| 1. |
Q. |
When and Where were you living when you first took an interest
in speedway |
| |
A. |
I leaving in a town call Ryde, where I still living its around
10min drive from my local club Holstebro. |
| |
|
|
| 2. |
Q. |
Where and when did you start riding and what bike(s) did you
have |
| |
A. |
I was around 10-11 years old, my first ride was at Holstebro
Speedway track in 1990, my bike was a 80ccm speedway bike. |
| |
|
|
| 3. |
Q. |
What were your best achievements before coming to the UK |
| |
A. |
From
1990 to 1994 I did 80ccm speedway bikes, 1995 was my first year
on 500ccm. ( I will attached a page with what I have won.......
John says
Bjarnes career acheivements are listed above |
| |
|
|
| 4. |
Q. |
How did you come to the UK, were you brought over by a UK
promoter or were you freelancing. |
| |
A. |
My
first trip to England was in think it was 1998 I visit Brian
Andersen at Coventry, but I was feeling it was to early, and
then Newcastle comes up in 2000, after some phone calls with Jesper Olsen. |
| |
|
|
| 5. |
Q. |
Where did you ride first in UK and how successful were you |
| |
A. |
I
cannot really remember my first meeting in UK but for sure it
was for Newcastle. |
| |
|
|
| 6. |
Q |
How did you end up riding for the Diamonds and did you live on
Tyneside, if so where were you living |
| |
A. |
I did stay with Roy Clarke in Newcastle |
| |
|
|
| 7. |
Q. |
Can you remember your first rides at Brough Park and how did you
do |
| |
A. |
cannot remember but there must be some old record......., I
think I come in on a 09.00 average the first year and finish on
09.23 I can remember my gold was to add somethink on my average
already in my first season. |
| |
|
|
| 8. |
Q. |
Did you like the track and how quickly did you adapt to its
tight corners etc |
| |
A. |
I quickly adapt the tract, I was a good home tract, special but
good when you know the track. |
| |
|
|
| 9. |
Q. |
Did
you try Newcastle Brown Ale and sample the night life in
Newcastle, The town is now famous for its nightlife.
How did you find it back then |
| |
A. |
I have never try a Newcastle Brown yet, I think in my 2 years at
Newcastle we was maybe out ones or two times, but both times was
with the hole team. |
| |
|
|
| 10 |
Q |
What were your highlights riding for the Diamonds |
| |
A |
Winning the Premier league
championship in 2001 and the pairs with Jesper Olsen. |
| |
|
|
| 11 |
Q |
You must have made a few friends from Newcastle are you still in touch
with any of them, if so who are they. |
| |
|
I still got friends in Newcastle,
but I not in weekly touch with any one of them. |
| |
|
|
| 12 |
Q |
Are you married and if so how and where did you meet you wife and do you
have children |
| |
A |
I merried to Lone , we got
(Oliver 11 years)(Maja 4 year)(new baby on the way 1 of Dec) |
| |
|
|
| 13 |
Q |
How and why did you decide on your last season for the Diamonds |
| |
A |
I was close to be at the top of
the averages in 2001, I was feeling it was time to step up in
the Elite league, Poole was the right place to go at this time. |
| |
|
|
| 14 |
Q |
UK Speedway is in the doldrums again with too few tracks in the Elite
league and dwindling crowds.
Do you have any thoughts about how to give it a shot in the arm |
| |
A |
no! |
| |
J |
John says neither can I and I spent |
| 15 |
Q |
Can you sum up being here at Newcastle was it good for you or should you
have done something else instead |
| |
A |
Newcastle was fantastic for me,
the two season did me some good, I did learn a lot about british
speedway/track, I grow up a lot this 2 seasons. |
| |
|
|
| 16 |
Q |
So Bjarne
that’s my 15 questions, if you
want to say more feel free and type away. |
| |
A |
I would like to thank all my
friends in Newcastle and everyone at Newcastle speedway, for some great
time and results back in 2000-2001, maybe one day I will be back and do
few laps on my old home track Bjarne
Pedersen ex Newcastle Diamond
|
| |
|
John says: Everyone connected to
Newcastle Speedway and your many fans here in Newcastle would
love to see you out on the Brough Park track again. Why
not contact George English and maybe arrange to do three match races
against Kenneth Bjerre or someone else with a Newcastle
connection. I suppose Nicki would enjoy a return trip to Brough
Park, if he, like you, has the time?
