D-day for Heathens new home

Fans of the legendary Cradley Heathens speedway team will finally find out the preferred site for a new stadium next month, it has emerged.

The team, dubbed the “Manchester United of speedway” after a trophy-laden spell in the 1980s and early 1990s, folded a year after their Dudley Wood home was demolished to make way for housing in 1996.

Campaigners have battled ever since to find the team a new home and bring them back, and last year spent nearly £15,000 on consultants to identify the ideal site.

That location has been kept firmly under wraps despite intense speculation in the media and on internet supporter forums.

But fans of the team will not have to wait much longer, with campaigners revealing they expect to submit a planning application to Dudley Council next month.

Public meetings will then be held and petitions launched in a bid to persuade the powers-that-be of the groundswell of support for the return of speedway to the borough.

Lead campaigner for Cradley Raise Aid Saving Heathens (CRASH) Bob Edwards said: “We set ourselves a timescale of bringing the team back for the 2008 season.

“For that to happen work would need to start next March on building a speedway track and stadium from scratch.

“We would be looking to submit a planning application next month and it has taken a bit longer than we would have liked. The targets we have set are ambitious and assume we come up against no problems.

“But if you don’t set yourself ambitious targets then what is the point?

“We would still rather not reveal the location of the site but all will be revealed very soon.”

Cradley fans have pledged to get the ball rolling by getting supporters from across the country to sign and pledge their support for the return of the Heathens at the British Grand Prix, held at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium at the end of the month.

This article posted on June 13, 2007 at 11:31 am.
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16 Comments

  1. Chris said: Jun 14th, 2007 at 10:12 am

    It’s nice to see the Express & Star supporting the club by running the story.

    As a life-long fan it’s hard to keep my excitement in check. It does feel as though this our best chance you to see a track return for the mighty Heathens.

    Bob and the whole CRASH team can be assured of any support I am able to give to them, as and when the time is right. Starting, of course, with helping to gain support from our fellow speedway fans from around the country.

  2. Adam Billingham said: Jun 14th, 2007 at 2:50 pm

    Myself and my family are life long supporters who would give anything to see the Heathens back racing again.
    This club was and would STILL BE one of the best supported clubs in British Speedway and that’s after 10 years away from the sport!.
    They are a world famous club known for their success over the years including helping five young riders go on to become World Champions!
    The return of the heathens would be a huge shot in the arm to this area and would at last give us a sporting team to be proud of.
    It’s fingers crossed time and all we can do is show our support and help in whatever way we can.
    ‘OMMER UM

  3. Mark Humphries said: Jun 14th, 2007 at 3:38 pm

    Fingers crossed for Bob,Tony and all of us Heathens fans. Hope all goes well and I look forward to the day that I can make the long awaited visit to the new home of the Heathens from my home in Nanaimo Canada…

  4. jezz said: Jun 14th, 2007 at 5:55 pm

    A nice piece to promote the Heathens back onto the track. Lets get behind Bob and his backers to get this dream going.Birmingham got 6,000+ on their opening night at Perry Barr, imagine the crowd the Heathens would get on opening night. Lets get the Black Country back on the Nations map with the name of Cradley Heathens flying the flag again…
    Ommer um…

  5. Mark Humphries said: Jun 15th, 2007 at 6:04 am

    Good luck to Bob, Tony and all involved in bringing back the Heathens. Look forward to the day I can visit the new home of the Heathens from my home in Nanaimo Canada.

  6. Martin Jones said: Jun 15th, 2007 at 3:57 pm

    A life long supporter now living in North Wales, but I would make the trip regularly. People of Dudley and the surrounding area - please support this venture whole heartedly. Cradley Speedway was well known world wide and produced muliple world champions. Lets do it again!!

  7. kieron said: Jun 15th, 2007 at 11:47 pm

    Cradley Heath died the day the diggers moved in at dudley wood & i never thought i would see the day the Heathens were back on track, but with the efforts of everyone envolved & hopefully the backing of our local council & comunity we will see speedway racing back where it belongs !! OMMER UM !!!

  8. Paul Joinson said: Jun 16th, 2007 at 12:35 pm

    Been a Heathen all my life,How Great would it be to see the Green Red & White back on the Track again,Hopefully the local council will bring speedway back Home,Just give the word Bob I’m ready and willing to help all i can,OMMER UM.

  9. Chris White said: Jun 26th, 2007 at 11:51 am

    Would be nice to see Cradley Heath back in the Speedway world….The West Midlands has yet to savour Conference League Speedway….Cradley v Buxton would be a good local derby !

  10. mark,rowley regis said: Jul 4th, 2007 at 9:53 pm

    i would like to see the e&s getting behind it

  11. Paul Neale said: Jul 6th, 2007 at 9:18 am

    Let’s hope this happens. We need a team in this area to support. And as speeway fans already know, it’s a great night out for families. Let’s encourage this type of entertainment, it would give the younger generation somewhere to go so they are not bored! We can’t let the negativity of a few shortsighted people, who do not understand speedway, spoil it for the many who do.

  12. Win said: Jul 10th, 2007 at 6:18 pm

    There is still a huge fan base and demand for speedway within the Dudley Borough. When Cradley closed there was a 30,000+ name petition handed into the Council asking for their help to reinstate speedway. If local Councillors honestly pay attention to local democracy then they should support the planning application wholeheartedly and ensure that speedway returns.

    Cradley was a top class speedway team that really put Dudley on the map. Bring back the Heathens!

  13. DJ said: Jul 13th, 2007 at 11:09 am

    As a Wolves fan I do miss the local derbies and hope Cradley do get back, although I guess it will be at Conference Level to start with. Still be a good excuse to pop into the heart of the black country and have a pint of bathams after the meeting. And maybe they could buck the trend of the Conference League and see if a team of over 40s could do the business - Penhall, Bastable, Collins, Grahame, Pedersen, Cross, King - get those leathers out.

  14. simon tomkins said: Jul 22nd, 2007 at 8:54 pm

    As a life long fanatical heathens supporter along with my mother.I can only hope and prey that Dudley council see sense and put our famous team back on the map.Me and my mother have travelled all over the world to see our boys wear the famous red,white and green.I shall not be happy til that flag flies proudly once again.I was the fella at cardiff a few years ago with the flag stating cradley deserves speedway,speedway deserves cradley.DAM RIGHT IT DOES

  15. Chris White said: Jul 25th, 2007 at 3:45 pm

    Hope if and when Cradley come back that the stadium has better facilities than Dudley Wood…..few improvements there since the Great War !!

  16. robert lee said: Aug 26th, 2007 at 7:28 pm

    after seeing the report of the proposed site of the new speedway track let me say as a local resident i be objecting to its location in every way possible few people have missed speedway in this area since 1996 and if mr edwards and his fellow supporters are so keen then build the track on your doorstep and not mine