1980's Newcastle Riders
The 1980's dawned and Newcastle continued to dominate. League championships in 1982 and 1983 brought about elevation into the top flight British League for 1984. Then the bubble burst and the club closed down at the end of the 1984 British League season, when Ian Thomas pulled out. No speedway at Brough in 1985. The experts said Newcastle should lie dormant for a few years before risking any re-opening but that didn't happen. Brough was again staging speedway in 1986 and 1987, only to close again at the end of the 1987 season. 1988 was another year of silence at the track in Byker before Barry Wallace and Richard Bailey decided the time was right for another re-opening for the 1989 season.
Photo from Nick Short: Could the cup be the Tyne Tees Trophy?
1981. No prizes for guessing the sponsors name. Unfortunately for the Russian car makers the Lada is no more but the Diamonds still survive.
Back row: David Bargh, Alan Emerson, Rod Hunter, Front: Robbie Blackadder, Glen MacDonald, Local rider Paul McHale and Keith Bloxsome.
The site needs something from Barghy, Alan, Rod and Robbie so if you are in contact with them tell them about the History Site and maybe they will contribute to these pages!
1980 Tyne Tees Trophy Keith Bloxsome, Derek Richardson, David Bargh (almost hidden) Nigel Crabtree with in the foreground the 2 captains waiting for the toss of the coin looks like it was raining or very windy
Robbie Blackadder
Robbie Blackadder
Rob Best our trackman has been in touch about Robbie Blackadder. Rob has this to say: -
I went to Crayford with Robbie and Rod Hunter in the early 1980's for a Tuesday night match. The plan being that I drove all the way allowing the 2 riders to rest before the match. In them days Newcastle's matches were always Mondays, meaning I had already done a full days work (nothing has changed). Crayford is a long way, so our plan was that I got to Robbie's house at 9.30am to get a good start to avoid traffic on the London North Circular (pre M25). I got there in good time to wash Robbie's bike and load up for the trip. When I got there I found him with his one and only bike in bits. He had decided to put his engine etc back into his tried and tested twin tubed diamond frame. This delayed us until lunch time.
We then had to go to Byker to pick up Rod Hunter and then over to Gateshead to pick up Rod's trailer & bike. We were eventually heading south (A1 in Gateshead) with me driving and them resting, by about 1.30pm, so much for an early start!
When we got on the M1 near London, with me driving still and them resting still, the traffic was heavy. Robbie demanded that I drive faster (already doing 70-80 with the trailer) and that I pass other cars on the hard shoulder!
We got to Crayford (South London) just in time. I acted as Mechanic for both, we were winning and towards the end of the meeting Rod fell off, so I was sorting his bike out during the next heat when I looked over to the far end of the track to see Robbie doing somersaults! The doc ruled both of them out of the rest of the meeting and both of them refused to go to hospital. Oh yeah we won the meeting!
As they were injured I had to drive on the way home too! I got as far as the M18 in Yorkshire when I heard "thud, thud, thud" It was the trailer wheels knocking over traffic cones at a road works. I had fallen asleep at the wheel! I stopped woke them up and Robbie finished the drive off. We got back to Robbie's at 4.30am, I got home at 5am and was at my day job for 7.30am the next morning.
Sounds like fun Rob!!!!
Robbie riding a smooth looking track but hey he's wearing a white helmet cover. He relished the bumpy Brough Park where he took some beating
Photo from Nick Short:
Photo from Nick Short:
Left to right: Alan Emmerson, Tom Owen, Joe Owen, Paul Mchale, Bobby Beaton, Robbie Blackadder, Keith Bloxsome.
When I looked at the photo I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me! Paul McHale in the centre looks very much like Tom Owen and I had to look twice before accepting that it was Paul. However, as Tom is also in the picture and on comparison to Paul then the difference is noticeable! I never had any trouble recognizing the two on the track of course!
This team line up consisted of 5 heat leaders and wiped the floor with the opposition in 1982 winning the League Championship, Supernational & KO Cup.
Triple trophy winners Newcastle Speedway were invited to the civic centre for a civic reception to celebrate their achievements
Joe Owen Alan Emerson Keith Bloxsome Rod Hunter Bobby Beaton Unknown Front Dave Younghusband Ian Thomas The Lord Mayor and his Wife Tom Owen and Brian Larner
Keith Bloxsome
Keith was kept at reserve by a very powerful team. His double figure scoring from reserve was a match winner away from home
Dave Younghusband (Manager), Alan Emerson, Tom Owen (Capt.), Joe Owen, ..Front: Rod Hunter, Keith Bloxsome, Bobby Beaton and Robbie Foy,
That is a Lada on the track in the background A Russian made car based upon the old fiat 124 design. Brough Park was owned by Ladbrokes then who spent a lot of money on the place and we watched our team from quite a luxurious stadium. The team was brilliant, crowds were big. Happy days!
We ain't sure what season this team shot was or what the cup was for, because the Diamonds won many titles during this period. Anyone help us out here?
Update: Barry Wallace says the cup was the 4 team trophy but I forgot to ask if he knew the year.
2nd Update: Glasgow fan Derek Watson has suggested that this photo must be from 1982 as Tom Owen and Bobby Beaton only rode together in 1982.
Scotland's Bobby Beaton part of the all-conquering Newcastle Diamonds side of 1982
Eddie Ingles
Pictures from Paul Brassell: Eddie the eagle
Eddie came to us for the British League campaign in 1984 from sunny California. He was quite a character and got himself married on the Brough Park track! He and Joe Owen were the riders that the crowd wanted to see. Eddie was based on Tyneside and he ran some training schools at a track at Felton in Northumberland. Eddie never reached the heights of some of his countrymen but we all thought him capable of it.
Brough closed its doors yet again at the end of the top flight season and Eddie moved on. So did our promoter and entrepreneur Ian Thomas. With Thomas leaving Newcastle's most successful spell ever came to an end. Thank you Ian for what you achieved in your time here. None of us will forget the top teams you assembled for us. 1975 to 1984 if you missed it, you missed a helluva lot!