This contact between
me (John) and Bjarne took place on 7th September 2013. |
| |
| |
| Newcastle's Pedersens |
| |
 |
| |
| Bjarne and Nicki raced for
4 laps like this! Nicki
had returned to Brough for an individual event which is how this photograph
came to be taken. If my memory serves me well I remember Nicki on the
outside in a later lap when he clattered the boards but still
pushed Bjarne all the way |
| |
|
Bjarne has sent the following pics for me to use on this website:- |
| |
| |
Team
Pedersen
Emil Grřndal
2013 |
| |
 |
| |
| 16 people in this photo.
Hey Bjarne did you have to pay them all? A far cry from your
beginning at Brough Park. |
| |
| |
Bjarne
In
Start Gniezno
Colours |
| |
 |
| |
| |
|
Bjarne
"Og
Team" |
| |
 |
| |
| |
|
Bjarne
In
Eastbourne Colours |
| |
 |
| |
|
So my thanks to Bjarne for helping with this section of the 2000's.
If you missed seasons 2000 and 2001 you missed seeing Bjarne develop
into a great rider, one of the best we have ever had and a nice guy too. |
| |
|
Most of the pictures
on this page were taken by Steve Brock who helps me at times with his pictures for the
History Site. Please visit Steve's own site if you want to buy any
photographs.
Steve
Brock Photography
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Newcastle KBS Diamonds
2001
League Champions |
| |
 |
| |
|
Darryl Illingworth Jesper Olsen Richard Juul
Rob Grant Kevin Little Andre Compton Bjarne Pedersen George English and Kenny
Smith (sadly now deceased)
|
| |
| 2001 KBS Diamonds |
| |
 |
| Courtesy of Kevin Rabbitt |
| |
John says, Bjarne
Pedersen, Richard Juul, Jesper Olsen, Kevin Little, Andre
Compton and Rob Grant jnr. So please confirm and just the
number 7 to name John
Steve Baker says: 2001 title winning
side, correctly identified, the missing no 7 is Paul Macklin. |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Kevin Little
|
| |
 |
| |
| Kevin Little born
24.09.1972, Edinburgh, Scotland. Kevin was at the backbone
of the Newcastle team for 4 seasons
2001-2004 He was a middle order rider
who occasionally made heat leader scores. I was impressed
by his riding, he possessed great throttle control of his bike. |
| |
| |
|
This Is Kevin On
The Ice In The
USA
|
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Andre
Compton
|
| |
 |
| |
|
Jesper Olsen and Andre with the league trophy
2001
|
| |
| |
|
Andre Compton During Newcastle's
2001
Championship
Winning Campaign.
|
| |
 |
| |
|
Andre was one of the best full
throttle racers in modern speedway, watching him on a big fast track like
Sheffield was a truly special thing. He sometimes
struggled a bit with the slower, tighter turns at Brough Park,
but he was still hugely entertaining.
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
2003
Newcastle Team
|
| |
 |
| |
|
Mick Powell, Rune Knudsen, Richard Juul,
Kevin Little, Jamie Robertson, Craig Branney and Kenneth Bjerre
|
| |
|
| |
| |
| Rune Knudsen
2003 |
| |
|
Born 15th August 1983 at Helsingor in Denmark. Rune became
a member of the Diamonds in 2003. He didn't deliver what
the team needed and was quickly replaced by fellow Dane Kristian
Lund. The website is short of a photo or two of both these
Danes so please send me scans if you have photos of them.
