BLAST FROM THE PAST: Friends reunited at Leicester

It was scheduled as the Grand Finale of the Eurovets Grand Prix Series at Leicester, but in one respect it was more like (old) Friends Reunited, with the Class of ’68 (that’s the year, not their age – although on second thoughts the five guys in the colour photo are pretty much around that age level too) all back together on the same track after fifty years.

From left to right –  Fred Rothwell (ex-Copley Crusaders), stalwart of the Vets Grand Prix Organisation, Les Gustafson (ex-Trow Lea Mariners), Frank Auffret (ex-Saltersgill Saints) making his Vets debut almost fifty years after graduating from pedals to power, Terry Kirkup (ex-Newcastle Vikings), Fred’s invaluable colleague (read his comprehensive reviews of each Grand Prix on the Eurovets CS website) and fellow long-distance traveller, Ashie Patterson (ex-Newcastle/Fawdon).

Just to show that they haven’t changed a bit in the intervening years, the other cutting above shows young Frank in his Saltersgill race-jacket, teenage Terry (in the long white socks) in the pits with past and current club mates Norman Carson and Keith Dyer, and Les Gustafson in the sailor (mariner) shirt but also wearing a Saltersgill breastplate borrowed from Frank because we couldn’t yet afford the vinyl to make our own.