The Cradley Heathens began the defence of their National League title last week in a new home and Newsman Adam Smith was there to see it.

THE smells and the sounds were the same but the venue for speedway was different for the Cradley Heathens season opener.

Last Wednesday night the nomadic Heathens made their debut at their new home - in sunny Perry Barr - home of their rivals the Brummies.

Well over a thousand fans migrated from the Black Country to inner city Birmingham and were treated to one of the most exciting meetings in years.

The National League battle with the Coventry Storm went right down to the last race as last year's foregone conclusions and whitewashes were long forgotten.

Chairman Nigel Pearson, who was on the mic and whooping up the crowd, was delighted with the Heathens' debut in Perry Barr despite his nerves being shredded.

He said: "From a competitive sporting sense the meeting had it all and it was very tense down to the last race unlike last year when we had it all our own way.

"Our captain saved the day with an incredible ride so as a sporting spectacle the crowd could not have asked for anymore."

However, Wednesday night was about more than just the sport, it was about settling into a new home.

Mr Pearson added: "I was delighted to see that so many Cradley fans had travelled to Perry Barr for the meeting. We know it is a bit further than Monmore Green but Perry Barr has fantastic facilities and it set up brilliantly for speedway.

"We need our fans to support us if we are going to be financially viable this year and to see so many fans there was great."

Martin Wood, who has been supporting the Heathens since 1970, was one of the faithful who made the trip to Birmingham.

He said: "Perry Barr is further to get to than Wolverhampton but I am just glad the Heathens are racing at all this season.

"There are good facilities here but what we all want is a ground of our own, we deserve one after all these years."

The Heathens top brass are currently trying to secure planning permission for a new track in Dudley borough.

Mr Pearson added: "I am meeting with Dudley Council officials on April 28 about a new track after our very positive meeting with the leader of Dudley Council Councillor Pete Lowe who remembers us from the Dudley Wood days.

"Heathens speedway has a great future if Wednesday was anything to go by, there were young and old and all different colours in the crowd cheering the bravery of all the riders on show."

One speedway fanatic who was delighted Heathens were in Perry Barr is 96-year-old Brummies fan Albert Ford.

He said: "I have loved speedway since the days of coal chippings and I will be watching both the Heathens and the Brummies from now on, if the Heathens are good enough to come to Perry Barr for their meetings then it is the least I can do than to watch them."

Showing that speedway spans the generations Albert ended the meeting in deep discussion with schoolboy Ethan Davis who was experiencing his first ever meeting.

The 11-year-old said: "I have heard the bikes before but have never seen them live but now I have met Ollie Ommer and seen the Heathens "Ommer" Coventry."