John |
| |
| |
| Kristian Lund
2003 |
| |
 |
| Courtesy of Kevin Rabbitt |
| |
| Steve Baker says: Kristian
Lund |
| |
| |
| Jason Lyons |
| |
 |
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
 |
| |
| |
| William Lawson |
| |
 |
| Courtesy of Kevin Rabbitt |
| |
John says, don't even
remember the race jacket!
Steve Baker
says: William Lawson, 2003, probably pre season practise as he has
no helmet colour or sponsor logo on his race jacket. |
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Kenneth
Bjerre
|
| |
 |
| |
| Kenneth Bjerre Jensen (born
24 May 1984 in Esbjerg, Denmark) came to us in 2002 and rode 2
seasons 2002 and 2003. My memories of Kenneth are of him
missing the gate and coming from the back passing inside or
outside he could do it better than anyone in my memory. He
was our 5th great Dane following Ole Olsen, Jesper Olsen, Nicki
Pedersen and Bjarne Pedersen. I suppose I enjoyed watching
him more than his other countrymen as I love my speedway more
when a rider overtakes and the little guy did it most matches. |
| |
| |
|
Newcastle/Denmark |
| |
 |
| |
| Copenhagen born Richard
Juul in blue and Esbjerg
born Kenneth Bjerre in red. |
| |
| |
 |
| |
|
Kenneth is another Danish superstar in
the making. I said the same to my daughter as I said about Nicki "There
is a future world champ". So go on Kenneth prove me right
|
| |
|
Kenneth's poor gating in his early days at
Brough,
meant he had to overtake 3 riders to win almost every time. He rode round Brough
differently
to any other rider and was usually 2 or 3 seconds faster than the opposition.
All Newcastle fans consider Kenneth to be our "real track record" holder.
No-one could get near him and his 2 heat winning times at 62.5 seconds are
much more believable than the old record of 61.00 seconds set by another great
racer Sean Wilson! The track has been changed so Kenneth is regarded as the
Brough track record holder. He too had to move up because of his talent and the ever changing rules
of the sport. He left for Belle Vue as did Ivan Mauger before him. |
| |
|
|
|
|
2004
Newcastle Diamonds
|
| |
 |
| |
|
Lee Dicken, Will Lawson, Jason Lyons, Kevin
Little with Jamie Robertson and Jesper Olsen kneeling and Captain Richard Juul on the
bike
|
| |
| |
| Mario Jirout |
| |
 |
| Courtesy of John Spoor |
| |
| Mario from the Czech
Republic joined the Diamonds in 2004. His form was
disappointing and he didn't last long before he was replaced.
He didn't please the Sheffield boss Neil Machin either, see the
report from Paul Rickett (Speedway Star). |
| |
 |
| |
| |
| Richard Juul Sorensen |
| |
 |
| |
| Richard Juul Testimonial |
| 28th March 2004 |
| |
| Newcastle v Wolverhampton |
| |
 |
| |
| Bjarne Pedersen leads
testimonial man Richard |
| |
 |
 |
 |
| |
 |
 |
| Report courtesy of
Speedway Star |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
2005 Newcastle Diamonds
|
| |
 |
| |
|
Phil Morris Josef Franc George English and
Jamie Robertson with sponsor "The Gate"
|
| |
 
 |
| |
|
Left: red James Greaves no5. Middle
Josef Franc Red and right James Greaves
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005
Newcastle
Team |
| |
 |
| i |
|
2005 team. Jamie Robertson, Lubos Tomicek, Christian
Henry, Richard Juul, James Grieves, Josef Franc Kneeling and Phil Morris on
the bike
|
| |
| |
|
| |
| |
| Jamie, Josef & Lubos |
| |
  |
| |
|
Jamie Robertson Left, Right: Josef Pepe Franc (Red)
& Lubos Tomicek (Blue) |
| |
|
| |
| |
| Newcastle v Hull |
| |
| 24th April 2005 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
Scott Nettleship's
Race Jacket |
| |
|
Hi John it's Scott Nettleship I have just been having a
clear out of old things and came across a collection of race
jackets I have raced in but one race jacket I came across
was my very first race jacket when I was 16 and used to race
with Adam Roynon before the meetings started. I was
giving this race jacket by the late Kenny Smith and I was
wondering if you or anyone else knows what year it was from
and possibly who used to race with it on. I have forwarded a
picture of it. Many thanks, Scott.
