Parsloes 1928 nearly

We can use the word "your" correctly though...

Alright then a challenge to you - you find me ANY club in ANY league that's posted MORE news items on their website (and therefore also on the Official FB page) than Kent Kings in the past two seasons. If you can do it the beers are on me when you visit Central Park. Maybe gets at least some facts straight in your end before posting moronic nonsense like this..?

Is there anymore more stupid a thing than this so-called 'history' site on proboards completely ignoring the third tier racing record of riders? Why on earth does it do that? Completely nullifies any legitimacy of that site as being a full record of a rider's career. Here's an example: http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/444 Misses out all references to the meetings a double Conference/National League Riders Champ has ridden in the third tier! Don't know if anyone on the BSF also deals with this 'proboards' site but if they do can they possibly explain..?!

Some of you may already be aware that Paschal Taggart has made a bid with National Asset Management Agency (Ireland) for the development of the Wimbledon Stadium site in Plough Lane for a new state of the art greyhound stadium. Wimbledon Club Chairman when the track closed in 2005, Ian Perkin has had communications with Paschal's legal counsel and if the bid is successful she has indicated that Paschal would be interested in discussing with the previous promotion whether there might be a suitable opportunity for allowing Speedway racing to take place in the new stadium. This is a very long way from actually making this a reality, but clearly this potential development represents the only real prospect of Speedway ever returning to Plough Lane, given that the present owners of the site, Risk Capital Partners and Galliard Homes are trying to maximise the value of the site by putting forward a proposal that would see the end of any multi-sport use. Merton Council have designated the site for the Intensification of Sport and Leisure, but the fight that Paschal's proposals have is making sure that the Council applies total impartiality to the bids being put forward, particularly regarding the AFC Wimbledon bid which would also see the end of any motor sport at Wimbledon Stadium. Where Speedway fans can help and particularly those who live within Merton and the Greater London Area is to write to the Leader of Merton Council and the Mayor of London to make the case for a multi-use stadium that could be potentially used by all the family for a range of sports. In writing in support of the development we have the opportunity of demonstrating to Paschal Taggart the level of support there is for Speedway racing in Wimbledon and hopefully help secure with the local planning authorities approval to a stadium development that keeps alive the possibility of one day the sport returning to Plough Lane. The contact details if you want to help with this project are listed below. Cllr Stephen Alambritis Leader of the Council London Borough of Merton Merton Civic Centre London Road Morden, SM4 5DX Email: stephen.alambritis@merton.gov.uk Boris Johnson Mayor of London Greater London Authority City Hall The Queen's Walk More London London SE1 2AA By email: mayor@london.gov.uk (please also provide your postal address in the emails)

Well that's nonsense... Back in 1996 'Magic' was recording one of the highest ever averages in the history of the third tier AND, as you say, doubling into the top division with the London Lions. A few years later he was the Conference League Riders Champion. No, of course at 40 he's not better now than he was then but David has most certainly been at the very top in this league before and for some years at that (hence a record number of maximums at this level - a more salient fact really than record points scorer) so to say he's never "been anything" is frankly ridiculous.. And as Teaboy points out, his average and more importantly consistency marks him out as still a valuable second string in anyone's book.

In this day and age when it's possible (if one is suitably anal mind you...!) to produce a spreadsheet listing all the riders one has ever seen, I've noted that out of the near 2k on my list there's not a single one who's name begins with the letter 'Q'.. More than that - a search (also possible thanks to the wonders of modern computers!)shows that the letter 'q' doesn't even appear anywhere in the first or surnames of ANY of these near 2,000 riders! This is odd! Surely there MUST have been some riders over the years who's name began with a 'Q' - a surname like Queen for example; or at least contained a 'q' - like say McQueen..? Can anyone (as this is now officially the start of the silly season..) come up with any 'q's over the years??

Well one thing's for certain - you're not going to be able to fit in Mear, Hurry, Morley & Wajtknecht!!! The points limit is going to be around 40 NOT 70!!!!

