Goldhawk

My first memory was of seeing Tiger at Romford in 1970. A GREAT rider and he is Ipswich Speedway ! RIP Tiger Louis a modern day Speedway Legend.

Great News - People investing in British Speedway - Lets hope some Whopper Sponsor/s are encouraged to come on board now for Premiership League and for clubs. This is in my view is how the sport can thrive again. Its about the money. If Premiership continues to be rebuilt and we have 10 + teams in it doing well then success can follow on its coat tails for lower league/s too and snowball from there. This is the Polish model and Ekstraliga. Where was that 30 years ago ? They built that to a super league and rest history. Speedway now a top sport in Poland with massive sponsorship. Phil Morris is making a difference and steering in right direction.

Pratty was a white line rider at the Wick as i remember, can't say elsewhere. Only saw him a few meetings there as a youngster in 1969 before moving to Cradley Heath for 1970. season. Was priveleged to see him guest for Hackney that year and score a 12 point maximum the Friday before going to Lokeren for the weekend. it would have been his last ever meeting as a rider. Went to a thing at Paradise Park re Tatum and Pearson around 6 years ago and spoke to Pratty. What an ordinary down to earth guy and top bloke he was. i remember going to chippy in Hoddesdon after he retired in early 70s and he was there serving fish and chips !! : )

Agreed. Phil Morris and league need full support.

Hackney really was an outstanding race track where riders could and did pass anywhere. I've read in the past it was felt by some too fast for size of track. There may be some truth in that tbh, but the overriding issue of all the time i watched Speedway there ( 24 years ) was riders hitting lamp standards with serious injuries or worse. Both fatalities there with Vic Harding and Denny Pyatt were caused by them. i also saw the worst looking crash i have ever seen there in 1973 between Allan Emmett & Dave Kennett where they locked handlebars going full speed going down the back straight and didn't turn hitting fence on third bend at full speed upright. Allan Emmett was a star in the making and retired the following year and Dave Kennett wasn't the same rider after. He potentually could have been as good as Gordon. Hackney was a great track, if today safety fence regulations were in place of today the injuries of the time would have been very much less . The were much worse tracks out here. The lamp standards were the issue. Maybe Wimbledon was the safest track of the time with their supported fence without any lamp standards if i remember rightly. Did it match Hackney for racing ? em ...............................; ) PS On Milo (reference last paragraph and post) Milo has made a successful career out of stand up comedy since crash. He still harbours hope to walk one day..

i subscribe to the the Star but haven't fully read the article yet . I was there at Hackney that night on the 4th bend where the sickening crash occurred. Milo ( "The Red Knight" ) was making great strides.at Hackney and wowing the fans every week with his daredevil swoops round the fence. Tragic crash. Hackney was an outstanding race track but the lamp standards there at that time caused many injuries, indeed worse. It is brilliant that they now have to be away from fence and have air fences. If Milo had had that crash today very likely he would have got up and walked away.

Is it time for anyone working in the pits at a speedway meeting, to be required to conform to a dress code? Black seems to be the best, but instead of heavy metal bands tour t-shirts, plain polo shirts with "pits crew" on the back, plain black trousers or long shorts, and black shoes& socks (NO flip-flops allowed). If BSPL could find a sponsor whose logo could be added, then it should be able to supply most of this kit (except shoes) free of charge via riders and promoters. This would help to portray a better image when matches are televised and to new spectators. ABSOLUTELY ! Great idea. Couldn't agree more. i remember the professionalism in the past with track staff (and now hopefully pits staff too) Would be a great step forward to get sport projected well at the clubs and as said on TV.. I remember watching the presentation at Wimbledon back in the day (early 1970s) and with everything else being done there at the time and attention to detail it was very very impressive and all added to the show. SGP are doing, it so should the Premiership too for starters. maybe a sponsor as Hamish said could be found for uniformity of kit for above at all clubs .