|
| |
 |
| Courtesy of Scott
Nettleship |
| |
 |
| |
| John says: Hi Scott,
Thank you very much for the email and the pics of your Diamond
Race Jacket. I cannot remember seeing any modern day rider
sporting a jacket like it. However, it is a copy of the
race jackets used between 1961-1963 inclusive. See my pic
of Ivan from 1963 wearing the original. So if anyone can
add any comment(s) re Scott's race jacket please send me an
email here John |
| |
| |
| Speedway Display Stall |
| |
 |
| Courtesy of Scott
Nettleship |
| |
| Scott Nettleship says: I
have attached a photo doing the speedway stand with Ashley
Johnson I think it's from 2004 when he broke his leg this was
down at Akley Heads. |
| John says: Yes it
was down in Durham. The Diamond Geezers ran a succession
of speedway stands around the region. This one was
organised by Mal Ridley and I was there too but no-one took a
photo of me! |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Newcastle "Who's Who"
2006 |
| |
 |
| |
|
A good shot of everyone from 2006 courtesy of
Steve Brock.
George English George Stancl Barry Wallace
Adam Mckinna Joan English Darryl Illingworth Christian Henry Andrew Dalby Jamie
Robertson James Grieves on the bike and Kneeling Josef Franc and Manu Hausinger
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
2007 Race Jacket |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Christian Henry
|
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Stoke v Newcastle 2007
|
| |
 |
| |
|
Ross Brady, Garry
Stead, Jonas Raun & Lee Complin
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Very Popular
2007 Rider
Carl Wilkinson
|
| |
 |
| |
|
Very popular 2007 rider Carl Wilkinson whose
leg trailing blasts around the outside were what the fans wanted to see.
Spectacular riders who entertain the crowds at home or away should earn a few
more quid in my opinion.
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Ross Brady (Red) &
Sean Stoddart (Blue)
|
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
| Scotsman Sean Stoddart
2007 |
| |
|
| |
| |
| Ivan Mauger In 2007 With
Newcastle Evening Chronicle's John Gibson |
Courtesy of Archie Cooper |
| |
|
|
Ivan Mauger paid our PTE club a pre season visit on
14th March 2007. He is shown here with John Gibson Newcastle
Evening Chronicle Sports Editor. Ivan was a Diamond 1963-1968 and
even after this length of time remains the greatest Newcastle
rider ever. |
| |
| |
| Josef Franc |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
2008 Newcastle |
| |
 |
| |
|
2008 Sapphire Diamonds with the team Sponsor. Jamie Robertson Sean Stoddart Ben Powell
Jason King Josef Pepe Franc Christian Henry and George Stancl
|
| |
 |
|
Photo by Steve Brock |
| |
|
Richard Juul answers a call to help out the Diamonds in the later part of the
2008 season. The team are kitted out in "Sapphire Engineering Diamonds"
race suits. I am going to be a bit petty now in pointing out only Dickie
Juul is wearing a diamond on his kevlars. Thank you for sponsoring the
team,
Sapphire Engineering but why didn't you change your name to "Diamond
Engineering!"
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Josef "Pepe" Franc
|
| |
 |
| |
| Josef "Pepe" Franc (born 18
January 1979, in
Čáslav, Czech Republic)
became a Diamond for 4 years
2005-08 |
| |
|
2008
Pepe In The Snow! |
| |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
|
Jason King (blue) and Josef (Pepe) Franc make
life difficult for an unknown Redcar rider. Pepe was a Jawa works rider
and had 3 immaculate yellow Jawas from the Jawa factory. |
|
Matty Hart says: I believe the Redcar rider is Ty
Proctor |
| |
 |
| |
|
Josef again this time with Jamie
Robertson who later in 2008 was dropped from the team. A great pity as Jamie was
very promising in the Newcastle Gems matches.
