Ronnie Russell

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

3 hours ago, steve roberts said:

Apparently during the winter of 1975/76 the NL (British League Division Two) applied to be able to use EEC riders but were turned down by the British League Management Committee.

I don't think people realise how much of a divide formed between the BL and NL, although 1975/6 was early. By the mid 80s the NL had its own offices  and administration and I believe the split could have gone much further. Having that application in rejected in 1975/6 may have sown the seed. 

 

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

Regarding the wider issue of possible conflict between EEC employment law and speedway regulations in the late 80s I suspect this is a case for Humphrey Appleby,

 

Edited February 9, 2020 by RobMcCaffery

[Humphrey Appleby 13,934]

1 minute ago, RobMcCaffery said:

Regarding the wider issue of possible conflict between EEC employment law and speedway regulations in the late 80s I suspect this is a case for Humphrey Appleby,

Complete freedom of movement only came with the EU in 1993, at which point the BSPA would have no legal right to restrict EU riders in its competitions. Prior to that, I believe EEC workers had the legal right to employment in another EEC country if it could be demonstrated there were no local workers available who could do the job. 

So I'd guess the inclusion of Rasmussen was justified on the basis of there not being a suitable local No. 1 available, and of course Rasmussen was already riding in Britain. Peter Shroeck was perhaps a more dubious justification, but it seems the government was more lax about such things in those days and if there wasn't any objection from the BSPA or SRA then perhaps it was just rubber stamped. 

I never really understood though, why Commonwealth riders were considered morally acceptable in the NL and not European riders. I know many would have had patriality anyway, but there were plenty of Commonwealth riders of dubious quality filling NL teams long before Rasmussen was employed. 

Of course, the 'opening of the floodgates' coincided with a contraction in the BL down to 9 teams whereby a number of mid-level European riders suddenly became surplus to requirements. Didn't Preben Eriksen and a few others drop down into the NL at the same time from memory? 

Think it was just a combination of circumstances and economics that led to the influx of Europeans - don't think Ronnie Russell can really be blamed for that, and inevitably the league would have had to fall into line with employment law anyway. 

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

Many thanks for the guidance HA. You bring out some very valid points. If it was so bad to hire Schroeck why was nobody complaining? Despite the views held by some supporters not all in speedway officialdom are fools. 

Regarding Commonwealth v EEC riders I'd suggest that the perception was still that the Auissies and Kiwis were 'us' while the Europeans were 'foreigners'. As you say, those with direct British links had patriality, the remainder without rights. I'd say the language and cultural links with the Aussies and Kiwis helped strengthen that view, despite the law.

The observation of the slump in BL numbers in the mid-80s is very valid with  lot of mediocre Europeans suddenly finding places at a premium.  At this point I have a confession to make. I might be to blame, not my erstwhile boss, Ron. 

I suppose I do have to take some of the blame. When Screen Sport approached KM Video to cover speedway on their new service in 1984 we naturally went for British League racing. However the BSPA believed that doing a deal with us for league racing would conflict with their deal with ITV for World of Sport. Faced with a golden opportunity to put league racing on TV for the first time I argued for coverage of the National League instead. My determined lobbying for my beloved NL won the argument. The NL was semi-detached from the BSPA then and they grabbed at the chance arguing that cable and satellite TV was narrowcasting rather than broadcasting! Suddenly I was in the position to put my decade and a half experience  as a fan of an NL team to good use!

After the first year of coverage in 1984 several BL tracks started looking at an NL, with a TV contract, that might be a better offer than the BL and we had the first mass switch. I remember Wimbledon manager Cyril Maidment telling me in an interview "We are moving ACROSS, not down".

After 1985 the NL was a completely different 'beast' and now a long way from its training origins. It was only later with Rasmussen and Schroeck's signings that the gates opened but by then the places once available for up and coming EEC riders in BL tracks were much reduced and with a pool of talent looking for places the NL was under incredible pressure and temptation to hire them. The NL was changed by the influx of tracks like Wimbledon and Hackneyand the return of Eastbourne and Exeter

Okay IT WAS MY FAULT I won't come quietly......

 

Edited February 10, 2020 by RobMcCaffery

[Shadders 4,134]

On 2/7/2020 at 10:24 AM, auntie doris said:

He likes pie n mash an all Chris

Keef

I like him even more now 

[Shadders 4,134]

On 2/7/2020 at 10:50 PM, Wee Eck said:

I thought that was Len Silver’s doing?

