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auntie doris

Swindon v New Cross..1960

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4 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Bobbath was very surprised to see Tommy Sweetman down at number 8 in 1960.He was aged 30 then was he a late starter ??? he was quite old in the Jimmy Squibb mould when i see him ride.

He began his career in the early 1950s, riding at non-league tracks such as Rye House. His first team was Aldershot 1954. His last year was 1969 at Hackney.

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10 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Bobbath was very surprised to see Tommy Sweetman down at number 8 in 1960.He was aged 30 then was he a late starter ??? he was quite old in the Jimmy Squibb mould when i see him ride.

Tommy Sweetman never really made it at New Cross but 'went provincial'  by moving to Wolverhampton where he performed with distinction for a number of years. I think he must have been close to 40 years of age when he finally retired.  

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On 11/27/2019 at 1:03 PM, Sidney the robin said:

Swindon.      47.    V New Cross. 43.      24/ 09/ 60.     Swindon. 1./ Mike Broadbanks. 33120. - 9 +1.  2./ Brian Meredith 1101 - 3+1.  3./ Neil Street 3231. - 9.  4./  Brian Brett. 0030. 3..   5./Tadeusz Teodorowicz 22232. - 11.   6/ Ian Williams 1132. - 7+3.   7.Johnny Board 32. - 5+1.  8. Ron Taylor 00.  - 0.     Total 47.  team manager Bob. Jones.          New Cross.  1./ Split Waterman 23221.  - 10+1.  2/ Derek Timms. 00- -    0.    3./ Barry Briggs 333333.  - 18.   4./ Bobby Croombs 01R 0.  - 1.  5./ Leo McAuliffe 1211.  5+2.  6./ Jimmy Gooch 20020.  4.   7./ Reg Luckhurst 21.  - 3.  8 / Tommy Sweetman 11. -    2+2.  Total 43.  Team manager Johnnie Hoskins. .    Heat 1.)   4.2. Broadbanks Waterman Meredith Timms. Time) 73.8.    Heat 2).  3.3.  7-5. Street Gooch. McAuliffe Brett.  Time )74.6.   Heat 3.) 3.3.  10-8.    Briggs TEO.   Williams. Croombs Time) 74.2.  Heat 4.)  3.3.  13-11.  Board. Luckhurst.  Sweetman.  Taylor.  Time) .  75.2.   Heat 5.)  4.2.  17- 13.    Broadbanks. McAuliffe Meredith. Gooch.  Time) 74.2.    Heat 6.) 2.4.  19- 17.     Briggs. Street Croombs. Brett. Time ) 74.6.    Heat 7) . 3.3.   22 -20 Waterman. Teo. Williams Timms.   Time) .  74.2.   Heat 8) .  5.1.  27.  - 21.  Brett. Board.  Luckhurst. Croombs ( retired) Time)  76.0.    Heat 9) . 3.3.  30-24   Briggs.   Teo.  Broady Gooch. Time.)  74.2.     Heat 10) .  3.3.  33.- 27.   Street. Waterman.  McAuliffe Meredith.     Time ) 75.2.       Heat 11.)   3.3.   36- 30.  Willliams.   Gooch. Sweetman Taylor.  Time)  75.4.      Heat 12.)     3.3.  39 - 33.    Briggs. Broady. Meredith. Croombs.   Time )73.4.    Heat 13. )  1.5.   40 - 38.    Briggs.  Waterman. Street. Brett.    Time)  74.2.    Heat 14.)   5.1.     45 -39.  Teo.   Willliams.   McAuliffe.  Gooch.    Time) 74.8.      Heat 15. ( Nominated )   2.4.     47.   - 43.      Briggs.  Teo.  Waterman.  Broady.    Time.)   74.2.       Programme changes Heat 9. T/S Gooch for Timms.      Heat 13.   tactical sub Briggs for Timms.    Second Half. reserves scratch race.  Luckhurst.   Board.  Taylor.  Sweetman.   Time )75.2.   Scratch race. heat 1.)  Meredith.  Teo.   Gooch.  Timms.   Time 75.2 ) .    Scratch race heat 2. )  Waterman.  Street. Williams. Briggs.   Time)  75.4       Scratch race 3.  Broady.  McAuliffe. Croombs.  Brett.   Time )75.2.   Grand Final.  Broady.  Waterman.  Meredith. Teo.   Time )74.8.

:t:And 8 special buses ran to the stadium!

Edited by auntie doris

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3 hours ago, Split said:

Tommy Sweetman never really made it at New Cross but 'went provincial'  by moving to Wolverhampton where he performed with distinction for a number of years. I think he must have been close to 40 years of age when he finally retired.  

He turned 39 in July 1969, and he retired at the end of the season when he emigrated to New Zealand.

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31 minutes ago, chunky said:

He turned 39 in July 1969, and he retired at the end of the season when he emigrated to New Zealand.

Ah that explains how he got an NZ cap!!!

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4 hours ago, auntie doris said:

:t:And 8 special buses ran to the stadium!

Did one of the buses drop off at Penhill and the Moonrakers the next stop ?

Edited by Sidney the robin

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1 hour ago, iris123 said:

Ah that explains how he got an NZ cap!!!

Tracked it down. Sweetman rode for NZ v USA in 1972. Next season he was still riding and rode against NZ in 73...

Edited by iris123

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4 hours ago, iris123 said:

Ah that explains how he got an NZ cap!!!

I spent a very pleasant evening with Tommy and Bob Andrews in New Zealand a few years ago.

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I note Tommy rode for Aldershot in 1954 and California 54 -56 his best season was in 1966 averaging 9.11 for the Exeter Falcons scoring six full maximums.

Edited by Sidney the robin

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8 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

I note Tommy rode for Aldershot in 1954 and California 54 -56 his best season was in 1966 averaging 9.11 for the Exeter Falcons scoring six full maximums.

And in 1966 he was riding against British League opposition. He finished well up in the averages that season and just look at some of the names beneath him:

http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/2014/03/british-league-averages-1966.html

 

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I agree-Tom finished top of the averages for Exeter in 1966-ahead of such luminaries(I like that word) as Colin Gooddy, Neil Street, Jack Geran and Jim Squibb. He was one of the Prov. League riders who more than held his own against the NL riders- Charlie Monk was another as was Eric Boocock and Dave Younghusband. I recall being at Wimbledon on July 2 1966 (had to look at my programme) when Tom top scored for Exeter and beat Olle Nygren in the second half for the Silver Sash (what happened to that BTW-does anybody have it in storage) in a very fast time. Glad to hear Tom is enjoying his retirement in NZ

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4 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

 Glad to hear Tom is enjoying his retirement in NZ

Tommy's son Chris is a regular poster on some of the Facebook speedway groups, so there is certainly still a family interest.

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