Jump to content
British Speedway Forum

Sidney the robin

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content count

    8,532

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    24

Posts posted by Sidney the robin

  1. Posted

    37 minutes ago, King Jamie said:

    Agree with all of that. You're very lucky if you could hear Rory's interview. Sadly, the tannoy didn't seem to be giving 100% in our section. We even managed to miss the announcement that young Hume was replacing Stefan Neilsen.

    Given my comments earlier on this thread, I should say Masters was decent. Not before time. There were a couple of blips though. Yet another episode of Sleepy Sam. This week's beneficiary was the good twin. We also had an episode of Fireman Sam, although his hose wasn’t quite long enough to reel in Daniel King. Those two slips put paid to his chances of emulating the great Barry Campbell.

    The bottom 3 tried but were completely outclassed by their counterparts in a team which has been built properly. Special mention to Danyon Hume. Very impressive.

    Not the best of meetings for unKempt, although he did improve as the night went on. If he's available, I would still definitely attempt to sign him. Severely doubt he would say yes but no harm in asking.

    As a team, we've now scored 40 (twice), 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 and 47 in our last 8 meetings. Nowhere near good enough, especially considering half of them were at home. We haven't scored 50 since 16 July. Now I'm a patient chap, and I'm well aware that winning every meeting 46-44 would still deliver trophies but the current formula just isn't working.

    Chop chop...

    Great shout that ,things not going great for Drew but he will come good he would be a good signing.

  2. Posted

    When the series was first set up i was totally against it but have gradually got to except it for what it is and except change.I personally loved the old format the one off final ( 5 rides no semi finals) just a shame there is not a place for both formats.Is the series becoming stale ?does it need tinkering with for me personally to see Bartosz ride is a reason alone to watch great to see Artem pushing on in his  career to.Any thoughts who are fans of the series?  who are against it be interesting to hear peoples opinion.

  3. Posted

    5 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

    I think the CMA is the most accurate measure of riders' averages- good for Bryan for developing it. When did he pass away  and at what age?? BTW has any body e.g. speedway researchers gone back  into speedway history and calculated CMA's for riders who rode in the 40's and 50's to enable comparisons to be made. Was good at maths was our Bryan!!

    He died in 2017 BOBBATH aged 81, he was one of the reasons i bought the speedway star his articles and stats terrific.

  4. Posted

    6 hours ago, szkocjasid said:

    Hume had no Champ team in 2020, he's the one rider who has gained from the "rising star" rule! It's a shame that it took a rule that "forced" Poole into signing a promising Brit over an Aussie for him to get a team spot!

    I think  Szko the authorities again did Danyon no favours, his average from his first spell with Ipswich was quite high and they refused to lower it.That cost him and endless lesser riders ( ie) Smith ( ect) got chances and it must of been so frustrating for the lad.This Poole side has real strength in depth and for me they are at times covering for the heat leaders.That seems a strange comment as they have all scored heavily at times  i think Poole will win the league but if they don’t i recon it will be because of the heat leaders.

    • Like 1

  6. Posted

    On 8/25/2021 at 4:22 PM, Steve Shovlar said:

    It matters not whether he has ridden there or not. A huge upgrade to make sure Edinburgh don’t lose.

    I look forward to watching this on the live stream. No expectations on the result though a point would be good and a win sensational.

    How do you get the stream Steve fancy watching this..? 

  7. Posted

    51 minutes ago, auntie doris said:

    That's another thing, the difference between the 60s70s and 21st.century, you could go into the pits and get autographs, and chat to riders, half of them were local lads. You had to be on that green Bristol Omnibus sharpish, as sometimes it left for Cavi Square before end of second half final, normally consisting of Briggo, Broady, Ashby, Kilby. If you were on top deck of bus you could pick out their helmet colours. A 5 year old mascot called Alun Rossiter doing some laps! Those legendary back straight bogs with Izal bog roll:D:blink:Swindon Town in the afternoon, Robins at night. About 30 home meetings a year.

     

    At that time Doris there was a cheap and expensive side , we used to go on bend two on the bank was never keen watching at the starting gate.I think that gate that separated the two sides was opened after heat 10 great days really and those second halves were terrific.They help mould the  career’s of the likes of  Holloway ( RIP), Hewlett, (RIP), the Chessell’s, the Smar’ts, Rosco, (ect) .Those second halves were hard initially for those lads usually win the scurry or junior race and then bang in with the big boys a real learning curve for them.

