the investment promised came to fruition in 1986 when northern sports spent £1.5 million on a new three tier grandstand restaurant and sports centre including squash courts, a snooker club, gymnasium, sauna and various other facilities. the stadium underwent considerable success with significant increases in attendances and totalisator turnover. charity events featured appearances from desert orchid, bob champion, henry cooper, jenny pitman and many others. the sports leading trainer geoff de mulder joined the track and the speedway team became the leading team in the united kingdom with four times world champion hans nielsen as their captain.