I agree with that. They could be very impressive if they click and may surprise a few with their overall strength. Leaving aside negative thoughts by many on Buster Chapman, or positive come to that. Lynn are long overdue a top flight title win , good luck to them, don't think thev'e ever won one in their 60 years history at Saddlebow Row ? . It would be good for the sport. i hope with a decent and successful Premiership season more clubs can come up and hopefully make 10 in the league in 2025. If the top league in good shape and thriving the sport can rebuild in popularity, leagues below can get on the back of that. Wouldn't it be a boost to get Coventry back for starters in next couple of seasons.

Hans = Top Bloke

Agreed, The dream would be to rebuild the stadium to rival, indeed surpass, Belle Vue !

Absolutely Kev . Hope you are well.

Note to Mick Bratley : Mick you and the club were absolutely incredible in helping honour the memory of Panthers fan David Pratley there after his sudden passing aged just 52 in 2007 ( Dave was my best mate and got me into Speedway as a kid at Rayleigh and i still am a fan now 50 odd years later ) His family along with my self are eternally grateful to you for all you did. We all met up to remember him in August at the track. Must have been over 20 of us there . His ashes were scattered on bend 3 back in 2007. Was wondering if we might be able to recover some shale from the track to give to family to remember him by ? I hope you and others in the consortium are successful in bring back the Panthers to the Showground very soon. Any help gratefully received. Sounds like shale at Kings Lynn ??

Nikki P would be another and OTT on track but I think away from track a much nicer person

Absolutely

Uncle Len kept clubs going when others couldn't he is a Speedway Legend !!!!!

Leaving aside whether this actually trancends into a return of the Hammers and the whys and why nots, if it were to happen with half decent facilities, it has the potential to be a very well supported club and likely far better supported than previously i would think. Why i say this is it will be the only club in the south east . Since closure at Lakeside Rye , Eastbourne and Kent have gone. i know Iwade are operating as Kent but with Lakeside operating in Premier or Championship fans likely to go there instead. When Rye was Saturdays a few years ago in Premier they were getting decent crowds, c 1,500 - 2,000, and the people i spoke to there were coming from far and wide. At that time there were 3 other tracks in the south. I would be very optimistic if they can get Hammers back on track and sensible stadium facilities here or elsewhere in borough. UP THE HAMMERS ! WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE THEM BACK.

Would be just great to see them back at some time in the future. Maybe create a Torun stadium in Essex ? Well we can all dream I guess : ) Was a sponsor here for many years. The guys involved in this are doing a great job, a big well done to them.

Absolutely

I remember him too

Robert is a credit to sport and at this time GB'S BEST RIDER. He expressed rightly his views on track and referee decisions Tuesday which were poor to say the least.

Very poor refereeing as others have said. Track also poor . Sheffield right to be aggrieved. Hopefully better tomorrow night.

Agree he should be back in GP ASAP[.

Emil surely should have been 3 times World Champion by now and is a tremendous Ambassitor for Speedway and not only brilliant rider but also one terrific human being. i remember coming back from Cardiff around 10 or so years ago and stopping off at the services on the M4 on the way back. There in restaurant on his own was Emil . i went over to speak to him ( he only spoke broken English then ) He was very friendly and down to earth guy. i asked for a selfie with him and he oblighed without hesitation. Nothing was too much trouble. You cannot but instantly like the guy. One Top Bloke. Hope he and others are back next year. Would be great to see Magic back and Duzzer here for starters.

Agree with most of first post. A decent Premiership 8 + teams a must next year . Get top flight TO A 1 a priority and sport then is going back n right direction. Looks like Wolves nailed on for closure. If other two can continue and Glasgow - Poole - Oxford and Redcar ? included we have 10 teams. money a factor in this of course, can Sports Insure up the level next year one wonders. Promising news on Rye coming back to Championship next year. could Kent be brought back with effort ??

Wembley would draw big crowd without doubt, lets hope it happens. Done with boring Cardiff and the rip off hotel prices which are jacked up for GP weekend !