Riders Who Never Quite Fulfilled Their Full Potential

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

If you have not read Norman Jacobs' book on Tom Farndon you really should.

 

Loving your trio of great names but make it a quartet with Bluey Wilkinson. The war and an early death cut short what surely would have been an illustrious career.

My uncle who first took me to speedway he is 86 now always mentioned Farndon,Huxley, Duggan also he was a fan of Hunt/ Warren.You or Gustix have you any real memories of Jack Young, Ernie Roccio. Eric Langton? i am doing some research books pictures memorabilia (ect) on all those riders any info would be great.

[norbold 7,098]

Except that Bluey Wilkinson did win the World Championship.....

If you have not read Norman Jacobs' book on Tom Farndon you really should.

 

Loving your trio of great names but make it a quartet with Bluey Wilkinson. The war and an early death cut short what surely would have been an illustrious career.

My uncle who first took me to speedway he is 86 now always mentioned Farndon,Huxley, Duggan also he was a fan of Hunt/ Warren.You or Gustix have you any real memories of Jack Young, Ernie Roccio. Eric Langton? i am doing some research books pictures memorabilia (ect) on all those riders any info would be great.

Just to be helpful, Sidney...: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tom-Farndon-Greatest-Speedway-Rider/dp/0752451405?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc

[iris123 20,935]

If you have not read Norman Jacobs' book on Tom Farndon you really should.

 

Now that is a blast from the past,wonder what Norman is up to nowadays????

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Except that Bluey Wilkinson did win the World Championship.....

 

Just to be helpful, Sidney...: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tom-Farndon-Greatest-Speedway-Rider/dp/0752451405?ie=UTF8&ref_=asap_bc

Thanks "Norbold"😀 Edited May 8, 2016 by Sidney the robin

[Guest]

My uncle who first took me to speedway he is 86 now always mentioned Farndon,Huxley, Duggan also he was a fan of Hunt/ Warren.You or Gustix have you any real memories of Jack Young, Ernie Roccio. Eric Langton? i am doing some research books pictures memorabilia (ect) on all those riders any info would be great.

 

I would help you if I could Sidney the robin but cannot. So far as Eric Langton is concerned the only seasons that he rode in when I followed speedway was 1946 and 1947. But in that era I was only a 13-year-old follower of New Cross while Langton was a towering personality in the Belle Vue side and the only time I saw him was when he appeared at "the frying pan" (as the 262-yard New Cross track was known).

Ernie Roccio, the American became involved with nearby Wimbledon in the same period of the 1950s that I was doing RAF National Service at Preston, Lancs, then tragically died in a 1953 accident at West Ham just after my National Service ended.

When I did start involvement writing bits and pieces about speedway circa 1953 onwards, Jack Young was a dominant figure in the West Ham side, whereas I was living in South London and mainly centred my attentions on Wimbledon after New Cross closed midway through 1953. My writings for various speedway publications (before becoming involved at 'Speedway Star') from 1954 onwards were mainly on the six tracks then in the Southern Area League.

By the time I did participate full-time in speedway writing, Jack Young had moved to Coventry while the main London concentration for me (apart from domestic office duties at the 'Star') was Wimbledon, in which Barry Briggs was the rider I mainly dealt with.

So it's regrets in regard to your request Sidney the robin, but I wish you well in your research. It could well be that I might be able to help you in regard to any queries you may have in regard to Langton, Roccio and Young, but so far as first-hand contact comments about them are concerned I regret I cannot help you.

Edited May 8, 2016 by Guest

[iris123 20,935]

Mentioned him on a thread before and Philip Rising mentioned Briggo said he was the best rider never to win a world title in his opinion,i think,Brian Crutcher.Could also mention Tommy Miller.Both seem to burts on the scene and blew out almost as quickly.But that may be down to my faulty memory

[steve roberts 9,242]

How about Allen Emmett and Tommy Johansson?

 

Saw Allen ride to a fantastic maximum at Eastbourne in 1972. He also won the Junior Championship that year but was involved in a bad smash with Dave Kennett at Hackney at that appeared to end his career although not sure if I am right but I think that he did try a comeback?

 

Tommy had two very good years (1971 Newport & 1972 Ipswich) competing in the British League.Illness forced him to miss 1973 in Britain but he did go on to win the Swedish Championship that year. Had a good World Final appearance in 1974 (beating Ivan Mauger from behind) but it all went wrong for him in 1975 when he signed for Hull and picked up a nasty injury. He didn't appear in England again after that and faded from the international scene.

[iris123 20,935]

There was also Lewis Bridger,who Parsloes I think hailed as a future world champ

[moomin man 76 171]

In my opinion, you could add Kai Niemi to the list. A rider with enough talent to get to the top echelons of the sport, but was arguably more motivated by financial gain than World Championship success.

[Daytripper 1,123]

Nobody has mentioned Bjorn Knutsson yet. He broke into the world top ten rankings at 22 years old and was never ranked lower. Than fourth for the rest of his career. One of the "Big 5" along with Moore, Briggo, Fundin and Craven, so he had some tough competition in that era.

