The White Knight 9,039 Posted October 17, 2017 Les Collins' last League season was in 2003 for Glasgow! I saw Jimmy Squibb at Sunderland riding for Eastbourne, I believe. Nice to know I have seen the longest serving Rider in British Speedway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,978 Posted October 18, 2017 (edited) So far it looks like Olle Nygren 32 (1948-1979) Matten Kröger 32 (1985-2016) Piotr Swist 32 (1985-2016)!!! Jimmy Squibb 30 (1946-1975)Greg Hancock 29 (1989-2017)Neil Collins 29 (1978-2006)Les Collins 29(1975-2003)Ken McKinlay 28 (1948-1975)Malcolm Simmons 28 (1963-1989,1993)Alan Mogridge 26 (1981-2006) That is of course as long as Swisty hasn't made a comeback after his Farewell meeting!!! One or two have done that in the past. Thought about Egon.Not so sure.Seen on wiki it states his first meeting was in 1964,but that wasTrials(swapped from Trials when he was 21,so probably makes it 1970) and his last meeting was in 1997,but again i think that was Longtrack.....can't be certain when his 1st and last speedway meetings were Obviously if Bobbath is only talking British Leagues then Kröger,Swist and Hancock drop out and Nygren loses a season or 2? Edited October 18, 2017 by iris123 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HenryW 1,178 Posted October 18, 2017 Thing is, Doug, Bob didn't mention "British" leagues"! With Nygren's league career, he did have extra years outside of his British league career. Of course, that doesn't apply to Americans or Sissies, so yes, Hancock's inclusion is a little vague. As I said, I didn't include his youth career (which would have added about eight years), but he has been riding league outside of the UK. I am sure there are a few Europeans who would also qualify for this thread. If you were to include foreign league appearances for riders who raced in the UK then Andrzej Huszcza would be up there. I think he started with Zielona Gora in 1975 and raced for them through 2005, then raced for Poznan in 2006 and 2007 before finally calling it a day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest compost Posted October 18, 2017 (edited) At risk of being shot down I've got Nygren as doing only 18 League seasons in British Speedway (51, 53-54, 60, 62-75). I think it seems he rode here more because he was often in Swedish touring teams in the 50's but officialdom thought him too good to do more than filler roles in League racing (it wasn't until 63 that he rode more than 16 matches for a British team for instance). Edited October 18, 2017 by compost Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,978 Posted October 18, 2017 At risk of being shot down I've got Nygren as doing only 22 League seasons in British Speedway (51, 53-54, 60, 62-75). I think it seems he rode here more because he was often in Swedish touring teams in the 50's but officialdom thought him too good to do more than filler roles in League racing (it wasn't until 63 that he rode more than 16 matches for a British team for instance). Yes,i gathered Steve had included Olles Swedish seasons in that total,which is why i mentioned he would drop a year or two if Bobbath was only wanting British seasons included.As Steve mentioned it wasn't clearly stated in the OP Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BOBBATH 466 Posted October 18, 2017 Yeh, sorry folks, I was thinking of just Britsh leagues and should have made that clear-sorry for the confusion!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BOBBATH 466 Posted October 18, 2017 Somebody will know the answer to this (Norbold, BL65??) I'm back on Jim Squibb-I recall he started a riders strike in the 1963 PL Riders Final at Belle Vue -wot I can't remember is whether he was in the 64 PL Riders Final-whether he qualified or not. BTW the 1964 PL Riders Final sounded like a hell of a meeting-I avidly read in the Star about the various Riders chances-I would have given anything to be there-sadly a lack of the needful prevented my attendance. Was any forumlander there.. If anybody said which meeting could you back in time to watch-what would it be-that would have been mine.(actually that might be a good thread to start)!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,978 Posted October 19, 2017 (edited) So a revised look then Jimmy Squibb 30 (1946-1975)Neil Collins 29 (1978-2006)Les Collins 29(1975-2003)Ken McKinlay 28 (1948-1975)Malcolm Simmons 28 (1963-1989,1993) Nigel Boocock 26 (1955-1980)Alan Mogridge 26 (1981-2006) Must be some current riders looking to break into that table and probably one or two from the past who make it.Scott Nicholls i think started out in 1995,so would have done 23 seasons now,although did he miss a year and only rode in Poland(Sweden when he was in the GPs?Not sure Edited October 19, 2017 by iris123 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,978 Posted October 19, 2017 Ivan Mauger 1957 - 1984 (28 years)......though it has to be said a bit on and off at the beginning and end! So probably only 22 years in total. Think Briggo made 24 seasons Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BL65 656 Posted October 19, 2017 Alan Grahame 1973 to 1998 (26 seasons), plus second half races at Birmingham in 1972. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spinkox 37 Posted October 19, 2017 Ken Vale or Reg Trott must have done quite a few?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,978 Posted October 19, 2017 Ken Vale or Reg Trott must have done quite a few?? Not enough to make it into the table.Think Reg did 24 years,Ken quite a few less Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 19, 2017 (edited) Two riders who narrowly miss out on a listing are probably Jack Winstanley 1947-1968 and Wal Morton 1946-1964. I think there may have been years in their careers when they were not involved with league teams? Edited October 19, 2017 by Guest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,978 Posted October 19, 2017 (edited) Two rider who narrowly miss out on a listing are probably Jack Winstanley 1947-1968 and Wal Morton 1946-1964. I think there may have been years in their careers when they were not involved with league teams? No probably about it.And i have checked......Jim Tebby also misses out Checked a few that came to mind.Leigh Lanham had what seemed a fairly long career,but doesn't make it from what i found. Rob Hollingworth was another that had a career spanning 4 decades,but he missed a few years as far as i can tell,although still going in amateur speedway Kevin Teager was another i checked.Still going on grasstrack,but seemed to have stpped league racing in the UK quite a while ago now Mark Burrows is another who's career spanned a long time,but looking at records he missed quite a number of seasons during that time!!! Ermolenko is one foeign rider who came to mind,but because he still until recently had a ride or two i didn't realise it was so long ago he retired from the league Edited October 19, 2017 by iris123 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,978 Posted October 19, 2017 I thought it brought back memories......found another thread with the same title.And no,not the other one started at the same time as this http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=39940&hl=longest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