They do deserve a pat on the back from the 'heritage' perspective but how about them ever honouring the commitment Newham made as a council back in the very early ['70s to find land for a replacement Speedway track in the borough (which I understand they made when allowing the redevelopment of the Custom House Stadium..? Ironically all their problems and surely soon to grow in terms of expense, supporting WHUFC's move to the Olympic Park could have been saved if they'd allowed Speedway (which is infinitely more suited to the space) to take place in the OS..

Chatting the other day to Chris Hunt and his parents about Chris' early Milton Keynes appearances; and I found to my surprise, that I had seen him ride for the Knights not just at Crayford but once at Rye House in the NL match there in 1983! I notice from the prog. for that match (17/7/83) that the number seven for the Rockets was one Kerry Gray who scored eight, paid nine. Can't say I remember this rider's name at all: though a good score in this match clearly. Anyone have any more details..??

Hmm, well reminded by the very helpful replies (thanx!) that I certainly did see the aforementioned Jimmy Squibb, Colin Farquharson & Hasse Holmqvist ride - I 'searched' again [not sure what I did wrong the first time!) and found them obviously, plus the following: Christer Lofqvist (who is of course a blindingly obvious one!) plus from recent touring parties the rather more obscure John Marquez and Robin Bergqvist; and totally obscure indeed a second halfer from Crayford in '76 called implausibly, Stuart Farquar.. It's not exactly hundreds though is it! And certainly none beginning with 'Q'...!

Oh dear.....

No Flat Track races - that's a shame. They're back at the Bike Show at the Excel in East London in Feb 2017 though

Yes I know that - this was the point I was making... Rather like many decades later Poole hosted a team called 'Bournemouth' this is an early example of the same kind of branding

There's a national shortage of homes that anyone can afford - a rather different thing!

Very interesting. A few unusual things, I'd say. Racing on a SUNDAY in the '30s/'40s when sport on the 'Sabbath' was largely frowned upon... And an 'Amateur League' - also unusual at a time when Speedway jealously protected its status as a fully 'professional' sport. Also must be one of the very early examples of a team being named after a local place 'Romford' without a Speedway track of its own. I don't think there actually was a track in that town until the late '60s was there?

Hi, I know Craig Cook holds the overall T/R at Beaumont Park but can anyone tell me the National League track record (from the time they had a team in the NT in 2014)? Thanks.

Hi, I know Craig Cook holds the T/R at Beaumont Park but can anyone tell me the National League track record (from the time they had a team in the NT in 2014)? Thanks.

Hi, I know Craig Cook holds the overall T/R at Beaumont Park but can anyone tell me the National League track record (from the time they had a team in the NT in 2014)? Thanks.

Hi, Must admit I did assume that the original NL (which ran - with a break during the war.. - for over 30 years) would've had a 'Riders Championship' for at least some of this time. Thus being a forerunner of the BLRC (now ELRC..). But I think maybe that this was an incorrect assumption? Certainly I can find no evidence of it... Could someone please clarify was there any 'League Riders Championship' contested by members of the original NL? In any of its divisions? Thanx

Yes okay - I'll pay you 50% of all the money I've been paid editing Speedway programmes since 2002... Which works out at exactly £0.00!!

Sadly that is NOT the case....

Hi, Have been grappling with the history of the Laurels & the WJ Cearns Trophy for a few years now - since it was resurrected first in 2003 at Plough Lane and then ten years later as Central Park. I know that in 1953 (three years after Mr Cearns' death) the Laurels (which had been staged in 1939 and then again from 1946...) was made for the WJ Cearns Trophy in tribute to that pioneer of the sport and of stadiums generally... I had been saying that since 1953 the two events ran as one but I have been put right about that now!! Can anybody out there clarify then please, in which years (it's a number of times between 1954 and 1991, though not a huge number I think...) was the WJ Cearns Trophy/Shield run separately from The Laurels (ie they were completely different meetings)? And in those years when it was, who were the winners?

With the Olympics on atm and with Speedway going to be back in the World Games in Wroclaw next year (2017) I wondered if anyone did have any more details of that meeting held at Wimbledon Speedway as part of the WGs when hosted in London in 1985?

Brilliant! In all the years I've dipped in and out of the BSF this is by far the best thing I've ever read!!

You can't indeed - it's PAUL Carrington!!