He was under 30 years old when he retired so had a lot of potential left. He was a few years younger than the rest of the big 5 and coukd we'll have stayed at the top when they started to decline. Bjorn was also only about a year younger then Ivan Mauger and if he had continued into the 1970's he was, in my opinion the only rider who could have consistently challenged Ivan and, again in my opinion might well have taken some of the world titles eventually won by Mauger , Olsen, Michanek , and Szczakiel. We shall n ever know but he was certainly a class act and Speedwáy was the loser when he retired at such a relatively young age.

 

In more recent times, Adam Shields. Every time he started to go well he seemed to collect a serious injury, and in the end a couple of head injuries finished him off. Not a world beater but could have made a much bigger impact than he did , if he had more of an injury free run.

[steve roberts 9,242]

In my opinion, you could add Kai Niemi to the list. A rider with enough talent to get to the top echelons of the sport, but was arguably more motivated by financial gain than World Championship success.

Saw Kai when he first rode in Britain as I used to go to Wood Lane every week. I would agree. He had huge potential and had some sensational meetings for 'The Rebels'...remember one race when he took both Michael Lee and Terry Betts from the back on the last lap. He was often a match winner (as was Trevor Geer) at reserve during the successful championship year of 1977.

 

I recall John Berry questioning Kai's commitment to Britain and felt that he often saved his best for meetings abroad.

[BOBBATH 466]

Tommy Miller was my choice for the same reason as Iris123 mentioned-particularly when you compare Tommy to his contemporary Ken McKinlay!! I also still maintain David Crane never went as far as he seemed likely to do when he first started. Not to take away anything from any of these riders though!!

[norbold 7,098]

Nobody has mentioned Bjorn Knutsson yet. He broke into the world top ten rankings at 22 years old and was never ranked lower. Than fourth for the rest of his career. One of the "Big 5" along with Moore, Briggo, Fundin and Craven, so he had some tough competition in that era.

He was under 30 years old when he retired so had a lot of potential left. He was a few years younger than the rest of the big 5 and coukd we'll have stayed at the top when they started to decline. Bjorn was also only about a year younger then Ivan Mauger and if he had continued into the 1970's he was, in my opinion the only rider who could have consistently challenged Ivan and, again in my opinion might well have taken some of the world titles eventually won by Mauger , Olsen, Michanek , and Szczakiel. We shall n ever know but he was certainly a class act and Speedwáy was the loser when he retired at such a relatively young age.

 

Good shout, Daytripper. Couldn' t agree more.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

I would help you if I could Sidney the robin but cannot. So far as Eric Langton is concerned the only seasons that he rode in when I followed speedway was 1946 and 1947. But in that era I was only a 13-year-old follower of New Cross while Langton was a towering personality in the Belle Vue side and the only time I saw him was when he appeared at "the frying pan" (as the 262-yard New Cross track was known).

Ernie Roccio, the American became involved with nearby Wimbledon in the same period of the 1950s that I was doing RAF National Service at Preston, Lancs, then tragically died in a 1953 accident at West Ham just after my National Service ended.

When I did start involvement writing bits and pieces about speedway circa 1953 onwards, Jack Young was a dominant figure in the West Ham side, whereas I was living in South London and mainly centred my attentions on Wimbledon after New Cross closed midway through 1953. My writings for various speedway publications (before becoming involved at 'Speedway Star') from 1954 onwards were mainly on the six tracks then in the Southern Area League.

By the time I did participate full-time in speedway writing, Jack Young had moved to Coventry while the main London concentration for me (apart from domestic office duties at the 'Star') was Wimbledon, in which Barry Briggs was the rider I mainly dealt with.

So it's regrets in regard to your request Sidney the robin, but I wish you well in your research. It could well be that I might be able to help you in regard to any queries you may have in regard to Langton, Roccio and Young, but so far as first-hand contact comments about them are concerned I regret I cannot help you.

Thanks "Gustix".no worries. Edited May 8, 2016 by Sidney the robin

[Gresham 928]

The story according to Len Silver ( if my memory can more or less bring up the facts) is that at the peak of Andrews career he started to have some sort of bike proble. I can't remember the details but it was something like exhaust gasses escaping through a hairline crack that didn't show when the engine cooled down and he was losing power. Because there was no obvious fault he began to think it was in his mind and lost confidence. Speedwáy is such a confidence sport that even when the problem was sorted (after several months) the confidence never came back. My memory is a bit vague but that's roughly Lens version I think.

 

His return to Rye House was curtailed by a head injury that left him concussed and ar age 42 it was a bit later to make another comeback when he recovered 18 months later

Andrew Silver is my second all time favourite racer.

 

I find this quote above, making so much sense if it is the case. I often watched him race and thought it was his engine or set up and not him, that was preventing him being the best.

 

He was one of the most talented, exciting riders to watch...so entertaining...couldn't gate for toffee, but that's what made it even more entertaining as you knew he had to battle to often get past riders.

 

He may not be considered a World beater, but in my eyes he's one of the best Speedway riders ever...so talented.