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I'm really looking forward to this season. To have so many NL riders join the Championship league. Good luck to them all., Only one thing would have pleased me more and that was to have in every team 6 & 7 National league riders to even it out.

You are both correct. When i worked at Wimbledon back in the 1980's, they were both working at the stadium for the cleaning company. They were also top riders in the old NL at the time. I wonder how many professional riders combine jobs these days.

31st February

So from claiming to have all the facts, it's now gone to having zero facts, and it's descended to nothing more than one of those Speedway Star letters... "I've been a fan for 40 years, so my own odd opinion is more valid than everyone else's..." and "I have some good mates"

I believe Alan Mogridge (?) did at one time?

Pretty sure Andy Galvin did.

He sold out his Cleaning business pretty early on, and made a lot of money from the sale. Got the feeling that some riders close to him also worked in the company but I might be wrong.

I thought that EVERY premiership club was hosting a round of the youth championship.....

Speedway certainly doesn't have 10% of the pull it had a generation ago. The set up within Manchester is perfect as is the stadium and track and if this was Poland it would be copied in 10 -15 places. Speedway in the UK has fallen into a whirlpool of disinterest and may survive after the Big Reshuffle in a semi pro or amateur sport. The NSS was sadly born 15 or 20 years too late.

As has been said, the idea of them being one and the same was just a crazy idea based on the western distrust of Eastern bloc nations at the time - and perhaps a little Lanning sensationalism! They both rode in the 1976 World Team Cup final at White City. I think that was the only time I saw them together in person, but they were also in the 1975 final. Steve

wolves ipswich peterborough bellview swindon poole kings lynn [ hard to pick without riders ]

I don’t think barren years will matter. BV supporters are used to it, and we have managed to maintain reasonable levels over the last decade. Unfortunately speedway just doesn’t have the pull. For the majority of people it’s boring and not worth the investment. The catchment area etc doesn’t really matter. It’s the same for many clubs. I think an average attendance of 1.5k is an astonishing achievement, I really do, given the absolute mess this sport is currently in.

That's about 1 a month No other team has Erik, TJ, MPT or Kerr, so I guess its them 4. Back up for Lambo is a must for me, but very unlikely, and Lewis is a big risk. Lynn and Ippo battling it out for the spoon, i'm thinking. If that is Lynn's team I won't be to pleased. Buster becomes chairman and seems to neglect Lynn a bit. Then buys 2 more clubs an its looking like the Panthers have a great team, Lynn look like they are gonna suffer to save the Prem for 1 more season. After waiting over 50 years, and coming close you would think that Buster would do all he can to deliver the title to his beloved team Lynn.... We should know the team by May at this rate

We have had some shocking crowds when the weather has played a part but the crowds ain't as bad as you think, People just look at only 2 blocks being full in grandstand and think there's only a few 100 there. But in fact there is about 800. And that's just grandstand. South stand is usually full with probably a good 800-100 in there. Regarding finances I don't know much about them but did hear they lost 80k last year. But that was alot less then previous year. They are hoping to gradually bring it down to break even within 5 years. How they will do that I'm not sure as they are not particularly good at promoting like every other promoter. But Adrian is a clever men. I'm sure he has something up his sleeve. And for anyone thinking he's ready to jump ship and they are not committed. Adrian for 2 years has lived in a hotel all week away from his family that he/club pay for. But now he's buying a house not far from the track to live up here. So clearly they are here for the long haul

I'm not but aren't they targeted at your personal search history and interests etc.

Early 60's to 1970 - loved the speedway asa youngster. Visits by Russian and Polish teams, either national or club. They rode Eso/Jawa with "funny" handlebars clipped to the front forks. Plechanov, Samaradov, Gab Kadirov, Kurilenko etc. For the Poles Zyto, Pogoselski, Migos plus other names I couldnt say. The Swedes starting to rule the roost with Fundin, Knuttson, Sjoston, Bengt Jannsson, Goto Nordin, Bernie Persson (not one of my favourites). Seeing Hyde Road bulging when it was British League Riders Championship, and that continued thro the 70's and 80's. Brilliant days. Then the 70's - Britain became top dog, if Team GB had riders now like then GB would be top again. Some Americans on the scene and of course the next dominent country Denmark. The years Peter Collins/Chris Morton burst on the scene with their style of excitement. Ivan and Olle continued domineering, Anders Michanek andHans Neilson adding to a classic time period. Those were the days my friends (I could burst out in song but I dont have Mary Hopkins voice).

