester
Ivan with his bikes. He enlisted the services of mechanic Gordon Stobbs when he was with Newcastle and Gordon remained as Ivans Mechanic for the rest of Ivan's career.
This picture proves that Ivan Mauger could be headed at Brough. This is Hackney Hawk, Colin Pratt out in front.
Now Dave "Giffy" Gifford, has been in touch, and this site has benefited from his input, there must be other riders etc who could help us with our history so come on and follow Dave's lead send an e-mail to Newcastle Speedway History
1966
Graham Coombes
The World Championship Round at Brough was on 23rd May 1966 John scored 11, Graham 5, and Chum 2. Ivan Mauger won with a 15 maximum and Brian Brett was second on 14.
Newcastle 1966
Courtesy of Barry Stephenson
Courtesy of Mike Watkin
Ivan Mauger, Mike Watkin and Bill Andrew
Courtesy of Dave Rowland
Local born Mike made a place in the team his own by some gritty and determined riding. He was Newcastle's captain and became a non riding captain after breaking his wrist down Newport way
Mike and Peter Craven
This is a tale of happy to sad in the early sixties,
early on in my career in speedway we had a meeting at "Belle Vue", I didn't ride
very well but I had never ridden such a big track before. The technique is quite
different, the highlight of the night for me was to watch the legend that was
Peter Craven, I had seen photo's but not watched him in real life, I went out to
the centre green to watch his fourth race and to my delight he missed the gate
and had to pass another rider, which he did with ease, once passed and into the
next bend he was flat out in full lock and looking forward under the handlebars
and then took his left hand off and removed a goggle throwaway. I have never
seen anyone with such balance and throttle control, he was for me the best
natural rider I would ever see.
At that time I was partnered with Brian Craven, himself a genius in track
craft,( he taught me so much) when talking to Brian about one piece racing
leathers, which you could not buy in this country at the time, Peter offered to
get me a set in a couple of weeks time when he was in Sweden, which he did, I
got a phone call to say that Peter was riding up at Edinburgh in a week and
staying overnight, he would call in at Newcastle with the leathers the next day
and to have the kettle on....................
The Craven family and the rest of the world lost a warm and generous person as
well as a superb speedway rider that night: Mike Watkin.
Mudlark: Mike Watkin, wearing the NUFC shirt over his leathers
Mike and Lowry's Garage
I asked Mike about Lowry's Garage in Walker
where I remember seeing him at times as I went past. He says: - Hi John,
your memory of bikes in Lowry's garage is correct, on a Monday afternoon most of
us would meet up, Bob Hall who owned the garage and loved speedway allowed the
team to pre -race prepare our bikes, this led to some great times as it was not
often we could do that together, it was a good time, one particular time I
remember, Ivan Mauger was very uptight and stroppy, so after much of a battle we
managed to cool him down by putting him head first into the water tank (meant
for checking punctures) this got rid of all the tension and we had a good laugh
and the bikes were sorted for the evening's racing.
I remember him beating everyone on Monday nights when the track was wet.
Barry Briggs was a notable scalp claimed by Mike when Barry was the reigning world champ and Swindon Robins came to visit. See the picture shown above which shows Mike on the way to that win and what must be one his biggest achievements. The track was dry on that occasion.
Courtesy of Mike Watkin
Mike Watkin
Courtesy of Mike Watkin
Mike left and Ivan Mauger
Courtesy of Mike Watkin
The distinctive style of Mike Watkin with Peter Kelly on the outside
Mudlark
It was my first meeting back after an injury (fractured right
ankle, I think) it was a world championship round at Belle Vue, a track I had
never scored more than a few points at. I had a very bad cold, nose streaming
and head aching. I'm on my own and halfway there. It starts pouring with
rain, as you can see, not the most positive situation to be in. I arrived at the
track still pouring, surely they must call it off, I hoped. Five minutes later
the rain stops (oh dear we are going to race), being a w/championship round it's
five rides each, goes out for my first race, passes someone on the first turn
and I'm in the lead, three points in the bag and feeling a bit better. My next
two rides gave me another five points, amazing!
