When plucky sports fans challenge authority
| 10
|
The town is famous for almost nothing else (if you ignore Green Bay's paper industry), and Cradley Heath attracted some of the world's leading riders. Bruce Penhall was a double World Champion when he rode for the Heathens. Erik Gundersen was a triple World Champion in the 1980s, another Heathens rider. Jan O. Pedersen went on to become a World Champion, although he had left the Heathens by then. Current Speedway Grand Prix riders, and the 1996 and 1997 World Champions, Billy Hamill and Greg Hancock, both rode for Cradley Heath in the early 1990s.
They were forced to leave in 1996, because the Council decided to knock down the Heathens stadium, Dudley Wood Stadium, in order to make way for housing. An era was at an end.
Yet, the plucky fans of the Heathens were not to be outdone. A petition was created to prevent the area from being built on. 30,000 signatures were on that petition. And Dudley Council caved in, and decided not to build on the area. So the area remains.
There have been many attempts since then to bring the Heathens back to Speedway. But now, the biggest attempt is being made.
A website has been setup to commemorate the former Heathens. About a month ago, an online petition was set up, in order to get more support, and a chance to get Dudley Council to pay attention.
So far, 2,000 people have signed up to it, including the following names:
-
Chris Harris - Winner of the 2007 Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain
- Scott Nicholls - Captain of the British National team
-
Leigh Adams - Currently second in 2007 World Championship and captain of Australian National team
-
Greg Hancock - Former Heathen, and 1997 World Champion
- Sam Ermolenko - 1993 World Champion and TV presenter
- Bruce Penhall - Former Heathen, and 1981 and 1982 World Champion (sig. #1441)
- Alex Holowczak - Lives about a 10 minute drive away from Cradley Heath, and would love to see Speedway return to the area.
World Speedway is uniting to try and bring Speedway back to Cradley Heath. And so are the local fans. The online petition is available for anybody to sign, and I would appreciate any Chair support for this issue. You don't need to be a Speedway fan, you just need to appreciate the history of the area. With all these petitions over the last decade, there is obvious public support for the Heathens. I would be grateful if you could lend your support to this issue. I add links below. It has been signed from people all over the world, so your addition would not be out of place.
What's in this for you? Well, the satisfaction, mainly. Also, the knowledge that I get to see a local Speedway team. Furthermore, you shall be showered with gifts... Or at least, drizzled with them... Please sign the petition!
Links
