Jump to content
British Speedway Forum

steve roberts

Members
  • Posts

    15,466
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    22

Posts posted by steve roberts

  1. 4 hours ago, crescent girl said:

    So, why is cricket still so popular?

    Exactly other sports have had their share of bad press over the decades. As regards the Sunday People "allegations" anybody within the sport knew that "deals" were made throughout its history. The only thing that Simmo and Wiggy were guilty of was naivety and talking to strangers.

    • Like 1
  2. 5 hours ago, MARK246 said:

    Speedway in the media never recovered from the Sunday People's proven race fixing articles, most people saw speedway as a circus act, the fixing of results just reinforced their view. 

     

    Sorry don't buy into that one. Football survived match fixing by certain players during the sixties and other sports same since with drugs etc.

     

  3. 17 hours ago, Ghosty said:

    Clarke Osborne

     

     

    Clarke is Chairman of Gaming International the owners of the Swindon Stadium at Abbeymeads. Not known by many, Clarke has a long history in Speedway and motorsport, including the creation and operation of the most successful Speedway venue of the modern era in Bristol. 

     

    Clarke has been actively involved in the promotion of speedway in Oxford. Poole, Swindon, Reading, White City and Wembley. He has completed in Hot Rod racing, Karting and Stage Rallying.

    Since when was he involved at White City and Wembley?

  4. 15 hours ago, old bob at herne bay said:

    Bit of stretch to compare  Amsterdam with Manchester.

     

    Admitted both cities have trams ... but there the similarity ends.

    Wasn't necessarily comparing cities but the fact that the the two day world final was derided by many at the time and since and yet that's what's been put forward at Manchester albeit within a GP series?

    • Like 2
  5. 23 hours ago, Grachan said:

    Have to agree on Andrew Silver. Probably my favourite ever rider, although I sometimes think he could have been even better if he'd changed his style. I sometimes wonder if he rode in that manner deliberately because it looked so damn cool!

    He was a sensation for a few years at Swindon. To see him deliberately miss the gate on lane 4 and then cut under everyone on the first turn was one of the best things I've ever seen.

    Another one at Swindon was Shawn McConnell. Possibly a degree of style over substance but well worth it! He tended to finish second or third in races. I once saw him about to win a race and pull a massive celebration wheelie that was so big he got passed. He came second.

     

    Ivan Mauger was quoted as saying that his style needed "tidying" up as Andrew appeard to be riding four bends continually locking up and should have been smoother but I guess that's what made speedway so exciting back then to watch...individualist. Riders now look all the same.

    • Like 2
  6. 13 hours ago, Petecc said:

    Unfair. Young riders all have a dangerous mistake  within them. Some will act upon on this and learn from mistakes and others become those dangerous riders. Ask this question again in 5 years time and you maybe right, but not yet.

    I've just re-read an interview with Gary Havelock he made in "Backtrack" some years back and then he was saying that laydown engines didn't "offer" the opportunity for riders to apply throttle control...it was either off or full on with nothing in between and personally I think this is the problem with many riders now. The bikes are too powerfull for the often too restricted tracks which can cause issues with riders seemingly "out of control."

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1
  7. 5 hours ago, Pinny said:

    I'd imagine most retired Aussies go into construction here in Australia as construction in Australia is booming and pays extremely well, plenty more than it does in the UK!

    I know Craig Watson is a chippy in Sydney and Frankie Smart is a rigger in Perth.

    If I recall Troy Butler also worked/works in the construction industry?

  8. 1 hour ago, DaveWayne said:

    It's all about choices. How many of those who claim to have those difficulties drink or smoke ? I'm not saying everybody does, but literally one less pint a week could have made a big difference to retirement income if invested into a private pension for the last 30+ years.

    I'm fortunate in that I have a small private pension and was able to pay into a savings plan.

    Having moved to York some years ago I worked within the tourism industry where generally salaries are barely above minimum wage. How my younger ex-colleagues will cope in years to come is questionable and I don't envy them. York is a tourist centre and prides itself on same but that isn't reflected in salaries unfortunately. 

    • Like 1
  9. 6 hours ago, DaveWayne said:

    Well if you thought the state pension would be enough to live on then you weren't paying much attention to all the advice being given.

    Always good to see someone quoting the good old 'gold plated pensions' for civil servants and the like - that great myth bandied around by the right wing media. You do know that those people had to make contributions from their salary don't you ? Just like you could have done into a private pension.

    Unfortunately not everyone was/is able to pay into a private pension. Those that were/are on low salaries had/have difficulties enough paying bills never mind finding that bit extra to have paid into a private scheme. 

    • Like 5
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Privacy Policy