NEWS: Glasgow return gains momentum
The full time return of Cycle Speedway to Scotland’s biggest city of Glasgow has been hailed a success – and officials are confident the revival will be permanent as the club gains momentum on several key fronts.
Glasgow have returned to competitive racing this year for the first time in over two decades with a mixture of pedal sport diehards and keen newcomers. The team have joined the Northern League Division 2.
Activity is based at the old Hampton Hawks circuit in Cathkin Park, near the famous Hampton Park Stadium – the national stadium for Football in Scotland.
Built in 1977, the raceway is an ample 75.5m long. Racing at the track has been intermittent, with Hampton Hawks falling by the wayside as a league outfit. The track has been brought back up to standard several times and last saw competitive action in the 1990s.
However, spearheaded by legendary Scottish Cycle Speedway pioneer Chic Mackie – currently recovering from a heart attack – the wheels are now turning again at the Glasgow venue.
Chic takes up the story: “It was in 2013 that I got together with Andrew and Fiona Macdougall, helped by my partner Heather Budge, to look at reviving a Glasgow side.
“The venue had to be Cathkin Park as it was the only visible venue left in the city. We soon started track work and within weeks, we had stripped back the weeds, re-laid the surface and reinstated the facility to a fully functioning Cycle Speedway track”.
It was a proud day on 23rd March 2014 for the new fledgling Glasgow club, as league racing made its official return, with the reborn home side entertaining Stockport. The day was rated a resounding success by all concerned.
Now the club are concentrating on building up the club structure, with the introduction of a club practice night on Thursday evenings, where most of the clubs` initial eight signed-on riders can be seen excitedly going through their paces.
They are hopeful of attracting newcomers to augment their current skeleton squad and its hoped to forge links with local schools and youth organisations to this end. They also hope to advertise their meetings at the Glasgow Tigers Speedway Stadium.
They are also in the process of opening an official club bank account with Lloyds Bank and they have Sean Webster in place ready to raise funds through grants and via commercial sponsors.
The Glasgow comeback follows hot on the heels of other spectacular Cycle Speedway revivals in other major UK cities like Newcastle and Coventry. Chic says: “It just shows what can be done where there is commitment and passion for our sport. Lets hope our return continues this happy trend of former clubs returning”.
Glasgow are next in track combat at Cathkin Park on Sunday 25th May, when the fashionable Sheffield club are the welcome visitors. The racing jets into action at 11.30am and for more information on Glasgow Cycle Speedway club, please ring: 07595 368790.
