Alan Grahame
NationalityEnglish
Birth date5 February 1954
Birth placeKingstanding, England
Death date3 October 2021 (aged 67)
Death placeWorcester, England
Years 11973–1977
Career 1Birmingham Brummies
Years 21975, 1986
Career 2Swindon Robins
Years 31975
Career 3Poole Pirates
Years 41975
Career 4Wolverhampton Wolves
Years 51975, 1995–1998
Career 5Hull Vikings
Years 61978–1985, 1987–1991, 1993
Career 6Cradley Heathens
Years 71992
Career 7Stoke Potters
Years 81994
Career 8Oxford Cheetahs
Years 91994
Career 9Peterborough Panthers
Teamhonour 1British League Division Two Champion
Teamyear 11974
Teamhonour 2British League Division Two KO Cup Winner
Teamyear 21974
Teamhonour 3New National League Champion
Teamyear 31975
Teamhonour 4British League Champion
Teamyear 41981, 1983
Teamhonour 5British League KO Cup Winner
Teamyear 51979, 1980, 1982, 1983
1987, 1988, 1989
Teamhonour 6British League Cup
Teamyear 61982, 1984
Teamhonour 7Midland Cup
Teamyear 71980, 1983, 1984
Teamyear 81994
Teamhonour 8Fours Championship winner
Indivhonour 1Golden Hammer winner
Indivyear 11984

Alan William Grahame (5 February 1954 – 3 October 2021) was a British motorcycle speedway rider, who rode for the England national speedway team.[1]

Career

Grahame was born at Kingstanding, Birmingham, in February 1954[2] and made his British leagues debut riding for Birmingham Brummies during the 1973 British League Division Two season. He contributed towards the team when they won the league and cup double in 1974.[3]

He finished runner-up to his brother Andy Grahame in the 1982 British Speedway Championship, and qualified for the Speedway World Championship Final in 1984 as reserve and scored five points from two rides.

His most successful period was riding for Cradley Heath, where he won two league championships and seven Knockout Cups from 1978 to 1993.[4][5]

In 1993, he was signed by Oxford Cheetahs[6] and during the final season of his career in 1994, he helped the Cheetahs win the Fours Championship during the 1994 British League Division Two season.[7][8]

At retirement he had earned 42 international caps for the England national speedway team.[1]

He died at the age of 67 on 3 October 2021, from injuries sustained in a motocross racing crash at Bromyard Moto Parc the previous month.[9][10][11]

World Final Appearances

References

  1. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022". British Speedway. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  2. ^ Cradley Speedway: Alan Grahame profile
  3. ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Alan Grahame". WWOS backup. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Grahame can go". Daily Mirror. 2 February 1982. Retrieved 1 September 2024. – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ Bamford/Shailes, Robert/Glynn (2007). The Story of Oxford Speedway. Tempus Publishing Ltd. pp. 150–151. ISBN 978-0-7524-4161-0.
  7. ^ "Speedway". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 8 August 1994. Retrieved 11 May 2023. – via British Newspaper Archive
  8. ^ "1994 complete season records". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  9. ^ Cradley Speedway Home Page
  10. ^ Wigham, Catherine (4 October 2021). "Hull Vikings speedway fans and team-mate pay special tribute to Alan Grahame after sad passing". Hull Daily Mail
  11. ^ "Remembering Big Al". Speedway Star. 3 September 2022. p. 31.