TonyMac 720 Posted November 5, 2010 Better start getting the front cover pic out and ready for this next issue. The 'Picture Library' man at Retro Towers is shuffling hesitantly towards a certain Northern club's photo file... ... but who will it be? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WIE-JA 72 Posted November 6, 2010 Better start getting the front cover pic out and ready for this next issue. The 'Picture Library' man at Retro Towers is shuffling hesitantly towards a certain Northern club's photo file... ... but who will it be? Mark Courtney. Fantastic rider-just needed someone to control him Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lucifer sam 3,953 Posted November 6, 2010 Better start getting the front cover pic out and ready for this next issue. The 'Picture Library' man at Retro Towers is shuffling hesitantly towards a certain Northern club's photo file... ... but who will it be? Not Michael Lee or Simon Wigg then. Ah, I've got it.... Berwick is a Northern club. Congrats to Rob Grant. Seriously, I'll be very interested to see Mr. Berry's picks and his justification for them. There's several ways you can go in picking the top British rider of the 1980s. All the best Rob Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
salty 2,202 Posted November 6, 2010 Seriously, I'll be very interested to see Mr. Berry's picks and his justification for them. There's several ways you can go in picking the top British rider of the 1980s. All the best Rob In the last issue JB stated (when talking about the top 20 foreigners) "One sparkling season does not give priority over a full decade of solid performances". So there's a clue.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lucifer sam 3,953 Posted November 6, 2010 (edited) In the last issue JB stated (when talking about the top 20 foreigners) "One sparkling season does not give priority over a full decade of solid performances". So there's a clue.... But he then contradicted himself by placing both Bruce Penhall & Hans Nielsen in the 1970s foreign top 10, on the basis on just two and three seasons respectively. Nielsen maybe, as he was a double World Champion by the end of the 1970s (1978 WTC & 1979 World Pairs). But Penhall - I don't think so. And I'm huge Bruce Penhall fan. He peaked from 1980 onwards. I'd put him in the top three foreigners in the 1980s (along with a certain two Danes ), but Penhall shouldn't feature in the top 10 foreigners from the 1970s, not given the other riders at their peaks in the 1970s. All the best Rob Edited November 6, 2010 by lucifer sam Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dexter 1 Posted November 6, 2010 There would be quite a few but one I can remember very well is Simon Wigg. Amazing rider, top class rider. Kelvin Tatum would be another one. Although he never achieved what he was able to due to... not sure what? Anyone? Paul Thorp was a great rider at that time and so was Jeremy Doncaster. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TonyMac 720 Posted November 11, 2010 The 'Picture Library' man at Retro Towers is shuffling hesitantly towards a certain Northern club's photo file... Hang on a minute, I think he's taken a detour south...the suspense is killing me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fatface 2,554 Posted November 11, 2010 Hang on a minute, I think he's taken a detour south...the suspense is killing me. He must need fresh directions Tony. He needs to head towards an Intercontinental Final win, past the BLRC and British Finals wins. Then hang a left at the World Team Cup win, a sharp right at the World Pairs win, past 100 England caps and six World Final appearances, then over nine seasons as one of the British League's top riders. When he gets there, there should be a picture of the only Englishman to captain his club to the British League title in the 1980s. When he sees that, he's there! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TonyMac 720 Posted November 11, 2010 He must need fresh directions Tony. He needs to head towards an Intercontinental Final win, past the BLRC and British Finals wins. Then hang a left at the World Team Cup win, a sharp right at the World Pairs win, past 100 England caps and six World Final appearances, then over nine seasons as one of the British League's top riders. When he gets there, there should be a picture of the only Englishman to captain his club to the British League title in the 1980s. When he sees that, he's there! Alas, I fear he has gone beyond Manchester and has now reached a final signpost directing him towards either King's Lynn or Poole! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lucifer sam 3,953 Posted November 11, 2010 Alas, I fear he has gone beyond Manchester and has now reached a final signpost directing him towards either King's Lynn or Poole! He's heading in the right direction then. All the best Rob Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
