Ian

I believe that Graham Warren, a major star for Australia, was born in Fiji.

I used to get along to Somerton Park most Fridays when I was working in Bristol in the early 70s. My main recollection is of how square the track was. As soon as the meeting finished I used to dash back to Bristol for a swift curry before starting work at midnight. I always thought there was something better about weekend speedway than midweek, but I suppose that's personal preference.

Was that on a trip organised by Barry Briggs? The one Bert Harkins was on?

You're right of course, Bobbath. What I should have said is what a privilege it was to see these guys in our early days in the top flight - along with legends like Briggo, Nigel Boocock and the rest. Incidentally, the Russians raced in Scotland I think on two consecutive years - once at Meadowbank and once at White City. For the life of me I can't remember which way round it was though. Wouldn't you just love to see a Russian touring team on the PL tracks this year?

Yes, they were classics, Shaleway. The fact that I can remember them forty years on is testimony to that. What made them classics isn't quite so easy to define though. On one wet night (and wet nights were never George's favourite) we were nearly whitewashed by the Poles, yet the sense of occasion watching these wonderful and apparently fearless racers more than made up for the poor home showing. The first appearance at Meadowbank by the Russians was something which we had all been looking forward to for months. They were such an entertaining team, and tremendous ambassadors for their country. Bear in mind also that Edinburgh was a Provincial League track, and here before our very eyes were world class greats like Igor Plechanov and Boris Samorodov. It didn't get much better than that for us kids who didn't have all that much else by way of affordable entertainment. It's interesting that Bluey still remembers those days in detail. Next time you speak with him, tell him quite a few of us do too! Oh yes - and say thank you to him for that memory.

When I see the name Bluey Scott it always brings back the same memory from the mid-1960s. In those days tracks ran a rather more varied diet of events, and one recurring theme was the "international" matches. Scotland - or at least, Ian Hoskins' definition of "Scotland" - would race against England, Poland, Russia or something called "Overseas", which was broadly a team drawn from Kiwi and Aussie riders. Thus it came to pass that George Hunter and Bluey Scott came to be paired together; the old format gave each pair six rides. Bluey rode for Glasgow White City and George of course was a Monarch. Strange bedfellows indeed, but for some reason they had an amazing capability to teamride together. I've seen many examples of fine team riding over the years, but if any two riders ever practised the art better then George and Bluey then I missed it.

They say smell is one of the most evocative senses. I could smell my way into Hackney Stadium with my eyes closed. I used to enter via the gate at the first/second bend. The two predominant came from the Clarnico Mints and Lesney Toys factories. On a balmy summer evening it could take a while to overcome these. Other memories include "the weekly fiddle"; the old lady on the back straight who screamed abuse every time Bobby Beaton appeared; George Hunter almost flooring Garry Middleton with a superb punch following an "incident"; and, for a newcomer to London, the strange grunting noises that occurred when old friends saluted each other every Friday evening. I'm not going to list any more Hackney recollections - we'll have Shazzybird on here crying her eyes out before long! Just one final one though. Anyone remember the little girl of ten or so, always dressed a la mode, who used to chase after Andy Galvin? I'll bet she never came to any good!

I quite fancy a spot of speedway action and thought I might go along to this one. But only twelve riders? What's the meeting format?

I went to see a performance by the Bolshoi in the West End in, I think, 1976. It was blisteringly hot inside, so at the interval I headed to the pub next door in search of something cooling. (I had to brush past Susan Hampshire to get out, which was excellent.) Inside were half the cast of the ballet, clearly intent on doing what I was doing. In close attendance were four sinister guys in leather coats who were straight from the cast of many a cold-war movie. I was in no doubt that their function was to ensure that none of the performers did a runner. On the team coach with the 1965 Russian touring party were also a couple of guys whose sole function appeared to be to watch what was going on. The Soviets were certainly paranoid about high-profile people defecting to the west.

I remember his as a member of the Stoke team in 1962. Other than that, sorry - I can't help.

I was lucky enough to see him most weeks when he rode his final season with Wembley - I think it was 1971. Sverre, although a shadow of his former self by all accounts, was still a very good rider. Some riders always look faster than others, which I have always imagined to be a combination of riding posture, stature and track positioning; Sverre looked very fast indeed. Considering he was still recovering from massive injuries that says an awful lot about the man. He got better and better as the season went on, and I think eventually scored the elusive maximum. Kev, you asked for stories, and here's one which I bet not too many will remember. On his retirement, his Wembley teammates gave him a memento - it may have been a plate, or something like that. The inscription read: "The record shows He took the blows And did it his way". Funny the things you remember, isn't it? Like some of the other all-time greats, I consider myself fortunate to have been entertained by the superb Sverre Harrfelt. Do you have any knowledge of what he's up to these days?

Thinking on this a bit further, wasn't Ross Gilbertson Poole captain?

Impressive stuff Bob. I wouldn't argue with most of your captains, but I'm not sure Mauger was captain at Newcastle. I also think Len silver was the Exeter skipper. Doug Templeton, an inspirational skipper at Edinburgh since 1960, went on to become speedway's lomgest-serving captain.

That woman isn't Sandie Shaw. She's wearing shoes. And if ever there was an argument for Germans coming into the PL on 8.00 averages, that has to be it. In fact, I'd increase it to 10.00!

A sorry sight indeed. Prediction: we'll have Nevs on this thread sometime between now and midnight crying his eyes out. And who could blame him?

I'm afraid I can be of no assistence to you in this matter Kev. Just one question, though. Why do you want to know?

It would be neglectful not to mention how accomplished a rider Bob Paulson was. I remember him appearing in the very strong Sheffield sides of the mid-sixties, along with other newcomers like Arnold Haley. Sheffield always seemed to be able to come up good quality riders who nobody had heard of before. Bob, in fact, became the Tigers skipper. I hadn't heard until this thread that he was dead. Tragically, speedway certainly seems to throw up more than its fair share of suicides.

Does some sort of code of secrecy apply to whoever it is you're all talking about, or are the rest of us allowed to know who it is?

So which was it?

A very good day's speedway - including the junior grasstrackers. I thought the track produced some very good racing. The speed at which the meeting was run could hardly have been bettered, which was just as well because the temperature didn't half drop when the sun went down. Can this be looked into? One final comment. Many times in the past I've been to end-of-season meetings where the riders don't look all that interested. Yesterday certainly was an exception to that; they were all up for it. Well done - an object lesson in how meetings should be run.

Do we know how much he currently charges?

Thanks very much, Fentigers lad. It's a good field and I'm looking forward to it. An almost certain win for Peterborough, I'd say.

Anyone know what the up-to-date lineup is for this meeting?

I quite fancied a trip to Rye on Saturday, but then commonsense prevailed. I'd rather see racing, plus of course there's the mall matter of the Rugby on Saturday eveing. The field for this meeting looks pretty good, so it could be my second Sunday on the trot at Middenhell. I'll probably decide on Sunday morning.

Ooooops! Sounds like the Big Bang was Mildenhall shooting themselves in the foot.