BOBBATH

From Provincial League days-Ivor Brown and Ivan Mauger

I can never understand why some political party doesn't make an election commitment to eliminate the license fee-despite upsetting the luvvies no end, bet most people would vote for it and they'd be elected. Last time this was suggested I think it was The Monster Raving Loonie Party headed by Screamin' Lord Sutch (R.I.P). Dave Sutch was a great character, I recall him asking the question "Why is there only one Monopolies Commission?"

Typical BBC elitist(Grade et al)-I feel sorry that you Brits are forced to buy TV licenses to support that crap channel. If a political party promised to drop the TV license tax -I reckon they would win in a heartbeat. Recently dropped BBC World News from my TV package here in Canada because it is so clearly left wing biased as to be unbalanced and I refused to buy it.. Only people who would lose out if BBC was voluntarily supported would be all the Oxbridge luvvies who would be unemployed and would finally have to work for a living!!

Gotta say Sid and Steve Roberts that Reg is a gent, an honest businessman and whose handshake was a word of honour that he always lived up to. I think his comments re Simmo and Poole are the god's honest truth. If I had to choose someone to manage my finances honestly and the choice was Simmo or Reg I would pick Reg every time.

For another to take on Malcolm Simmons-read Reg Fearman's great book "Both Sides of the Fence"

Hard to believe 14 years have passed. Alby was a great guy, he won the first race of the first meeting I ever saw(June 1964)-broke the track record at Somerton Park also in that same race!!

What will happen to Hazal now?

The oldest 16 surviving World Finalist list was last updated in 2011 and sadly we have lost a couple since then e.g. Fred Williams. can anybody e.g. Tiger Owl update the list(plus 2 "reserves") . Incidentally Cyril Roger was top of the last list in 2011 and Cyril would now be 101(born 27.12.1921) assuming he's still with us. Hope so.

Actually I just realised I missed out Eric Boothroyd -26/4 /1927-he's in his nineties too. He slots in at #5 between Chum Taylor and Derrick Close who moves to #6, so now there are 7 riders in their nineties who have made the list. We now have 14 of the 16 names for the oldest all time Final-would Ove and Briggo round out the last two spaces-they must be getting up there!!

I remember speedway in the sixties as being full of "characters"-flamboyant personalities, guys who would put you into the fence as soon as look at you!!. Anybody in forumland recall this-I'm thinking of Jim Squibb, Bill Andrew, Clive Featherby (of course), Colin "Joe"Goody (I'll have another beer thank you!!) and many others. Any memories from other folks of this era-BTW-I think there should be created another category in forum ,called "Many Years gone By" as most of the current years go by posts are after my time-excuse me -the sun is starting to come up, so I have to get into my coffin quick!!

Were there any World Finalists born in 1932 who still survive??, Ronnie Moore was born in 1933 so he might be #14???

Actually Norbold, on double checking , I realise I've only seen 5 ,I never got to see Svensson or Sormander.

Well since no-one else seems interested , thought I would give it a go based on the last list in 2015. 1. Split Waterman d.o.b 27/7/23 2 Arthur Payne 30/8/24 3 Dick Bradley 28/11/24 4 Chum Taylor 4/4/27 5 Derrick Close 13/5/27 6 Henry Long 26/7/27 7 Billy Bales 6/6/29 8 Olle Nygren 11/11/29 9 Rune Sormander 29/11/29 10 Jack Geran 10/12/29 11 Ian Williams 4/8/31 12 Per Tage Svensson 16/10/31 13 Peo Soderman 29/10/31 I think those are the survivors of the previous list of 2015-some others are now in the top 16 (18-with two reserves)-not sure who they would be but think Ove and Briggo would now qualify-any thoughts . BTW -oldest 6 are now in their nineties. Sadly I got to see only 7 ride-Bradley, Taylor, Bales, Nygren, Sormander, Geran and Soderman. Did any forumlanders see all of them ride???-thought this emoticon best represented Split!!