    • Like 2

  9. Posted

    10 hours ago, auntie doris said:

    There were teams called Eastbourne, Arena Essex, Peterborough in top div. Oxford were Silver Machine. No Halifax, Exeter, Cradley Heath, Leicester. The worst thing was you had to pay to get in, you couldn't climb in anymore, no second-halves, or special buses.:cry:

    Can you remember Doris the days of over ten buses being outside the Abbey after a meeting a friend of mine often got on the Penhill bus.? Yes climbing over the wall was a done thing for me did it most weeks i used to get over just behind those dreaded legendary filthy toilets then head over to the pits for autographs it was so easy. 

    • Haha 1

  10. Posted

    2 minutes ago, Phil The Ace said:

    Well done archie freeman 

    I second  that Archie is helped by one the good guys on the forum !!,and yes it’s tough but he will get there.If he keeps at it the rewards will come i hope Archie goes along the same lines of Kyle Bickley perseverance.He is on the pace people forget he did gate in heat 2 against Poole and was very unlucky.

    • Like 5

  12. Posted · Edited by Sidney the robin

    13 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

    I would not term it as such but I have to admit that speedway for me is 15 heats with 14 blokes, nothing more.

    The difference between me and some others, though, is that I will embrace changes of the kind that Isle of Wight have introduced if it is going to benefit the sport and they  won't, despite the fact that they know only too well that the one thing that speedway cannot do is continue as it is. 

    Totally right for me speedway is just four guys giving there all entertaining us.Like you i like a meeting to start at 7.30 finish say at 9.30 job done come hopefully seeing a few good races.I have grand kids now and if you take them get them to enjoy it the speedway and other activities it has to be good something for everyone.My wife who is not a massive fan would love that model  now at IOW go off and have a nose around at the other activities with money being spent makes sense.Both my boys followed speedway from 1995/ 2008 and are now aged 29 and 27 they don’t go they say it is overpriced and they both  have other things to do now.But both still follow the sport still know what’s going on which is bloody frustrating but as you said things need to change.

    • Like 5

  13. Posted

    1 minute ago, Halifaxtiger said:

    According to Wolverhampton promoter Chris Van Straaten, running with a Covid reduced capacity lost him thousands and was a 'financial disaster'. 

    Eastbourne is no less speedway in a holiday destination in a holiday time. 

    I don't know if it would work elsewhere but I know it definitely works on the Island and what we presently have is, at best, scarcely working anywhere. 

    Just because you regard it is a 'circus' and don't like it is absolutely no reason to dismiss it as a way forward for the rest of the sport. The way I see it, the one thing that speedway cannot do is continue as it is. 

    It certainly is not a circus tiger is it? being prudent listening to what the people want god that is a pretty good model.Speedway here has to change but we have been saying that for 30 years plus nothing happens.Come Nov/Dec the promoters meet tinker around with the rules and that is it that can’t go on for much longer.

  14. Posted

    10 minutes ago, EnglishRoundabout said:

    Another decent crowd and another perfect summers evening to watch it in. The sun blazed down throughout before disappearing behind the copse beyond the flyover.

    The track appeared to prove a little difficult for the riders early on, but some remedial work seemed to sort it. The latter half of the meeting it looked really smooth and there was more passing. 

    Plymouth certainly have provided excitement and value for money to their fans this season with yet another last heat decider. This time, coming from behind when the Brummies looked certain winners mid meeting. Riss, looking fast and stylish and the battling Castagna looked particularly dangerous and with Chris Harris enjoying his return to the south west, the Brummies looked like running away with it  

    Led by the outstanding Crump, this week, the “engine room” provided back up. Pedersen not quite having his gating gloves on this week. It really is a pleasure watching the 3 times world champion once again. Hopefully he will continue next season. I noted his son was assisting him in the pits...an absolute spit of his father with that familiar shock of ginger hair. 

    The crowd seemed bigger than usual, undoubtedly swelled by the presence of Harris. He  still remains one of the most exciting riders I have ever seen. He simply never gives up and is one of only a few riders these days that can execute the “dive bomb” inside pass. He did this brilliantly passing Bowtell, and in heat 15, Pedersen. For a second or two it looked possible that he would catch Crump, but his chase ended when Crumpie realised he had Harris on his tail, and he sped away. 

