The track shown above was at Monkchester Recreation Ground behind Monkchester Road in Walker, and that was the site of the Club's first proper track in 1966. It was prepared by the lads themselves with help from a motor speedway enthusiast who also took great pleasure from the pedal power version, the late George Grant. He and Jack Hiscock became the management core of the Club and drafted in a few others from the Speedway Supporter's Club at Brough Park to help organise and run events. The Club also beneffitted from the availability of a ready made supply of travelling supporters and coaches from Brough during the late sixties.

Getting right up to date, the 2009 photo below shows ex-NCSC stars of the 1980's, John Wilson and Jason Keith putting on a demonstration ride for youngsters at North Shields who wanted to get their own club started but unfortunately they quickly lost interest>

So, in between the late Forties and the photo above, Newcastle Cycle Speedway Club, which the author devoted his life to from his first rides in 1966, went through several phases of closure and re-opening very much like the motorised sport just up the road at Brough Park. The causes were probably many and varied, but as the only one who saw it through every phase of the latter half of the Twentieth Century and beyond I will offer my humble observations.

First and foremost - young lads are very happy sharing their childhood with their peers. Puberty then steps in and brings about subtle change. Here I speak of the male, of course, as we didn't have too many lady racers. That, however, leads me nicely to their unwilling participation in the Club's history, or at least their influence on it. Because inevitably, and at least in the majority of cases, it was the discovery of Girls that brought about cycle speedway's demise! Late teens were the guilty years in every case, when for some unfathomable reason it became more appealing to take a lady out and get dirty than take your bike and do the same.

Secondly, and I suppose directly related to the female influence, was the intrusion of alcohol into our lives. I say "our", but actually as a teetotaller I was the only one not to be touched by the curse and maybe that's how I managed to retain my interest in the racing for so long without this distraction. I do, however, admit to succumbing to the heterosexual issue although I held out the longest.

Thirdly, and ex-racers will appreciate this one even more, was the good old "falling out". Let's call them arguments, for the sake of arg... This happened not only between riders for many a reason, but also between members of the Club management, and usually prompted some sort of split if not a total shutdown of activites. more...