1980 Coventry Bees v Cradley Heathens

ATV's full coverage of Coventry v Cradley from Brandon Stadium in 1980

[@DavidHalfordsLane]

Many happy memories watching these two sides compete. Coventry were virtually unbeatable at home. I was a Cradley Heath fan and travelled miles watching them. Ole was my favourite. Seeing him win the world championship in 1978 was a night to remember. Sad how the sport declined.

[@markroughton9854]

I enjoyed that, greats days look at the crowd, and the great characters and superstars of speedway xxx

[@vicsaul5459]

Brilliant 👏 upload,great days, at Brandon, long and fast track, can't believe it's not in use !!???!!

[@jacksonirving4594]

All these videos kept me occupied during the lock down,, thanks for putting them on.. 👍🏽

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

Glad to help Jackson, even I watch them back, and as for my father who is 92.....he loves them over and over!!!

[@nealspilsbury8639]

I have been watching speedway since I was 5 am now 59 ole was my favourite rider he was wolverhampton speedway in early seventies closely followed as my favourite by Sam ermolenko

[@mikecribdon152]

Thanks for the upload. Two legendary teams, legendary riders. Wish those days could return.

[@MeBallerman]

Great to see Ole Olsen riding for his English club - as a Dane myself, I mostly know his individual World Champion works - of course, we knew he raced for Coventry as his every day job, but it wasn't anything we saw or heard a lot about, we concentrated on his individual work, and his pair work with Hans Nielsen for Danmark, and the team work for Danmark, with the Danish flag on his chest. But GREAT to see him winning, winning winning for Coventry Bees. Ole really was the greatest speedway star racing in England. Damn, he showed Peter Collins and Michael Lee and everybody else his backwheel trillions of times. Fine upload, thx.

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

Ole was a cut above in his era, won nearly everything he could get his hands on.

[@gillsetterfield4705]

Hi, glad to see another Ole Olsen fan, he really was Zeus of the Speedway world, ie King of the Gods

[@nervo6321]

This channel is fab brings back my youth....and that means a lot.

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

Thanks Nervo, appreciate all the feedback

[@jasonhowell5362]

superb brings back so many memories

[@johnspeed709]

Great days , love and miss speedway in Newport .

[@robertmarsh3588]

Great meeting, and some fabulous young Cradley riders that would come to ensure dominance in the early 80s. Hamill, Gundersen, Collins, plus Knudsen for Coventry. Great days. Neither track sadly with us atm. 50 point limit...wow. It is 42.5 right now (2020) FWIW, Reading won the 1980 British league title. Another track now long gone, though there is a Reading representative junior team using current league champions Swindon's Blunsdon Abbey circuit as a base.

[@johnathanhorsley4989]

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! HAPPY DAYS, AT LEAST SOMEONE COULD BEAT THE BEES ROUND BRANDON. WELL DONE BRUCE AND THE BOYS. PERSONALLY, I USED TO LOVE THE HEATHENS v THE HULL VIKINGS (MY TEAM) MATCHES AT DUDLEY WOOD. ALWAYS WELCOMING AND A GREAT NIGHT OUT, LOVELY TRACK AND PROPER SPEEDWAY PEOPLE.

[@paulsowney771]

Many thanks Martyn. Sound like a old record the crowds etc. !! Ole Olsen won so much At Hackney. Amazing captain not everyone’s cup of tea but really put the team first.

[@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway]

If I had a £ for every time I boooo'd Ole.....

[@scotiasid]

Funny to hear of the "controversial" 50 point limit! We'll never see high limits like that again!

[@gillsetterfield4705]

The best race I can remember was Ole v Peter Collins when The Bees hosted The Aces, when Ole got Peter right on the last bend of the final lap and he went right underneath Peter and won, great stuff, mind you Ole has had some stonking races for the Bees, ie when Hull came to Brandon and we won

[@austenjulian8316]

Ji

[@robbrownhill312]

for me a piece of speedway history...i was there 9yrs old , so many cradley fans outnumbered the bees fans on there own track ....brilliant riders 2 future multiple world champions , peter adams who was manager of coventry at this time , left to join cradley only a season later , and cradley won the league in 81

[@1061andy]

and hes still going strong at Wolves....miss the old BL clashes with these two teams even though we lost most times.

[@jacksonirving4594]

Good old days.

[@trevorlittlewoodlittlewood8159]

syd littlewood

[@scotiasid]

I had no idea you could be excluded for losing your chain guard? Seems a harsh rule!

[@jacksonirving4594]

Some loctite on the threads of the chain guard nut.. Tut tut ole lad.

[@jacksonirving4594]

Dave lannin was the best Commentator..

[@Scotty-UK]

Always a crap slick track, never good for passing and a gaters paradise that’s why it was set up for Olsen and Knudsen , ommer um cradley 😎

[@jacksonirving4594]

His chain guard fell off. Sack the mechanic.