At the end of the day Plymouth will continue to have a speedway team next season something which was much in doubt at the end of last I think. New sponsorship or actually any sponsorship is so difficult to get so my thoughts are WELL DONE to the Mark, Stuart and Mattie. Paul is working hard as well. I am pleased to sponsor a heat for the season as I have done the last two years. It's a relatively small amount but if it helps keep my Friday nights going, we as spectators just need to get behind the team and give them the support they need and deserve.

...Despite it's many failings I'd personally rather watch the BBC than many of the commercial stations that continually, and at great regularity, ram adverts than one's throat. The number of times I've ceased to watch a programme on ITV or any of the 'free view' stations because of banal interruptions... and before anyone asks I don't have a playback facility preferring to watch my vast collection of DVDs instead as TV I generally find rather mundane nowadays especially when inundated with sport events that saturate the listings!

Shouldda mentioned Bert Harkins-just started reading his book(great read)-wotta character of the sixties also. Here's another- Brian Brett -any memories, I always recall he was considered to be a cert to qualify from the British Final of 1964 to get to the World Final-and maybe even become British Champ-famous photo of him sitting on the track after his first ride when he fell. Got to the WF in 1965 and performed creditably-went from Swindon to Newcastle and then I think retired-anybody know why he quit so young?

I wonder how many World Championships Briggo would have won if he had paid the same attention to detail, and organised his equipment, in the way Ivan did?

Lots of memories here, I started going to " the speedway" in 1965 at somerton park. Some things that stick in my mind from sixties & early seventies. Nigel Boocock " little boy blue", Garry Middleton, Reg Luckhurst, Olle Nygren, Etc, race jackets - for some reason the iconic Newcastle one, we had a few characters in our wasps team trough the period I remember vaguely a full on fight between 2 of our own riders Bill Andrew & Jon Erskine not far from where I was. The first time Ronnie Moore turned up with the Dons seemed like the return of of a King, , booing the likes of Ivan, Ole but not Briggo for some reason. I m not sure the racing was any better but I think the package was.

Hi Gustix, My Father Fred Taylor was one of the riders in New Cross Rangers team in the match with West Ham in 1946. My late Father had been trying to make it in post war speedway, he had second half rides at many London tracks including Rye House where he had been quite badly injured. He and his brother John who also rode second half races at West Ham and ran a motor cycle tuning business in Sunnyside Rd Ilford. My Dad had moderate success in an injury blighted career and after he married in 1947 he retired and worked as a draughtsman for Ilford Films. Later he worked as a Hornchurch school metal work teacher and retired in 1981 and enjoyed over 25 yrs retirement until his death in 2006 ( 86yrs old ). I was a regular at Ken Mackinlay / Sverre Harrfeldt era at West Ham but also with my Father attended many Grass Tracks which my Dad really loved as I still do. Lakeside Hammers are my local Speedway team now and I have helped as a track marshall/ grader last season. Regards Geoff Taylor

Cor. I remember watching this on TV. Another reminder of age! By the way it was a Provincial League match not a Challenge. I would go along with it being Len Silver. That was my first thought on seeing the picture. Doubt it is Squibby and it is definitely not Olle Nygren. Alan Cowland wore white leathers so probably not him. With both teams having Monday race nights the rearrangement to fit in with TV was probably not too difficult. Do wonder whether there would be such co-operation these days though. Nice thread, thanks for setting off the memories.

I was at that meeting. I don't remember seeing you there!

Fantastic...cheers, Christ that makes me ancient! Squibb was top rider. Unfortunately they didn't see the season out, those orange and black rangers. I was 7 then, lived in Nunhead se15.