I would be the last one to deny that the Brummies have had a disappointing start to the season. However, we do not have a God-given right to success. Every team starts off the season with high expectations for the team that their promotion has assembled. I guess this also applied to Mildenhall last year and look what happened to them!

What dismays me is that I am hearing comments about what a rubbish team we have and that heads must roll. The team obviously needs strengthening but I despair of human nature when I read that the likes of Tomasz and Jason should be replaced. Jason is obviously having problems with his bike preparation following the departure of last year’s spanner-man, but remember the first few meetings when he was, as last season, Mister Fantastic. Tomasz has not yet regained the form he showed last year (until Wednesday against Rye House, of course), but notice that, so far, he is the only one to improve his average. Robert, Richard and Ludvig have shown flashes of brilliance, but I admit that they are not yet showing the consistency required. But, I would ask you to look at the scores from the meeting against Rye House when we lost 43 – 47. If you take numbers 1 to 5 in each team, we won that contest by 42 – 35. Pretty good, especially when you consider that the rider-replacement facility for Tommy Allen produced a 9 points haul rather than his quoted 6 points average. We also recovered from being 10 points adrift to come back to 39 all before finally losing out in the last couple of heats.

Obviously it was at reserve where we suffered, losing that particular contest 1 point to 12. Unfortunately, these things happen, but sometimes they work to our advantage: remember Jack Roberts scoring twelve points at Newcastle last season to secure a famous win. Andrew Silver did that to us on Wednesday. However, we obviously need strengthening at reserve. Ben needs the support of a more experienced rider with him, but who will forget that incredible ride against Steve Johnston?

The way the averages are working out, by the time we see the first “green sheet” figures Graham Drury will be able to bring in another rider with a 7 to 8 point average. From what we read, Graham Drury has already been in contact with potential additions to the team. This would enable one of the current numbers 1 to 5 to drop down to reserve to support Ben. This, I believe, would bring about a change in our fortunes. I still believe that we have the basis of a very good team once the inconsistencies have been ironed out. Not one of our riders enjoys losing; for one thing it affects their pockets. A lot of riders want to ride for the Brummies because of the fantastic support the fans give them. Let’s not change that. Keep the faith everyone and keep giving all the team your vocal support. Give them a reason to react with the crowd after a race. Nothing succeeds like success.

This trip is now
SOLD OUT

Back in 1946 when speedway racing was reintroduced into Birmingham after World War 2, there were two riders in the Birmingham team who shared the name Appleby � Ernie and Charlie. Contrary to popular belief, they were not related, Ernie being English and Charlie being Canadian. Charlie had ridden speedway in England before and had gained a regular team place with Hackney Wick. Success came his way when he won an individual meeting at Crystal Palace in 1937. He followed this with a second place at High Beech in 1938, going one better the following year to win the event. In 1939 he joined the RAF just 14 days after war was declared and he spent the next five and half years as a wireless-operator/air gunner. In 1946 he returned to speedway racing when he was signed by Birmingham. Charlie never quite regained his form of the 30s, but nevertheless he became a reliable middle-order man and was very popular with the fans. Unhappily, misfortune befell him whilst riding for the Brummies in an away meeting at Brough Park, Newcastle, on October 7th in that same year. In the third race, Charlie and Jock Grierson were racing against Leo Lungo and Syd Littlewood. The Newcastle pair had a slight lead, with Charlie in third place, when Lungo�s engine seized and Littlewood was unable to avoid him and the pair collided, with Charlie taking avoiding action by swerving towards the safety fence. He successfully avoided both the Newcastle riders, but unfortunately he was hit by Littlewood's run-away bike, causing an horrendous crash in which Charlie sustained serious head injuries. He subsequently died from these injuries in Newcastle�s Royal Victoria Hospital in the early hours of the following day. Charlie Appleby remains the only speedway rider to have lost his life while riding for the Birmingham team.

Birmingham Speedway Supporters Club will be running a coaches to as many away matches as possible, all subject to the demand for them by you, the Supporters.

Bookings and deposits will be taken on match nights or by telephone using the hotline.

Please come and support the Team. Away matches are gret fun to travel to and so satisfying when the Brummies win!