'Club CH' was initially formed by the loyal Cradley Heathens supporters in January 1999, in order to reunite the fans on the terraces of tracks up and down the country. The intention was also to bring Cradley Heath back into the minds of British Speedway fans and reiterate the continuing determination to see the Heathens return to top flight racing in the Dudley borough. Riders were chosen to represent the club from other Conference League teams and coaches were arranged and run to every match. A small group of riders were also named as first choice team members to encourage continuity.

In 2002, after three years of racing, it was decided that the club would revert purely to a supporters club. The financial cost and resources involved in putting together a team and organising sufficient fixtures had increased significantly each year and was becoming unmanageable for a club with no home track to stage meetings.

Sponsored challenge matches had been held at some of the tracks of the 1999 and 2000 Conference League clubs, but Club CH did not compete in the Conference League itself and never had a designated home track. All matches were effectively away matches spread out through the season, making each one an occasion for the Heathens fans to enjoy. The club continues to be run by a committee of supporters who have been voted in and re-elected at the Annual General Meetings and the project has been entirely financed through local sponsorship and the paid membership of club supporters.

The participation in matches by Club Cradley Heath provided several positives for the sport in general and even laid the first foundations for a number of other defunct teams to make attempted comebacks. The name of one of the most famous speedway clubs in history has been kept alive and the project has helped to support the still ongoing fight for the club to return to professional racing, thus eventually adding another team to the British leagues; the club took supporters to all of its matches each year, most of whom would otherwise be lost to the sport and therefore not paying any money through the turnstiles as they now continue to do; and finally the riders who were employed for each match benefitted from the experience of riding competitively and indeed racing in front of a loud and enthusiastic crowd which they may not usually get. Many riders used by Club CH were British youngsters, embarking on future professional speedway careers.

In 2001, the project took on a slightly different approach. Rather than full 15-heat Conference level matches, the club ran smaller second half events, staged after full Elite or Premier League matches. This enabled Cradley fans to visit a wider range of venues and watch more races at different levels, whilst simultaneously cutting costs for the club. Similarly, a wider range of other clubs benefitted from the additional support taken by Cradley Heath for the entire meeting.

In 2002, even though Club CH have not been represented on track, the supporters club has continued to run coaches to selected Elite and Premier League matches, as well as the second British Grand Prix in Cardiff. There have been no matches involving Club CH, other than a second half event staged at Camarthen by promoter and former Club CH rider, Gordon Meakins.

The venture has always been separate to the ongoing efforts of Cradley Heath Speedway Ltd and CRASH (Cradley Raising Aid Saving Heathens), but has the backing of both organisations. Equally Club Cradley Heath is in total support of them both and is fully behind the campaign to reinstate the Heathens in professional league racing.

Steven Johnson.