Ashfield Giants

Former Scottish motorcycle speedway team

Ashfield Giants

Club information
Track address| Ashfield Stadium
Possilpark
Glasgow
Country| Scotland
Founded| 1949
Closed| 1953
(reformed for 2000 only)

Ashfield Giants were a motorcycle speedway team based at Saracen Park, Glasgow, Scotland between 1949 and 1953.[1] The track operated on an open licence in 1953 and were reformed for a one of season during the 2000 Speedway Conference League.[2]

## History

[edit]

The original Giants team were the majority of the Newcastle Diamonds team of 1948. Tuesday nights 1949 to 1951 were "Giants Night" and arguably their most famous rider was Ken Le Breton, known as 'The White Ghost'. Ken (real name Francis) was the star man in his white painted leathers and led the Giants 1949 and 1950. Ken was the first of three Scottish-based riders to compete in a Final of the World Championship (1949).[3] Sadly, he was killed in a track crash in his native Australia in early 1951; this prompted massive scenes of public grief at the stadium.[3]

Co-promoters Johnnie Hoskins and Norrie Isbister presided over a colourful team with a rider in red leathers - Aussie Merv Harding, a rider in blue leathers - Aussie Keith Gurtner and a rider who rode in yellow and black - Scotsman Willie (the wasp) Wilson. Eric Liddell joined the fun with silver leathers. All this in a time when most riders wore the standard black leathers. The team finished 11th in their inaugural 1949 Speedway National League Division Two season[4] and then finished 11th, 8th and 7th respectively during the next three seasons.[5][6]

The Giants were never very successful and the change of race night to a Saturday in 1952 saw a significant decline. Norrie Isbister soldiered on in 1953 but could not prevent the demise of the Giants.

A greyhound racing track replaced the shale for many years before speedway returned in 1999, with Saracen Park now the home of both the Glasgow Tigers speedway team and Ashfield F. C.

## Season summary

[edit]

Year and league  | Position  | Notes

|
|

1949 Speedway National League Division Two | 11th |
1950 Speedway National League Division Two | 11th |
1951 Speedway National League Division Two | 8th |
1952 Speedway National League Division Two | 7th |
2000 Speedway Conference League | 9th |

## Notable riders

[edit]

* Cyril Cooper
* Gruff Garland
* Jack Gates
* Alec (Farmer) Grant
* Merv Harding
* Ron Johnson
* Larry Lazarus
* Ken Le Breton
* Ron Phillips
* Bruce Semmens
* Chum Taylor
* Willie Wilson

## See also

[edit]

* Category:Ashfield Giants riders
* List of defunct motorcycle speedway teams in the United Kingdom

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN 0-7524-2210-3
2. ^ Henry, J. & Moultray, I. (2001). Speedway in Scotland. ISBN 0-7524-2229-4
3. ^ a b White,J. (2003) White Ghost: The Ken Le Breton Story, The History Press Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-2873-X
4. ^ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129\. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
5. ^ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
6. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 25 August 2021.