John Campbell: 'There is a buzz and an excitement about it. It's a great thing to be involved in.'

NEWS Wednesday 26th August 2020, 7:30am

by PR Team

  Edinburgh Monarchs

John and Liam were joined by British Speedway's longest continuously serving Promoter for an excellent Sunday Lunch last week as What The Fork Monarchs own Co-Promoter John Campbell sat down to look over his fascinating time in speedway.

John's connection with the Monarchs started back in the sixties as a supporter at Old Meadowbank, "My cousin is a big sports fan and travels around to whatever grounds he can get to. In 1965 he took me to speedway at Old Meadowbank when I was 10 years old.

"From our family home you could stand in the garden and hear the unsilenced bikes, as they were then, racing in the distance and I would say to my Father that we should go back to see the speedway.

"My Mother decided she would have her pals round one Saturday night and my Father said 'let's go and see the speedway'. It was Scotland versus England in May 1966.

"Throughout 1966 and 1967 we got a seat in the grandstand. My Father used to phone up on a Saturday morning and if he phoned in time then we would get seats G1 and G2. But if we didn't phone in time then another guy would phone up and he would get G1 and G2 and we would get H1 and H2. That's how it all came about."

Over the years John's involvement with the Club grew, first as travel convenor and then as Chairman of the Supporters Club. By 1984 John had progressed all the way to a promoter of the Monarchs, the role he continues to this day. Asked what it is about speedway that hooked him, John said, "I get excited by it all, it's incredibly tense throughout.

"I'm on edge from first thing on a Friday morning until whatever time I get to the bar after the match and then I can just switch off. Throughout that time there is a buzz about it, there's an excitement about it. It is such a great thing to be involved in."

John's Sunday Lunch session is compelling viewing, covering many areas of the Club and his involvement in the sport. If you missed last weekend's Sunday Lunch with John, you can watch now over on EMTV.

As the Speedway Grand Prix series gets underway this Friday evening, EMTV:Rewind takes a break this week and will continue to accommodate all Friday evening Grand Prix rounds going forward. Catch our next meeting from the archive on Friday 4th September at 7:30pm.