Football v Speedway

In recent weeks there have been a number of occasions where speedway meetings have been cancelled or postponed due to promoters saying it would be financial suicide to compete against important football matches. Whilst I can understand this may be true if one of the teams involved is the local team of the track concerned but some tracks were cancelling for matches not involving their local team or even teams within a 150 miles radius. Bearing in mind that in June/July 2010 it looks increasing that England will be in the World Cup in South Africa so the problems would be much worse than in 2009 so this got me wondering what happen in the past when there was a clash between football and speedway.

“but I decided against moving to another night because WHY SHOULD THE SECOND BEST SUPPORTED PROFESSIONAL SPORT IN BRITAIN BOW DOWN TO FOOTBALL! If speedway is to maintain and improve its status we, as promoters, must keep faith with our own followers and nor be influenced by counter attractions”

Colin Tucker, Hull Speedway Manager on his decision to have a meeting on the same night as the England v Poland World Cup Match

(Hull programme 17 October 1973)

“The World Championship at Birmingham on Monday August 22 was on the same night as Aston Villa were due to meet Derby County at nearby Villa Park. The speedway meeting couldn’t be called off and as the City Transport authorities couldn’t cope with both events. Villa had to rearrange their soccer match for the following evening”

Speedway Gazette 6 August 1949