On the last corner of my fourth ride my steel shoe snaps. My foot kicks back and
jams between the back wheel and frame, down I went like a bag of potatoes. I lay
there in a lot of pain, the St. John ambulance men came over like a shot and
slowly reversed the wheel to get my foot out, this took quite a while. In
the meantime a young St. John trainee had wheeled the stretcher, (yes it was on
wheels) onto the track and every time he let go, it ran off down the banking,
this caused hoots of laughter in the crowd, and led me to think that they are a
bit cruel in Manchester, laughing at my situation. However having finally
removed my foot the pain was now much less. I had to laugh as the young lad was
still trying to get the stretcher to stand still on the banking.
Excluded from that one, I put on my spare steel shoe and won my last race.
Eleven points, what's this doing well in wet conditions all about? The drive
home seemed much easier !!
Not sure where this "mudlark " thing came from.
Mike Watkin
Update: Dave Train says: Hi John, just seen Mike Watkins
piece. His Mudlark nickname came about through a meeting v Leicester, when he
got double figures on a very wet track. Mike had previously scored well at Poole
in 62 in a meeting which was abandoned at 24-24. As Newcastle [and Boro] had
been criticised the previous year for tracking weak sides [poor entertainment]
by Poole, the win at Brough and draw at Poole, brought praise from them, and for
Mike's performances in particular.
Courtesy of Mike Watkin
Mikes Testimonial Dinner: Cricketer the late Colin Milburn, John Gibson Evening Chronicles Chief sports writer, Mike Watkin, Ole Olsen, Lawrie McMenemy and Ivan Mauger
Courtesy of Mike Watkin
Mike Instructing Newcastle United Goalkeeper Mike Mahoney. Mike says the Goalie was a great help with Mike's testimonial and they became great friends for years afterwards.
Courtesy of Mike Watkin
Hi John, I am going to try and send some more recent photo's .One of my self and my grandson Evan taken on holiday in 2007 and one of me posing on holiday in 2oo8 .I much prefer the ones taken in the sixties. Mike W.
Courtesy of Mike Watkin
Another 1966 picture, This is Peter Kelly from Manchester, who spent a number of years at Brough Park. He was a very dependable rider who could beat the best at times but Peter was never destined to be a top class rider despite his position as a heat leader in the side. He was incredibly popular and rightly so. He always rode at his very best for the Diamonds.
Peter and his wife Moira emigrated to New Zealand and live in Christchurch. They have 4 children one of whom is Helen who has been in touch. I am hopeful that Helen will be able to supply more pictures and some text?
Peter Kelly dicing with Hackney's Pete Sampson (an ex-diamond too). Pete now runs the safari park which will house the national speedway museum
Dave Train says
The shot of Peter Kelly, sat on bike at Middlesbrough, has Ove Fundin to the right of him [Standing] Fundin wasn't allowed to ride in the meeting! but did a few exhibition laps!
1965 Peter riding for his country
Peter Kelly has been in touch and supplied the website with pictures and his "memoirs" click here if you want to see them
Like Mike Watkin and Alan Butterfield, Russ was local, he was a dependable second string for both Newcastle and Sunderland. I say second string but I am talking about the British League not a second division!
Russ capped for England
Russ Dent on 2 wheels!
I’ve a great deal of respect for riders like Russ Dent; they gave a lot to the sport without getting much of the glory. Russ is often to be seen at re-unions and other functions, I last saw him late 2005 at the Sunderland Re-union. Russ is just as much a Sunderland man as a Newcastle man having spent most of his riding days within Tyne & Wear side.
Pictures supplied by Pauline Percival
Brian Brett in Newcastle racejacket and also wearing the England kit
The following info comes from Barry Wallace: -
Londoner Brian Brett came in during 1965 as a replacement for Ivan Mauger who was injured. Brian stayed the rest of the 65 season when Mauger returned to the team and they were a potent heat leader spearhead. Brian topped the averages with 8.82 with Ivan on 8.65 as Mauger struggled to overcome his injury.
Sadly Brian died during November 2006.
1966 team Mike Watkin, Brian Brett, Alan Butterfield, Ivan Mauger sitting on fellow Kiwi Graham Coombes bike, Russ Dent, Peter Kelly and Graham Coombes
Ove Fundin Ivan Mauger & Ronnie Moore
why is Ove wearing the Diamond?
Barry Briggs visiting Brough Park in 1965
To continue Newcastle's Speedway History click 1960's part three