    Harris repeatedly acknowledged his young family who were sat in the NHS stand, and he always speaks well on his Centre green interviews. Additionally, he is still a superb team man, and is first out of the pits, sprinting across to team mates that have come to grief. 

    Plymouth have a fine set up and deserve the healthy crowds with the financial risks they have taken this season. The slow but sure development of Cook, Bowtell and Ruml have produced a competitive side and the recruitment of the shrewd and experienced Garry May has certainly helped. 

    Plymouth have surprised me ER they have been terrific value the three guys you mentioned have grown as the season has gone on.Crump is Crump a joy to watch odviously the glory days have gone but next year if he returns ( hope so) he will be stronger.Harris well he is a promoters dream so exciting to watch brilliant with the crowd gives everything.

  17. Posted · Edited by Sidney the robin

    Nielsen/ Christensen  Birmingham 1980.             Kudrna( Kermit RIP).   Hradecky Birmingham 1980                Nielsen/ Jensen/ Eskildsen Birmingham 1981.               Gene Woods/ Keith Chrisco Birmingham 1981

  18. Posted

    4 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

    I witnessed all those achievements Sid! Used to enjoy my trips to Swindon...as for Gresham? A nutter on a bike but apparently has mellowed over the years!

    Met him once such a nice bloke, Gresh certainly kept Holloway on his toes in there partnership.That partnership was one of the few that could beat Grahame/ Collins Cradley   Gresh was one of my favourites at Swindon nobody messed with him that’s for sure.

    • Like 1

  19. Posted · Edited by Sidney the robin

    7 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

    Remember Roman Jankowski on his visit to Swindon recording a 12 point maximum!

    Yes remember that Steve, i  remember Toni Kasper getting a paid maximum there to.Also  Sigalos scored a full 15 from reserve in 1979( he never met Kilb though so unusual) the biggest shock though was Einar Kylingstad getting a full 15 for Kings Lynn at the Abbey.Back to the topic Autrey/ Gresham 1980 Swindon.

    • Like 1

  22. Posted

    1 hour ago, steve roberts said:

    Difficult one really as I used to enjoy visiting different tracks and seeing how they compared however my least favourites would have to include Wolves (too long straights with tight curves), Arena Essex (I visited during their first year of operation and found it weird viewing a fenceless track), Coventry (early visits when gating was all important before it was improved), Reading (basic good shape but was far too often too slick) and Newcastle (not called (B)rough Park for nothing).

    Wolves hate it now first went in 1979/84  was pretty good . NOW is a total  homer track  any two legged affair now Wolves have the huge advantage.

     

     

    • Like 1

  23. Posted · Edited by Sidney the robin

    17 hours ago, Pinny said:

    I remember the likes of Stead, Howe, Neath, Brady, Appleton, Allen to name a few being much more competitive in a stronger second tier and all having much more ability than the current crop and how many of them went on to be better than at best a good second string in the top tier? 
     

    Thats not a dig at any of them either before anyone starts. Just what people expected of them . Then you have Kennett and Bridger too. 
     

    I actually agree with Daniel Smith… our future on the world stage looks very bleak. 

    Totally right Pinny  we didn’t expect that much then, the riders you named yes were all talented .Do we expect much of our youngsters now probably not just hope one or two of them can push on.

     

  24. Posted

    1 hour ago, auntie doris said:

    They spent 50 grand on re-shaping the track, was much better racing.

    I was sceptical Doris loved the Abbey with its long straights BUT it had been mainly poor as a spectacle  for a while .2019  to change the track was a huge step  for the management and the racing was very very good the odd blip along the way but that new track had different lines and the racing was good.

    • Like 3

  25. Posted

    On 8/22/2021 at 11:08 AM, steve roberts said:

    I'm sure that Kai Niemi and Veijo Tuoriniemi would have ridden together at Eastbourne in 1979?

    1979 and 1980 Tuoriniemi  ( RIP) put three points on his average in 1980 averaged only 2.96 in 1979.He had a nightmare seven meetings for the Robins in 1981 scoring only 2 points in seven meetings.

    • Like 1
×

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

  I accept