Shrub

Knew I should have scrolled back a few pages to check!

Shouldn't the Tiger be on that list? Born in 1941 I think. And like you, Friedek was the only one on that list I never saw ride

Always lively 'banter' on the terraces there, Steve! I could have been one of the fans you were having discussions with! Normally it was the Dons fans getting frustrated as the Witches were winning so easily! I enjoyed my visits to Plough Lane. In the 70's early 80's it was the polar opposite to Foxhall Heath. The stadium looked so smart. Always felt I should wipe my feet on entering! The racing was entertaining, good atmosphere on the steep terracing and I liked how compact and enclosed it was, again the total opposite to Foxhall. You could sense the history. Enjoyable as it was watching the customary tonking of the Dons back in 70's, I think the most fun was had though in the two seasons the Witches dropped down to the NL, 1989 and 90. The PA was always cranked up, Dave Lanning really got the crowd going and there were some superb meetings between the two teams. I think the Dons won them all! - but always tight. We would have a sweepstake amongst us as to which section of fence Moggo would take out first. Mind you, we did that everywhere...

And of course there was that loony Tormod Langli at Halifax and I think Bristol before then in the mid '70's. Rather robust style but I think his main claim to fame was breaking his arm hang gliding

Lucky for 13 years?! They won three league titles and 4 KO Cups. And most seasons if they weren't there they were thereabouts. In '76 when they won the double they lost No.1 John Louis for six weeks due to injury and No 3 Tony Davey also missed a couple at the time due to a workshop accident yet operated R/R and double R/R instead of guests. Louis was top of the averages so in theory could have used any one as a guest. Berry took a stand as he could see the damage that guests did to the credibility of the sport. It can be done.

And ever since those halcyon days people keep making excuses, saying yes but... instead of dealing with the problem. As stated, Ipswich operated 13 years without guests. It can be done.

They also said they were a 'necessary evil' back in the halcyon days of the 70's and early 80's, yet, as has been mentioned on the forum many times before, Ipswich under John Berry proved you can operate without guests and still be highly successful.

And Ted Howgego had the lot beat!

You probably felt how I felt on the journey home after the absolute stuffing you dished out in the league fixture! And how it's felt being an Ipswich fan these past 20 or so years.....

You're right it was frost and I believe coupled with it being slightly over-watered. It was a strange meeting, we had been absolutely annihilated in the league at Hyde Road a couple of months before but came up full of confidence after destroying Reading at Smallmead earlier in the week to win the league so didn't know what to expect. In the end it was a very easy Ipswich win. You mention Mort and PC being barely able to slide their bikes which is true yet Sanders, Knight Niemi and Cook had no problems, indeed (from memory) I think Richard Knight recorded one of the fastest times of the season during the meeting. A case of the home side caught out with unusual home track conditions and the away side just got on with it and rode it as they saw it? It was a shame it did end like that though, it could have been a truly classic final. Certainly the two best sides in the league, Belle Vue the strongest on paper against a confident Ipswich side on a roll. Two teams with some great racers in them. It is mad isn't it, having the showpiece event at that time of year when the weather is likely to be the winner? We did go out onto the track well after the meeting / bars closing and I can't ever remember seeing such deep ruts on a track. And after a few steps it felt like you had a couple of bricks strapped to your feet...

John Louis, Tony Davey, Mike Lanham, Ted Howgego and Moggo

The rule was reputedly brought in to stop Louis being used by all and sundry as a guest in Div 1, after he was guesting often for Newport in 1970. Shrimp's crash was actually in heat 4, his third ride of the afternoon, it seemed a routine first bend spill. It's scary to think I saw that 49 years ago.....

Some really good shouts on here and I'd just like to add Tony Davey. Only started riding late 1970, had a handful of matches at the tail end of the season to average 3.38. On to 1971, he achieved in his first six matches scores of 15-5 (away), 15-5 (a) + track record, 12-4 (h) + T/R, paid 14-5(a), 15-5 (h) 9-4 (h) plus a fall. Ended the season on 9.93, with 9 full and three paid max, finishing 7th in the overall averages. What could have been but for the terrible hand injury the following year....

Back in either 1988 or 89 I was at the Czech Golden Helmet at Pardubice where we stayed at the Grande Hotel. The night before the main meeting we were all in the bar (beer was the equivalent of 2p per pint, a Coca Cola was 4p) when in walked Kelly Moran, he'd flown in late after riding for Belle Vue(?) earlier. He proceeded to catch up with everyone else and by 2am was totally pissed, ignoring all attempts to get him to go to bed. I guess around 3am he called it a night - around 12 hours before the meeting - and promptly fell over in the lift and damaged a hand which swelled up like a balloon. Next day we were on the bus ready to go to the meeting but no Kelly, who was getting a lift with us. The tour organiser eventually got him up and out and he was clearly hungover. The parade for the meeting back then involved all the riders walking a lap of the track which they did, waving at the noisy crowd but trudging along on his own about 20 yards behind the rest came Kelly, wearing still dirty leathers. He ran two very distant lasts and that was his meeting done. The meeting organisers must have felt extremely angry and let down. As has been said, a super talented rider who didn't achieve anywhere near what he could have.

As has been said before on here John Berry proved over many years you can operate without guests - and still be highly successful.