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Sidney the robin

The Bob Killer Kilby Book.

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The winter of 1992 was the beginning of the end for me (started going in 1972) really although I continued to attend mostly home meetings until 2003.

 

The supposed pay structure was introduced for the 1993 season and the promotion at Oxford felt that they couldn't offer Hans what he felt he was worth within the pay 'restraints'...he eventually moved to Coventry who were able to meet his demands with improved sponsorship etc. Funny how the promotion at Coventry were able to meet his demands?

 

Personally I felt that Hans was made a scapegoat by the then Oxford Promotion (Northern Sports and Kevin Hedderley in particular) as their other business interests were struggling and Cowley suffered accordingly.

The nineties for me up until,Crump/Gollob arrived on the scene was not the best i never really took to Ricko so that made a difference.1998 until now has been ok i do HATE how the GP series calls the shots yet our league clubs are never compensated in a way our clubs are dictated to yet get nothing back .Its like me owning a corner shop having to shut down on certain days, yet get no compensation back the series is decent but it has totally screwed British speedway bigtime. Edited by Sidney the robin
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Just received my copy...looks great. Saving it for my holiday reading!

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The nineties for me up until,Crump/Gollob arrived on the scene was not the best i never really took to Ricko so that made a difference.1998 until now has been ok i do HATE how the GP series calls the shots yet our league clubs are never compensated in a way our clubs are dictated to yet get nothing back .Its like me owning a corner shop having to shut down on certain days, yet get no compensation back the series is decent but it has totally screwed British speedway bigtime.

Not convinced the GP series is the main issue. I'd say the Polish and Swedish leagues are the main problem,without them the top riders would all still be riding in GB and the only impact of GPs would have been to remove a number of Saturday nights from the British calendar.

If British speedway was presented like the gps and of the same quality a lot of issues would also disappear.

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Not convinced the GP series is the main issue. I'd say the Polish and Swedish leagues are the main problem,without them the top riders would all still be riding in GB and the only impact of GPs would have been to remove a number of Saturday nights from the British calendar.

If British speedway was presented like the gps and of the same quality a lot of issues would also disappear.

My gripe is why does British speedway not get some sort of compensation from the series? it does affect our speedway programme.Also most of the series is decent it should be it is the cream of our sport and yes the series does put our sport across well in a good light.But overall has the sport really benefitted from the series or just individual people i think the latter.

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My gripe is why does British speedway not get some sort of compensation from the series? it does affect our speedway programme.Also most of the series is decent it should be it is the cream of our sport and yes the series does put our sport across well in a good light.But overall has the sport really benefitted from the series or just individual people i think the latter.

The FIM get a fee and that should be passed through to the respective countries. No idea what actually happens to that money.

GP series is by far my favourite speedway, though obviously my nearest track being 10+ hours flight away makes a difference there - if I was attending the NSS each week I'm sure the Aces would be my number one focus.

The GP series is though speedway as it should be- but agree there should be a better flow of income to federations and arguably riders as well.

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The FIM get a fee and that should be passed through to the respective countries. No idea what actually happens to that money.

GP series is by far my favourite speedway, though obviously my nearest track being 10+ hours flight away makes a difference there - if I was attending the NSS each week I'm sure the Aces would be my number one focus.

The GP series is though speedway as it should be- but agree there should be a better flow of income to federations and arguably riders as well.

It was a subject that John Berry used to continually raise regarding the lost revenue when once upon a time the one-off final held at Wembley the receipts were shared out amongst the tracks in Britain.

 

Once the GP series took hold that money was lost and absorbed elsewhere and the British promoters lost out.

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I'm enjoying reading the book whilst on holiday in Whitby.

 

There's a few errors but overall a great insight and helps clear up a few questions during his time at Cowley.

 

Bob was of the old school...solid, dependable and a great advert for the sport.

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I'm enjoying reading the book whilst on holiday in Whitby.

 

There's a few errors but overall a great insight and helps clear up a few questions during his time at Cowley.

 

Bob was of the old school...solid, dependable and a great advert for the sport.

The question of Bob returning to Swindon prior to the 1975 season raised an issue with the then Swindon promotion as regards attempting to avoid paying a fee for his services.

 

Initially Bob was allocated to Exeter in 1971 under the old Rider Control System that operated back then.

 

However Bob riding for Oxford was far more complex. Oxford had paid a fee (£1000 or thereabouts I recall) for Hackney's Garry Middleton prior to the 1972 season. Garry didn't want to ride for 'The Rebels' in 1973 and was prepared to sit the season out. Oxford eventually agreed a swap with Tony Lomas (Coventry) who had really desired a move to Exeter but moved to Cowley as exchange. He never settled to be fair and struggled at Oxford.

 

Ivan Mauger moved to Exeter in 1973 and this unsettled Bob and he ended up at Cowley with Tony going the opposite direction.

 

It was a triangular movement involving Garry, Tony and Bob and Oxford felt aggrieved that they stood to loose out on a transfer fee when Bob moved back to Blunsden having invested in their initial transaction...said Garry.

 

A complicated scenario but personally I felt that Oxford were hard done by in not receiving a fair fee for Bob as did the promoters at Cowley at the time.

Edited by steve roberts

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The question of Bob returning to Swindon prior to the 1975 season raised an issue with the then Swindon promotion as regards attempting to avoid paying a fee for his services.

 

Initially Bob was allocated to Exeter in 1971 under the old Rider Control System that operated back then.

 

However Bob riding for Oxford was far more complex. Oxford had paid a fee (£1000 or thereabouts I recall) for Hackney's Garry Middleton prior to the 1972 season. Garry didn't want to ride for 'The Rebels' in 1973 and was prepared to sit the season out. Oxford eventually agreed a swap with Tony Lomas (Coventry) who had really desired a move to Exeter but moved to Cowley as exchange. He never settled to be fair and struggled at Oxford.

 

Ivan Mauger moved to Exeter in 1973 and this unsettled Bob and he ended up at Cowley with Tony going the opposite direction.

 

It was a triangular movement involving Garry, Tony and Bob and Oxford felt aggrieved that they stood to loose out on a transfer fee when Bob moved back to Blunsden having invested in their initial transaction...said Garry.

 

A complicated scenario but personally I felt that Oxford were hard done by in not receiving a fair fee for Bob as did the promoters at Cowley at the time.

What's very evident reading the book is how important it was having a local lad ride for your team...something, unfortunately, so too rare nowadays.

 

Bob was well known and respected around Swindon and came across as a thoroughly nice bloke.

 

Having read the book I feel that I know him better now and am glad that he put in two years at Cowley for which I am grateful.

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