Everyone connected with this website was saddened by the death on Sunday morning of Harry Dawson. Harry was a long standing supporter of Edinburgh Monarchs and a regular contributer to this website.
I first came across Harry when he responded to an appeal for sponsorship early in the 1999 season. Stewart McDonald had blown two engines in quick succession and was struggling to pay for replacements. Within a day of the appeal being posted Herry emailed me to say that he had persuaded one of his business contacts to come up with some cash. A cheque was presented to Stewart the following Friday at Armadale.
Harry continued to lend his support to Stewart especially after injury cut short his season and pushed for a collection on Stewart's behalf. Harry also has provided help and sponsorship for a number of younger Edinburgh riders. He was involved with Blair Scott's personal website in recent months.
Harry provided a good deal of information used in the news section of this website. He also contributed directly via the 'Guest Book'. Some of his postings were under his own name but most were under his pseudonym 'Hugh McGandy'.
'Hugh McGandy' was well known by speedway fans throughout the world via his contributions to the 'speedway@yahoogroups.com' international internet mailing list. He was also a columnist on the speedway website 'all4back.com'.
Harry's (or rather Hugh's) sense of humour endeared him to all. This included those with whom he had frequent run-ins. He was at his happiest when bashing the Tigers and the English. But it was always in a good natured way.
Any tributes can be posted on the Guestbook of this site.
Harry will be missed.