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Wimbledon Memories

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Ah, the beauty of the English euphemism!!

 

you know what i mean then :wink:

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i remember a girl with a big chest, can't remember her name though.

she used to be friendly with the riders ... she had dark, wavy hair and always had a friend with her too (can't remember her name either).

the lady with the chest used to knit her own speedway jumpers too.

 

that would have been about 1984 - 86 something like that.

 

I think you may be talking about Janice. Short girl? Her friend was Jenny, I believe.

 

Steve

Edited by chunky

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there are al ot of memories from that time but one was heres one from1976 i was brought in from eastbourne as a 17 year old kid after Tommy was killed not of course as a replacement but to ad to the bottem end anf iwas riding it must have been against exeter and was out with Ivan Mauger in one race missed thegate as always came from the back to second and tried everything i could to pass ivan he was master at making himself twice as wide as the track and turing early to block any pass, i did one of my famous dives and passed him baut he thendecided not to let me go rather he lenat on me and he ended up in the fence, larry ross came over and he worhipd ivan like a god and said go and say sorry or you will regret it i did but he just raised one finger and said your young and you have a long time togo in this sport dont let me have to end your career early!!!!!

Briggo told me later that he told him that i would go far may be too far i never did shame really but he was my boy hood hero.

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another one ws the advert that Roger and i did for the durex 'Test Rider' advert the single shot they used on the hoardings all over the coutry and outside the staduim they put a huge one and someone wrote on it he must have got the one with the holes in, i had one by son Lee by then and the second son Craig was on the way and was only 21 or so.

 

Bruce penhall used the clip in his on any sunday 2 film lot of fun a whole day practicing for about 4 minutes of film, and the mars dvert we did with ole olsen the work rest and play one.

 

Sid maidmaidment was a character one you could never forget and Brad Oxley and his rather loud girl friend Tammy driving around in the Lada sid had gt for him with the bike hanging out the boot......

 

I have no idea about if Ros was still around in 86 i was talking about mid seventies and i think she was a physoherapist as i remember graham stapleton went out with her for a while i think

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i think here name was roemary and she lived in raynes park as far as i remember

 

think yer right, except she went by the name rose.. :neutral:

wilder than a north sea gale..

Edited by sandman

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yes she was.

 

wonder what happened to her.

 

how the hell would i know..her whiney personality grated on me.. got on my nerves.. ;)

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Will you plase leave my wife out of this!!!

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I would like to feel that I was a keen follower of the Dons through 1974 to about 1984.

 

My first team recollections include Barry Briggs, Tommy Jansson, Edgar Stangeland as heat leaders with Briggs retiring then appearing at Hull. Other team members being Larry Ross, Roger Johns, Bert Harkins, Reg Luckhurst and the talented but seemingly always doomed Barry Crowson. Wow did well there without programmes to hand LOL.

 

Tommy Janssons death, Mick Hines raising his game, Roger Johns last bend theatrics, Eddie Jancarz ( He should have come over earlier) Stefan Salomonsson, Colin Richardson, death crash at Hackney and so much more.

 

Remember Steve (large gent), Terry and lee (Terry was huge Lee was lovely (New Malden?), Was it Jesus or Columbo who broke down on the way to Mildenhall and then joined the coach? Paul Theobald and Angie also remember Chris though who was with Angie and Pete who rode a Triumph Bonneville lived over Ealing way girlfriend for a while Lee (Streatham)

 

So many miles travelled really remember well the Speedway/ Soccer double header at the Shay were we stayed overnight so what was the next days meeting? Did we go to Belle Vue for something?

 

Remember Bank Holiday monday double headers vs Oxford Rebels then White City Rebels

 

Last real memories are based on Malcolm Simmons and Kai Neimi 5-4 partnership so many 5-1's and Roger Johns ever presence. Often on the Pit bend end not sure I considered myself a loony was a little bit younger than the rest but my God its seems so long ago but like yesterday at the same time.

 

Often saw Colombo on the trains on the way to even very obscure stuff such as pairs and 4TT.

