sandman 0 Posted March 31, 2008 Are you his mum by any chance? You are right though about his image and press.He was of course a rider and personality in his own right,but he does in a way compare with Wiggy in that sense.Although no-one can really be compared to Wiggy.I do mean it favourably though. Just look at the competition he had just in the England squad at the time.But i always liked John Davis.More so than Simmo or DJ if i was his mum i would have talked to him a bit more about humility at the time, but hey! these kids now-a-days. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tigerblade 221 Posted March 31, 2008 If my memory serves me well I seem to remember that he did not make much of a protest about it. Have you missed a joking smiley off this sentence? I wasn't there but I know from reading the Star etc. and books that he argued for ages and eventually had to be led back to the pits. Do you remember his brief couple of months at Sheffield in late 1983? Maybe you're right. Mavis was never a true top-liner, but he was dedicated and professional and although I found his image a little comical, at least he had an image! To me, not having an image is an image-problem. I think his image did precede him a bit, but he was a good professional rider for a long time, look forward to reading about him, and also Larry Ross. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spin king 1,915 Posted March 31, 2008 Have you missed a joking smiley off this sentence? I wasn't there but I know from reading the Star etc. and books that he argued for ages and eventually had to be led back to the pits. Do you remember his brief couple of months at Sheffield in late 1983? I think his image did precede him a bit, but he was a good professional rider for a long time, look forward to reading about him, and also Larry Ross. I must say that my memory must have been playing tricks with me on that one, and yes I do remember turning out for the Tigers, signed by Ray Glover if I remember correctly, I think Ray did try to get him to return back to Sheffield the following season, seem to remember he was looking at flying up. I also seem to remember in the Speedway Star, some young girl writing to a Dave Jessop weekly column, asking if JD was a natural blonde or was it dyed, cannot remember DJ's answer. Have to admit that he was not a favourite of mine, I always thought he was a bit flash, but there is no doubting that he was a good rider though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
salty 2,190 Posted April 1, 2008 Who did John Davis transfer to Sheffield from? Was it Poole during the season they hit money troubles? I know he spent 1984 at Plough Lane. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spin king 1,915 Posted April 1, 2008 Who did John Davis transfer to Sheffield from? Was it Poole during the season they hit money troubles? I know he spent 1984 at Plough Lane. Yes it was Poole, he did fall out with the Promotion, but I don't know why. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tigerblade 221 Posted April 1, 2008 (edited) Who did John Davis transfer to Sheffield from? Was it Poole during the season they hit money troubles? I know he spent 1984 at Plough Lane. Was on loan from Poole - he joined us September 1983 to the end of the season, it was the same weekend as the World Final that it happened. Edited April 1, 2008 by Tigerblade Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mervjankefanclub 48 Posted April 1, 2008 i am pretty sure JD came up to glasgow as a guest for a talk in during the winter of 87/88 before the tigers big move to shawfield and quite a few fans got the wrong end of the stick with a rumour going around that he was the man who was going to lead us into a bright new era mitch shirra was another who was linked to a tigers return during the early shawfield years Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TonyMac 720 Posted April 2, 2008 (edited) I'm sure I'm far from alone in being amused by his bleached blonde, medallion man image during his riding days. One of the most endearing things about John is that he has the capacity to also poke fun at himself. In the interview, he talks about being called 'Mavis' (in Kenny Carter's case, to his face!) but says that didn't bother him. He thrived on his pop star image and, as he points out, which riders of today are ever likely to be asked to appear on the front cover of teen girl mags of today - whereas he was the cover man on both My Guy and Oh Boy, not to mention an inside feature in Cosmopolitan? To be fair, JD gives most credit to Dave Lanning for the media publicity he gained, though he does mention one embarrassing bit of bad advice he received from him, too... Don't wish to give too much away on here, you understand. But I can confirm that he does still dye his hair blond-ish! Edited April 2, 2008 by tmc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TonyMac 720 Posted April 2, 2008 Wonder if he will give his thoughts on his exclusion in the 1977 Inter Continental Final when the sixteen riders, all the officials and the 37,000 crowd all knew Ivan Mauger caused his own fall, not JD, everyone in the stadium except the referee. It cost JD a place at Gotheburg and ironically Mauger who shoul not have even qualified went on to become World Champion John is a bit embarrassed now about how he reacted to ref Gunther Sorber's decision to exclude him. He still believes Sorber got it wrong, though, and admits he didn't speak to Ivan for some time because of what happened, although did offer his congrats to the new world champ at the end of the '77 world final at Ullevi. