Plans have been announced that the Australian Olympic team are going to set up their Headquarters in Newham for the 2012 Games at the new Westfield Centre at Stratford, well the Sporting stars of Australia had a `second home` with West Ham (now Newham) for many years.

Since the arrival of Speedway (Dirt Track) Racing from Australia in 1928, invented by the Great Australian Showman Johnnie Hoskins in 1923, the Australians have always seen West Ham as being a` Home` for their Champions.

The first-ever Speedway meeting at West Hams Custom House Stadium in July 1928 showed three Australians who were to become Champions in Great Britain, Paddy Dean (who won the West Ham Invitation Handicap at this meeting), Billy Galloway and `Buzz` Hibbard (who became a member of the first West Ham team in 1929 along with another Aussie, Les Maguire).

Later, a young Australian called Arthur Wilkinson arrived and became a member of the team.

He was to become West Ham’s First World Speedway Champion in 1938, and know to all as `Bluey`.

By Robert J. Rogers
There was one thing that seemed only to be done by Speedway Fans, that was to wear your team scarf adorned with not only your teams badge, but the badges of other teams. The main Idea was to swop your team badge with one from a supporter of another team to build up a collection.

AN AFTERNOON AT THE PAVILION GARDENS, NORTH WOOLWICH

West Ham United Football Club in 1900-01, the year they were formed from three amateur teams, one of which was Thames Ironworks.