Ellesmere Port Gunners

Ellesmere Port Gunners
Club information
Track address	The Stadium Thornton Road Ellesmere Port Wirral
Country	England
Founded	1972
Closed	1985
Team manager	Ian Thomas, Joe Shaw
Team captain	Steve Finch, a/n others
League	National League (II)
Club facts
Colours	Red and Yellow
Track size	389 metres (425 yd)
Major team honours
National League Champions 1985 National League Best Pairs Champions 1976, 1978 National League Fours Champions 1979

Ellesmere Port Gunners were an English speedway team in Ellesmere Port, Wirral, which operated from 1972 until their closure in 1985.

History

The team operated from 1972 until 1982 continuously. The club was resurrected for one season in 1985 and went on to win the National League Championship. However speedway has not been hosted there since as the local council, the stadium owners, are not willing to have the sport back. The speedway track has since been replaced by a sand greyhound racing track.

The first track record on the 424 yard track was 76.0 seconds, set by John Jackson on 2 May 1972. The eventual track record went twice on the same night during the Knock-Out Cup Final 1st-leg in 1985. Gordon Kennett of Eastbourne Eagles clocked 69.2 only to be beaten by The Gunners Louis Carr in the very next heat with a time of 69.1.

Riders

Riders from the 1970s included Paul Tyrer, Robbie Gardener, Wayne Hughes, Colin Goad, Barry Booth, Graham Drury, John Jackson, Gerald Smitherman, Geoff Pusey, Steve Finch, Chris Turner, Ian Gills, Roger Austin, Duncan Meredeth, Steve Taylor, Steve Casey, Nigel Wasley, Chris Morton, Louis Carr, Peter Carr, Phil Collins, Neil Collins, Eric Monahan, Pete Ellams, Paul Embley, Robert Craven, as well as Paul O'Neil from New Zealand and Cliff Anderson from Australia,

A rider died on the Ellesmere Port track on 3 December 1977. Stuart Shirley lost his life on a Saturday morning training school after a collision with Kenny Carter.