I should have thought of Les McGillivray-Hackney in 1964-hot favourites to win the Prov. league(although pipped at the post by Newcastle) had a series of match races- they involved Colin Pratt, Roy Trigg and Les-only thing is -I can't recall whether they rode against each other or stars from another track(anybody remember)??. Ivor Brown often used to be called on for things like this-he was always a popular draw-came to Newport for match races- e.g. against Alby Golden several times-a great crowd pleaser and man they loved to hate. Don't get me started about Clive Featherby, the guy who crashed into Dick Bradley and ended his career(I woz there folks)-if you go to you tube and enter Clive's name you can see bits of an interview with him. I still maintain the Prov. league was the best one for entertainment. Wish we could go back to the sixties. BTW apparently if you can remember the sixties you weren't there-well I can remember them and other people tell me that apparently I was there!! My heroine of the time was Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane-google her-wotta gal-but sadly age has caught up with her (like the rest of us-present company excepted of course!!!!!)

Shouldda mentioned Bert Harkins-just started reading his book(great read)-wotta character of the sixties also. Here's another- Brian Brett -any memories, I always recall he was considered to be a cert to qualify from the British Final of 1964 to get to the World Final-and maybe even become British Champ-famous photo of him sitting on the track after his first ride when he fell. Got to the WF in 1965 and performed creditably-went from Swindon to Newcastle and then I think retired-anybody know why he quit so young?

Hi Tsunami, actually I included Mike Watkin as a character for two reasons a) because he was such a good bloke b) because his fame as Mudlark had even spread as far as South Wales. Chunky mentioned that the thread I started as characters of the sixties had started to include riders of later eras-and that is great because I enjoy reading all the posts. However I wonder if we should start a new topic "Many Many Years Gone By"- I got thinking that I got into Speedway in 1964-(54 years ago)holy smokes-that would be like me meeting some old geezer in 1964 who started reminiscing about stuff in 1910(not that I am an old geezer of course)!!!- P.S.just figured out how to add emoticons!!

No question white knight-that's what I mean by characters- Mike Watkin was a guy anybody could relate to-had time to talk to everyone-ditto Ernie Baker, Ken Sharples etc etc-also Geoff Penniket (plunkett) always good for a laff!!

OK folks, 3 years have passed and the table may need to be updated- I reckon about six have sadly passed away-Cyril Roger, Arthur Payne, Fred Brand, Geoff Mardon, Brian Elliott, George White and maybe more- can anyone update the list of 16 (+ of course the two reserves), reckon Briggo and Ove should now have "qualified". Glad to see a lot of the finalists have made it into their nineties-including one of my heroes Dick Bradley-a real gent and great rider!!

This is a great thread-thanks must go to the genius who started it-clearly a gent of much distinction!!! These posts brought back memories indeed-Jim Squibb has got to be up there-I can recall seeing him ride in 1966 or so-in his mid forties(which I then thought was old)- Capn' Jim he was called -like a pirate (but I don't wanna be a pirate-Seinfeld allusion sorry). I'd forgotten about Ron Mountford-I recall him wearing contact lenses in the early sixties. Not sure if anybody mentioned "Muscles" Les Owen-he came to a bit of a sad end as some of you may recall- saw somebody mention Brian Brett-don't think I would have put him on the list-what do others think. I reckon he retired too early-may have liked his booze too much!! Other names mentioned-Chris Blewett, Chris Julian-always entertaining-wish I could go back in time and watch some of those harum scarum Provincial League meetings again!!

You are absolutely right white knight, I said the sixties because I left England in 1968 and sadly the seventies are a blank slate to me-however you are right Ivor Brown was indeed a great character-Ivan Mauger hated him -he is referred to in Ivan's book "Triple Crown Plus" although un-named it was Ivor he was talking about.

Needless to say I have never been invited to "Desert Island Discs" (or anywhere else come to that)-but songs I associate with sixties speedway, and were played at the tracks were "From the Bottom of my Heart' -Moody Blues, "Hi Ho Silver Lining", Jeff Beck, "Heart Full of Soul" Yardbirds, "In the Middle of Nowhere" Dusty Springfield (R.I.P) -if I ever hear these songs again it takes me back to Newport 1965-1968. Anyone else have similar memories.

I greatly enjoyed "Pie and Mash" and have already ordered the prequel-keep up the good work Norbold.

Still can't believe he's gone. Recall speaking to him at the British Final at West ham in 1965 at the rained off meeting-he said it gave him another week to recover from his injury-so went back the next week, and he performed creditably. Of course next year (1966) he made his first World Final appearance-best ever rider in my view.

I posted my comment in years gone by-maybe mistakenly-recall Ivan in 1964 and 1965-best ever in my view.

Sorry to hear of this-how old was Ron, I think I recall Ron riding for Sheffield in Provincial League days-am I correct or is my memory playing tricks?