2000's

Newcastle Riders

2000 onwards

Jesper Olsen

Jesper deserves a mention for his exciting riding and his ability to talk too! He was important to Newcastle as a well known figure in his native Danish speedway circuit. Jesper recommended young Danes to come over and try their hand at Newcastle and the club became a breeding ground for the Danish youngsters, the presence of another Dane Richard Juul in the side also helped. Jesper married Carol a local girl and lives on Tyneside although his riding career was marred by injuries and he retired prematurely due to injuries sustained over a period of years and an ineffective operation on his dislocated shoulder.

Update:

He's back! after almost 2 years out Jesper got the bug again and starting riding again during August 2004. He looked the business immediately and then the guy was involved in a fluke accident. He came together with team mate Jason Lyons clipping his back wheel down went our man and his bike did a slow motion somersault then crashed down on him. The rear mudguard caught him in the face and off went Jesper to hospital. 37 stitches in his lower lip but he says his old injuries are not a problem to him so he will ride again. Good stuff Jesper and best of luck for 2005 you deserve a change of luck mate!

Hey Jesper this page is left open and we are waiting for you to rewrite the History Sites chapter on one of Newcastle's best

Update:

Well he was back in 2004 but sadly no Jespero in Newcastle's 2005 side. Jesper told me that he was on too high an average 8.10 from his last season for him to be accommodated in anyone's side for 2005! What a sad situation! but hang on Jesper when injuries and lack of form strike it may just be that some team will get in touch with you. I think a fit Jesper Olsen is easily a PL 9.00 pointer.

So have we seen the last of our 2nd Great Dane? I say second because Ole Olsen was here too! remember? Come on and give Jesper a break someone. 2006 is around the corner and still no sign of Jesper riding again. So it looks as if his riding career is ended. What a shame he could still be winning races in my opinion. His mechanic and friend Roy Clarke has donated some of Jespers riding gear from 2001 for me to use at Diamond Geezer displays so at least Jesper's name will be mentioned many times throughout the north east in 2006 and beyond. A shining career brought to a premature end through injuries and the riding average rules of the game.

Best pairs 2001 Jesper with Bjarne Pedersen

Richard Juul

Another absentee from Diamonds 2005, Dickie's average is again a problem for him and also his volatile nature! Richard can be an asset to any club and he still wants to ride in 2005 so get in touch with him if you are a promoter who needs a proven points scorer.

Photo's courtesy of Paul Brassell, thanks Paul and keep visiting the site.

The Millennium Man?

These 2 shots are of Richard during his first season with the Diamonds (we think). Can you still get into them leathers Dickie?

Richard has been at Newcastle on and off for most of the 1990's and the millennium years too. His career has however taken him to teams around the country when he was unable to ride for his adopted "Toon". He is actually a Wolverhampton asset despite becoming Mr. Newcastle.

In 1995, when he was a Wolverhampton rider, Juul crashed at Oxford and sustained horrific injuries. These included a dislodged windpipe, punctured lung, compound fracture of the leg and a broken pelvis. The ambulance was forced to stop twice on the way to hospital as he stopped breathing luckily the crew kept him alive and got him to hospital in the nick of time.

After eighteen months away from the sport, the tough Dane made a comeback and was welcomed back into the Wolves line-up in 1999.
After a successful season at Monmore Green, Juul returned to Newcastle, his first club in Britain.

Dickie was the 2004 club captain and the crowd took to him all over again as he proved over and over again what a determined rider he is by top scoring this season. He also showed that he was never far from controversy but that is the nature of the lad. He is passionate about speedway. No one will forget his delight at winning the league title in 2001 when he brought the trophy track side to show the fans..

He's back! mid season 2008 filling in for the team following the abrupt departure of Ben Powell.

Bjarne Pedersen

Bjarne is Newcastle's 4th Great Dane

Nicki Pedersen moved on and his place was taken by Bjarne Pedersen (same surname but no relation) and entirely different to Nicki.. Bjarne wasn't the same kind of rider, he took longer to climb the ladder than Nicki but after a while he was hitting the same sort of scores. He is arguably the most popular of Newcastle's top Danes. After a couple of seasons he too had to move on to join the elite riders and Newcastle had another void to fill. Bjarne suggested that his young countryman Kenneth Bjerre should come to Newcastle.

P.S. to Bjarne come on mate send us some info to put on this site John

Newcastle's 2 Pedersens Bjarne and Nicki. Nicki returned to Brough for an individual event which is how this photograph came to be taken.

Most of the pictures on this page were taken by Steve Brock who helps with his pictures for the History Site. Please visit Steve's own site if you want to buy any photographs. Steve Brock Photography

Darryl Illingworth Jesper Olsen Richard Juul Rob Grant Kevin Little Andre Compton Bjarne Pedersen George English and Kenny Smith

Kevin Little

Kevin Little had 4 seasons at Newcastle. He was the backbone of the side between the title winning year 2001 and 2004

This is Kevin on ice in the USA

Andre Compton

Andre Compton during Newcastle's 2001 championship winning campaign.

Jesper Olsen and Andre with the league trophy 2001

Andre was, and still is, one of the best full throttle racers in modern speedway

Kenneth Bjerre

Newcastle's 5th Great Dane

Kenneth Bjerre ved SWC CPH 2004. Kilde: Mogens Jensen

Richard Juul and Kenneth Bjerre

Kenneth is another Danish superstar in the making. I said the same to my daughter as I said about Nicki "There is a future world champ". So go on Kenneth prove me right!

Kenneth's poor gating in his early days at Brough, meant he had to overtake 3 riders to win almost every time. He rode round Brough differently to any other rider and was usually 2 or 3 seconds faster than the opposition. All Newcastle fans consider Kenneth to be our "real track record" holder. No-one could get near him and his 2 heat winning times at 62.5 seconds are much more believable than the old record of 61.00 seconds set by another great racer Sean Wilson! The track has been changed so Kenneth is regarded as the Brough track record holder. He too had to move up because of his talent and the ever changing rules of the sport. He left for Belle Vue as did Ivan Mauger before him.

Personally, I think Kenneth has the talent to emulate the "Galloping Mauger". Time will tell, but I think Kenneth is very special, he, along with Ivan Mauger are the best ever Newcastle riders in my opinion?

I hope Kenneth will also contribute to this site one day. So watch this space!

2005

Phil Morris Josef Franc George English and Jamie Robertson with sponsor "The Gate"

James Greaves no5. Josef Franc yellow kevlars

James Greaves

2005: James Grieves Christian Henry Phil Morris Richard Juul Jamie Robertson with Josef "Pepe" Franc and Lubos Tomicek Kneeling and no I don't have the girls phone number!

If you would like to buy them, please contact Steve Brock via steve@newcastle-speedway.com

Jamie Robertson Josef Pepe Franc (red) and Lubos Tomicek (blue)

A good shot of everyone from 2006 courtesy of Steve Brock

George English George Stancl Barry Wallace Adam Mckinna Joan English Darryl Illingworth Christian Henry Andrew Dalby Jamie Robertson James Grieves on the bike and Kneeling Josef Franc and Manu Hausinger