liverpool chad 2 Posted November 11, 2010 He must need fresh directions Tony. He needs to head towards an Intercontinental Final win, past the BLRC and British Finals wins. Then hang a left at the World Team Cup win, a sharp right at the World Pairs win, past 100 England caps and six World Final appearances, then over nine seasons as one of the British League's top riders. When he gets there, there should be a picture of the only Englishman to captain his club to the British League title in the 1980s. When he sees that, he's there! I could be wrong, but wasn't Bernie Leigh Readings skipper when they won the title in 1980? Got to agree with Chris Morton as Britains best of the eighties, if only for his constant performances throughout the decade! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fatface 2,554 Posted November 12, 2010 Alas, I fear he has gone beyond Manchester and has now reached a final signpost directing him towards either King's Lynn or Poole! Ah well, I would've been (pleasantly) surprised had John Berry ventured North. Does Tony Davey still sneak into the top 20? I look forward to reading it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lucifer sam 3,953 Posted November 12, 2010 (edited) Does Tony Davey still sneak into the top 20? I think the poor bloke only lasted for about 6 meetings in the 1980s, so I'm guessing not. I wonder how highly John "Cowboy" Cook will be placed when Mr. Berry does his top 20 foreign riders of the 1980s. Cookie is a legend around our parts, for stuffing his team-mate almost into the fence during the final deciding heat of the 1985 KO Cup Final, and thereby allowing Wiggy and Troy Butler to come through and clinch the cup for Oxford. All the best Rob Edited November 12, 2010 by lucifer sam Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DukesGreg 46 Posted March 31, 2011 I think the poor bloke only lasted for about 6 meetings in the 1980s, so I'm guessing not. I wonder how highly John "Cowboy" Cook will be placed when Mr. Berry does his top 20 foreign riders of the 1980s. Cookie is a legend around our parts, for stuffing his team-mate almost into the fence during the final deciding heat of the 1985 KO Cup Final, and thereby allowing Wiggy and Troy Butler to come through and clinch the cup for Oxford. All the best Rob Ahhhhh John Cook. Remember him from the 16-Lap-Classics.. always led the field in them. Great rider who rode with a smile, and was a top notch jet-ski racer as well if memory serves me right. But I'm wandering off-topic here.. I need a list of 20 riders!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DukesGreg 46 Posted March 31, 2011 Well.. after a long hard think, here's my list which I consider to be the top-20 from the 80's. Riders who were probably a lot better in the 70's would have gained their merits in that decade.. I've tried to be fair, not putting Kenny Carter top was difficult for a Duke, but I've tried to factor everything in. 1) Michael Lee. Won the crown in 1980, and showed me the greatest evening's speedway running up to Norden in 1983, when he smashed the Halifax track record by a full 0.9 of second. Two British Championships in the 70's, but won the World Crown in the 80's, on the 'one off' nerve takes all format. Superb rider. 2) Kenny Carter. Unfulfilled latent talent. Probably didn't crash half as much as Chris Harris does in a month , but always ended up breaking something. Air fences and safer speedway would have helped his cause back in the day. BLRC, Northern Riders, 2 British Titles.. and one which I always found to be the best field in the day.. 2 Golden Hammer wins at Dudley Wood. Wore the England bib with ridiculous pride, in an era when half of the Brits (tragically) supported and cheered on the Yanks. 3) Dave Jessup. Robbed of a World Title when a 50p jubilee clip broke in said meeting. What a way to be denied the sports greatest prize. Great rider, and ambassador. 4) Simon Wigg. Massive talent, and a tragic passing at such a young age. 5) Chris Morton. Him and PC, great riders, PC more prominent in the previous decade. However, both a credit to club and country. 5) Peter Collins. Still a force to be reckoned with.. never the same after going to Germany, at a time when the British League was the place you needed to race to be on top of your game. Legend. 6) Les Collins. Underrated in my opinion. A BLRC under his belt, won the Intercontinental Final in 1982 before the Carter/Penhall clash in 1982.. and if that race had continued.. could possibly have ended up as World Champion. Everyone forgets Peter Collins was leading the race and doing the business for Les.. who knows how it would have panned out. Carter excluded.. Penhall back in the re-run.. history altered in a blink. 7) Kelvin Tatum. Steady away rider, consistent to the end. Very good. 8) Alan Grahame. Part of THAT Cradley side that mesmerised. Unsung hero. 9) Phil Collins. See above.. and Overseas Champion too. Very good rider. 10) Andy Grahame. British Champ and a never say die rider too. I'll put my second ten up later. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
