"Nice bit of research there Nigel, Droylsden is a fascinating venue. The Blackpool venue in 1928 has a similar story attached to it. Although it was originally built as a horse trotting venue, motorcycles were the first to take to the track. This time it was Wilf McClure who rolled the track to resemble an American dirt-track circuit using a mixture of clay and sand. Again. it was an experiment as they even raced clockwise. Keep up the research Nigel, it's never too late to learn something new. "

"I enjoyed Nigel Bird's well researched article on Droylsden. What a hazy old venue that is. Amazing to imagine the riders starting at intervals like a time trial. "No passing down the straights lads because they're too narrow!". How speedway has changed since those distant days, but Nigel confirms that this was indeed an officially licenced dirt track meeting. I think that firmly defines it as early speedway. The history of the sport from its earliest faltering beginnings is really being brought out by Researchers nowadays and it certainly makes you think. "

"I'm desperately trying to find out if Fred Fearnley, rider for Droylsden in the 20's was my Great-Uncle. The only info I have of him, (my Great-Uncle) was that he sold Ford cars in the Manchester area later in his life. Any chance that this is the same man? Does anyone know where the Speedway rider Fred Fearnley ended up? Longshot I know, but hey, it's worth a try. Great site by the way, my father used to take me to watch Yarmouth Bloaters speedway at Yarmouth stadium in the late 50's. Got home filthy from the cinders!! Stadium still very active, but just greyhounds and stock car now. Happy days though. Thanks for any help."

"Fred was my Granfather on my Dad's side of the family. I never got to meet the man. He did indeed sell Ford cars in the Manchester area. "

"Following on from my son Joe's comments. My Dad was Frederick Joseph Fearnley born Manchester in 1902. He did have a younger brother but his parents split up when he was about 8 and Fred went with his Mother Clara Greenhalgh while his brother went to live with his Dad. My Father first got interested in motorbike racing when attending amateur meetings on Southport Sands. After a short career as a rider he became involved in promoting at Belle Vue and Middlesborough, also West Ham where the riders wore vests with the crossed hammer insignia. My Dad told me that the speedway team were called the Hammers before the football team adopted that name. As a boy I attended many Speedway events with my Dad and remember the smell of hot Castrol racing oil on a Summer's evening. My Dad was a very successful businessman and the business side of speedway soon took over from racing. He owned a number of Motorbike dealerships in Manchester and London in the 50s and graduated to Ford dealerships in the 60s. He died in France in 1971 when married to his third wife who was a French national."

"Very interesting story about Droylsden where I was born. My parents lived in Lower Openshaw and as an East Manchester family we were always at Belle Vue, Zoo, dancing, speedway etc; My parents told me that Fred Fernley owned a garage in Lower Openshaw, I would have thought before 1939 as after the blitz they moved to Higher Openshaw. On a private Facebook page called Old Droylsden, there have been several mentions of that first meeting of 1928. As a kid in the late 60's and 70's I knew that area like the back of my hand and from what people have written there were 2 tracks, Droylsden (Dodds) and Audenshaw, near to the Snipe Inn."

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