Glasgow Speedway - Blantyre 1

Blantyre Sports Stadium, Glasgow Road, Blantyre, Nr Glasgow, South Lanarkshire. Speedway took place here 1977 - 1981

Score chart from the 1977 Tiger v monarch programme

Blantyre 1977

Back Row (L to R): Jimmy Gallagher, Derek Richardson, Grahame Dawson, Nicky Hollingworth, Mick McKeon
Front (L to R): Merv Janke & Brian Collins (on bike)  Inserts: Left: Johnny Hack Right: Benny Rourke

Graham Dawson of Tigers and Colin Goody of Crayford

Merv Janke of Tigers. these 2 photos were taken by me on 17th july 1977 at the opening meeting, I cannot find the match programme.
 

Blantyre 1 opening night

Mike Ferreria Steve Lawson

Andy Reid

Derek Richardson

Graeme Dawson

Blantyre 1978 Dave Allans Photos

Taken at Mildenhall Sunday 7th May 1978 prior to the Mildenhall Fen Tigers v Glasgow Tigers National League match.  From Left to Right: Merv Janke, Bill Harrold (Team Manager), Benny Rourke, Steve Lawson, Derek Richardson (on bike), Rod Hunter, Mick Newton & Colin Farquharson
Point of interest: This was Rod Hunter's only appearance in Glasgow colours before returning to parent club Newcastle.

This picture could be from either the abandoned National League fixture between Glasgow and Crayford Kestrels on Friday 28th April 1978 or the re-arranged fixture on Friday 5th May 1978. In either case the photo is from Heat 3 and shows Colin Farquharson (Red), Steve Lawson (B) & Alan Johns (W)
 

Blantyre 1979 Dave Allans Photos

Blantyre Stadium 1979 Blantyre Eagles

Blantyre Stadium 1979 Merv Janke

Glasgow Tigers v Scunthorpe Stags National League Friday 25th May 1979
Keith Bloxsome (B) & Derek Richardson (R) are the two Glasgow riders. The Scunthorpe riders are either Rob Woffinden (Y&B) and Phil White (W) in which case it would be Heat 4, or Stuart Cope (Y&B) and Arthur Price (W) who met this Tigers pairing in Heat 7.
 

Glasgow Tigers v Scunthorpe Stags National League Friday 25th May 1979
Heat 2: Charlie McKinna (Blue), Keith Bloxsome (Red) & Kevin Teager (White)
 

Glasgow Tigers v Scunthorpe Stags National League Friday 25th May 1979
Heat 8: Andy Reid (R) & Arthur Browning (Y/B)
 

Blantyre Stadium  Action Andy Reid.

Blantyre 1980 Dave Allans Photos

Sheffield's Doug Wyer presents the Allthread Distributors Shield to Scottish Junior League Champions Darvel Rockets. Alister Craig (pictured second from the left) built a training track on his farm near Darvel in Ayrshire, and the Rockets used Blantyre Stadium as their home track. Pictured with Alister is brother Ronnie (far left) and Bill Logan (far right).

Alan Johns being brought down by Andy Reid

Scottish Pairs Championship
Sunday 6th April 1980
Heat 11: Steve Lawson (W), Charlie McKinna (R) & Kenny McKinna (Y&B)
 

Glasgow Tigers v Crayford Kestrels National League
Friday 30th May 1980
Heat 2: Ray Palmer (B), Paul Gilbert (Y&B) & Andy Campbell (R)

Glasgow Tigers v Scunthorpe Stags National League
Sunday 31st August 1980
Heat 6: Jim Beaton (B), Steve Lawson (R) & Phil White (Y&B)

Scottish Pairs Championship
Sunday 6th April 1980
Heat 9: Derek Richardson (Newcastle Diamonds) & Andy Reid

Glasgow Tigers v Peterborough Panthers*
National League
Sunday 20th April 1980
Heat 3: Charlie McKinna (R), Richard Greer (Y&B), Dave Gooderham (W - partially hidden) & Andy Reid (B)


*Peterborough's number one Andy Hines broke down en route to the meeting with team manager Brian Clark, who also had the team body colours with him. Hines was fined £50 and Clark £25 for their non-arrival, and the Panthers £50 for having no body colours. As the picture shows the Panthers were loaned a set of Scotland colours for the meeting. Tigers trounced their hapless visitors 52-26 in the meeting, despite having their man advantage negated in heat one when Colin Caffrey fell and injured a shoulder and withdrew from the meeting.

Glasgow Tigers v Scunthorpe Stags National League
Sunday 31st August 1980
Heat 3: Charlie McKinna (B), Rob Woffinden (Y&B), Alan Emerson (R) & Phil White (W)

Team Picture:
Back Row (L to R): Colin Caffrey, Bernie Collier, Charlie McKinna, Alan Emerson, James Beaton (Promoter), Kenny McKinna, Steve Lawson & Neil MacFarlane (Team Manager) Front Row: (L to R): Dave Thomson (Director/Team Manager), Robbie McGregor, Andy Reid (on bike) & Jim Beaton

Charlie McKinna

Alan Emerson & Andy Reid

Blantyre 1981 Dave Allans Photos

Team picture taken prior to the Inter City Cup 1st Leg meeting with Edinburgh Monarchs at Powderhall on Friday 3rd April 1981. Left to right: Nig Close, Alan Mason, Colin Caffrey, Andy Reid, Steve Lawson (on bike), Charlie McKinna, Dave Thomson (team manager) & Kenny McKinna

Steve Lawson (left) becomes the first Tiger to win the prestigious Silver Helmet after defeating holder Martin Yeates on Friday 12th June 1981. Three days before Lawson had won the first leg at Weymouth 2-1 despite losing the opening race, and he repeated that result at Blantyre to take the title, again recovering from an opening ride defeat.

A fifteen year old Martin McKinna. Martin regularly took demonstration rides on his own at the interval and after the meeting and many reckoned he was destined to become the best of the three racing McKinna's.

Portrait Alan Mason

Starting gate action with Kenny McKinna the rider closest to the camera. This picture featured in the Craighead Park opening night programme in 1982. I've been unable to find out who the other three riders are, but I'm 99.9% certain the picture is from 1981. The only real clue is the chequered helmet worn by the rider in gate 2, a design famously sported by Ivan Mauger throughout his career. It's definitely not Ivan though, could it be Kym Mauger riding for Newcastle? Who else sported Ivan's famous helmet design?



Nig Close & Charlie McKinna

Nig Close

Glasgow Tigers v Mildenhall Fen Tigers National League
Friday 19th June 1981
Heat 9: Ian Gledhill (W) & Charlie McKinna (B)

Glasgow Tigers v Mildenhall Fen Tigers National League
Friday 19th June 1981
Heat 7: Robert Henry (W), Harry MacLean (B), Kenny McKinna (R) & Mick Bates (Y&B)

Colin Caffrey (B) & Steve Lawson (R)

Charlie McKinna