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TonyMac 720 Posted April 2, 2008 (edited) Maybe you're right. Mavis was never a true top-liner, but he was dedicated and professional and although I found his image a little comical, at least he had an image! To me, not having an image is an image-problem. These are John's thoughts entirely. He is proud of his image and his contribution to the good of speedway. Interestingly though (and this may surprise those who consider him self-centred) he is not satisfied with what he achieved as a rider, especially in the UK, where he felt a bit under-appreciated on the whole. He says he should have more than two individual world final appearances to show for a long career. He loved Wimbledon - his favourite of all British tracks - but preferred the bigger tracks in general. One widely held perception of John that he is keen to quash is that he 'had it easy' and enjoyed a privileged background. Sure, his dad Harry gave him great support and he very much acknowledges that, but it may not be generally known that John had to grow up fast after his mum was left a paraplegic from a car crash when he was just 12. I hope you all enjoy the JD interview, along with everything else in the next issue. We'd be very interested to receive your feedback after you've read it, so pse get in touch, either via this forum or the letters page in Backtrack. I'd better stop waffling on here and get it finished and to the printer...! http://www.retro-speedway.com Edited April 2, 2008 by tmc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shazzybird 9 Posted April 3, 2008 I am so looking forward to this issue, even more so now I've just the whole thread again Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WATigerman 1 Posted April 6, 2008 (edited) Do you remember his brief couple of months at Sheffield in late 1983? I certainly do as he put in some sterling performances for the Tigers and I would have loved to have seen him back the following year. From memory I think it was the travelling that made this a non-starter. Edited April 6, 2008 by WATigerman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spin king 1,915 Posted April 6, 2008 I certainly do as he put in some sterling performances for the Tigers and I would have loved to have seen him back the following year. From memory I think it was the travelling that made this a non-starter. Certainly was down to the travelling. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fatface 2,525 Posted April 7, 2008 These are John's thoughts entirely. He is proud of his image and his contribution to the good of speedway. Interestingly though (and this may surprise those who consider him self-centred) he is not satisfied with what he achieved as a rider, especially in the UK, where he felt a bit under-appreciated on the whole. He says he should have more than two individual world final appearances to show for a long career. He loved Wimbledon - his favourite of all British tracks - but preferred the bigger tracks in general. One widely held perception of John that he is keen to quash is that he 'had it easy' and enjoyed a privileged background. Sure, his dad Harry gave him great support and he very much acknowledges that, but it may not be generally known that John had to grow up fast after his mum was left a paraplegic from a car crash when he was just 12. I hope you all enjoy the JD interview, along with everything else in the next issue. We'd be very interested to receive your feedback after you've read it, so pse get in touch, either via this forum or the letters page in Backtrack. I'd better stop waffling on here and get it finished and to the printer...! http://www.retro-speedway.com Thanks for the bonus taster Tony..really looking forward to reading it. I guess another thing about John Davis is that in many ways, he was a bit of a pioneer of riders racing in more than one league. I seem to recall him racing alongside Egon Muller in the German league in the mid-80s as well as turning out for his British League club, when nobody else had similar arrangements in place. I think I'd be right in saying he was also among the first of the glut of Western riders to race regularly in the Polish League..maybe it was his 80s rock star image that attracted the Poles?! Sorry, couldn't resist... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff. 2 Posted April 7, 2008 Thanks for the bonus taster Tony..really looking forward to reading it. I guess another thing about John Davis is that in many ways, he was a bit of a pioneer of riders racing in more than one league. I seem to recall him racing alongside Egon Muller in the German league in the mid-80s as well as turning out for his British League club, when nobody else had similar arrangements in place. I think I'd be right in saying he was also among the first of the glut of Western riders to race regularly in the Polish League..maybe it was his 80s rock star image that attracted the Poles?! Sorry, couldn't resist... Was JD still racing when the eastern bloc was opened up to westerners, seem to remember Hans Nielsen being one of the first when he signed for Motor Lublin. Remember JD racing in the Bundesliga though Share this post Link to post Share on other sites