 

Actually thought Jancarz was the best rider we had during that time but as said above he should have built on his 3rd place in World Final in 1968 much earlier.

 

Highs so many Stangeland at Hull, Johns never giving up and last bending just about everyone in the World, Jancarz tight lines at bends and high elbows. Martin Ashbys dedicated and superb performances for us after Janssons death. Reaching Spring Gold Cup Final that bad year and only narrowly losing it at Ipswich.

 

Lows well even in my last year there it all looked a bit doomed we had a team of former potential World Champs all looked a bit strange.

 

I wonder if my last memories are the worst kept but did we really have Jessup, Davis,Titman, Simmons, Neimi, Johns at the same time and if so why didnt we win anything?

 

Welcome chat with anyone

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I was at Hackney the night of the crash and can only say that the moment is still with me I am very sorry to say that you just knew.

 

I always felt and Colins post has helped there that Wimbledon just settled for mid table which was sad.

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I have many memories of Wimbledon too and saw them for the first time at New Cross in 1947. Dons riders then included Norman Parker, Les Wotton (who rode for NX the previous year), Mike Erskine, Dick Harris and Arch Windmill. As the years have caught up with me I forget the match result but at that time as the saying goes "they didn't travel well" and its odds on that New Cross won.

At the other extreme, I saw the last speedway meeting at Wimbledon in 2005. Happily I can also say that I saw all the greats that one associates with Wimbledon over the years.

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Glad my post prompted some renewed comments it looked almost like a dead thread after 2008. Guess we start rembering things at different times.

 

Oh apologies made a mistake Chris was with a lady called Debbie (Mitcham Junction way) apologies to Paul and Angie. God must have been at the same time as Rolling Stones Angie as remember Paul T commenting on that.

 

I will be wearing flares again at this rate and digging out my Uriah Heep albums Lol.

 

Others and I apologise for not remembering their names but lived around Wandswortrh area you are remembered but not by name

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Remember Steve (large gent), Terry and lee (Terry was huge Lee was lovely (New Malden?), Was it Jesus or Columbo who broke down on the way to Mildenhall and then joined the coach? Paul Theobald and Angie also remember Chris though who was with Angie and Pete who rode a Triumph Bonneville lived over Ealing way girlfriend for a while Lee (Streatham)

Yeah, that's Steve Hickmott (worked for British Rail) you're talking about. Can't recall the names, but I'm sure I would have known Terry and Lee; certainly remember Jesus (used to hang out with Gareth, Bog-Brush, and Mini Cooper). Do you remember when Peter and Paul cycled to Belle Vue for the BLRC for charity? You should check out youtube, as there is one video which is a collection of photos of our supporters from back then. Oh, and you must remember Tiny?

Last real memories are based on Malcolm Simmons and Kai Neimi 5-4 partnership so many 5-1's and Roger Johns ever presence. Often on the Pit bend end not sure I considered myself a loony was a little bit younger than the rest but my God its seems so long ago but like yesterday at the same time.

On the other hand, I was definitely a loony, although I only really became one in the mid-80's.

Johns never giving up and last bending just about everyone in the World.

I take it you were there the night he beat PC twice?

I wonder if my last memories are the worst kept but did we really have Jessup, Davis,Titman, Simmons, Neimi, Johns at the same time and if so why didnt we win anything?

DJ and Kai both left after 1983. We had solidity, certainly, but, Simmo, Davis, and Kennett were all past their best by that time, and as popular as Titman was, he averaged less than 6.

 

Pity you didn't stick around after we went NL, as for me, they really were some of the best times at Plough Lane.

 

Steve

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Thank you for your response I think perhaps I thought at the time that NL was the final insult. Was a bit anal about being in the Gulf Oil British League, young proud you know all the good failings lol.

 

I will wrack my brain more about all this also remember a guy called Russell (Blond guy ) who I guess was nearest my age but I was a little from out the area living in Cheam then Carshalton so never saw the others as much as I would have perhap liked.

 

Think the Terry I am talking about actually worked at the track ehmm not sure

 

Yes saw Roger pass PC twice actually Russell was a big PC fan which I found annoying lol old times coming back to me now.

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