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
George Stancl
|
| |
 |
| |
| A great artistic photo by
Steve Brock |
| |
| Jiří (George) Štancl (born
19 August 1975 in Prague,
Czech Republic) George did 3 seasons
for the Diamonds 2006, 2007 and 2008. He was sponsored by
local bakers Warburton (please send me a dozen loaves for
mentioning Warburtons!) |
| |
 |
| |
|
George, a Czech rider was living in nearbyWhitley
Bay when he rode for us. He would have been unaware that the small town he was living in
actually staged speedway for 11 meetings in 1929
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Newcastle Season
2009 |
| |
|
Steve Boxall
|
| |
 |
| |
| |
|
Trent Leverington
|
| |
 |
| |
| |
|
Casper Wortman In Newcastle 2009 Colours &
Mildenhall 2008
|
| |
  |
| |
| Unfortunately Casper didn't
make the grade |
| |
| |
| Derek "Deek" Sneddon |
| |
 |
| |
| Scotsman Derek Sneddon born
27.07.1982, Falkirk, Scotland rode for the Diamonds between 2002
and 2009. Very popular apart from his visits now as an
Edinburgh Monarch! |
| |
| |
|
Kenni Larsen
|
| |
 |
| |
| Kenni Arendt Larsen (born
14 June 1988), is known as both Kenni Arendt and Kenni Larsen.
He rode for Newcastle
2008, 2009 and 2010. Kenni won the
Premier League Riders Championship in 2010. He became too
good not to try the Elite League so we lost his services after
2010. |
| |
 |
| |
| Kenni took the track
record down to 61.00 seconds on 24th October 2010 and it is
still the fastest time to date (2017) |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Jason King
|
| |
 |
| |
| Jason Gary King (born 13
April 1985) in Maidstone Kent. Jay rode for us 2008 and
2009 captaining the side. He married local girl Jill and
settled on Tyneside. Jay has been very unlucky with
injuries which appears to have brought his career to a premature
end. |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
Craig Branney
|
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
| Craig Harry Branney (born
31 July 1982) in Whitehaven, Cumbria was a product of the
Newcastle Gems junior side. He was in the Diamonds senior
side 2003 and 2009. He now (2014) appears to have stopped
riding. |
| |
|
| |
Newcastle Sapphire
Engineering Diamonds
2009 |
| |
 |
| |
| |
|
2009 Team After Strengthening
|
| |
 |
| |
|
Rene Bach, Kenni Larsen, Jason King captain (on bike), Adam
McKinna, Derek Sneddon, and kneeling Mark Lemon and
Trent Leverington
|
| |
|
| |
| |
| Rene Bach |
| |
 |
| |
|
René Bach (born 7 June 1990, in Hjordkaer, Rřdekro, Denmark.
The Newcastle conveyor belt of young Danish talent brought Rene
to the north east in 2009. He made himself popular by
missing the gate a lot and sweeping around the outside of the
track in a never say die manner. One of my favourite
riders. |
| |
 |
| |
|
Following his countryman Kenni Larsen into the Newcastle team Rene soon began equalling
Kenni although vastly different in their riding styles Rene thrilled crowds with
his round the boards overtaking |
|
|
|
More of Rene on the 2010-2019 page |
| |
|
| |
|
Name the Rider |
| |
|
| |
|
The contents of this website are © and should not be produced
elsewhere for financial gain. The contributors to this website
gave the pictures and information on that understanding. If anyone
has any issue or objections to any items on my website please email me
and I will amend or remove the item. Where possible credit has
been given to the owner of each item. |
.JPG)