I remember him battling with the speedway authorities to get Rasmussen and Schroeck into the National League.

[Grachan 7,314]

My memory might be playing tricks on me, but from what I remember, didn't Rasmussen have a British wife or something like that, which was used to deem it acceptable? I think it was the signing of Shroek that was the really controversial one - strange though it seems now.

[Crabba59 156]

Having known big Ron for a long time and worked with him at different tracks he will always tell you he never broke the rules just bent them to suit....

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

4 hours ago, Grachan said:

My memory might be playing tricks on me, but from what I remember, didn't Rasmussen have a British wife or something like that, which was used to deem it acceptable? I think it was the signing of Shroek that was the really controversial one - strange though it seems now.

I did say that about Jens, Grachan. He most certainly had a British wife and was permanently domiciled in Britain. They were regulars at all social events, especially afterf the meetings. No question of dashing off for more important bookings.

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

3 hours ago, pitstop84 said:

Having known big Ron for a long time and worked with him at different tracks he will always tell you he never broke the rules just bent them to suit....

You get nothing if you don't try. If the BSPA weren't happy all they had to do was say no. I doubt whether Ron would have gone legal.

 

[iainb 4,962]

Good news: apparently some lovely human has offered Ronnie £30,000 so he can keep his medal

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

I had BBC Points West on in the background last night, looked up and thought, "Doesn't he look like Ron?"

Then I saw the medal. What hurt was to see him talking about using the money to pay for his funeral, talking about illness and suggesting he hasn't got long to go.

Working for Ron, despite the stresses of keeping Rye House going, was one of the highlights of my time in speedway. Maybe I didn't see the full story but he was always a decent, warm guy to work for. I remember him telling me that money I was owed for running the phone line was lost in the collapse of the business. He was genuinely apologetic but all I could think was "Ron, just how much have YOU lost?"

I do hope someone can help. It was distressing to watch last night.

He's arguably the biggest sponsor that Rye House ever had, with all due respect to the Atkinsons' Infradex business.

"Rob, you see this money? It's today's takings. When I take them to the bank tomorrow I've got to add a grand of my own money"

Speedway can be a cruel sport.

 

 

[woodenspoon 157]

Ronnie Russell's George Medal sold today for £50,000. BBC news.

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

1 minute ago, woodenspoon said:

Ronnie Russell's George Medal sold today for £50,000. BBC news.

Full story here. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-51736380

Funny, I thought I'd heard rumours (silly obviously) that someone was helping him out to avoid the sale. Still, some people believe rumours.......

I do hope his health's not as bad as suggested.

Ironically he's just turned up on BBC Points West's lunchtime news as I type this. Spooky!

 

[Debbs 74]

On 2/10/2020 at 1:49 AM, RobMcCaffery said:

Many thanks for the guidance HA. You bring out some very valid points. If it was so bad to hire Schroeck why was nobody complaining? Despite the views held by some supporters not all in speedway officialdom are fools. 

Regarding Commonwealth v EEC riders I'd suggest that the perception was still that the Auissies and Kiwis were 'us' while the Europeans were 'foreigners'. As you say, those with direct British links had patriality, the remainder without rights. I'd say the language and cultural links with the Aussies and Kiwis helped strengthen that view, despite the law.

The observation of the slump in BL numbers in the mid-80s is very valid with  lot of mediocre Europeans suddenly finding places at a premium.  At this point I have a confession to make. I might be to blame, not my erstwhile boss, Ron. 

I suppose I do have to take some of the blame. When Screen Sport approached KM Video to cover speedway on their new service in 1984 we naturally went for British League racing. However the BSPA believed that doing a deal with us for league racing would conflict with their deal with ITV for World of Sport. Faced with a golden opportunity to put league racing on TV for the first time I argued for coverage of the National League instead. My determined lobbying for my beloved NL won the argument. The NL was semi-detached from the BSPA then and they grabbed at the chance arguing that cable and satellite TV was narrowcasting rather than broadcasting! Suddenly I was in the position to put my decade and a half experience  as a fan of an NL team to good use!

After the first year of coverage in 1984 several BL tracks started looking at an NL, with a TV contract, that might be a better offer than the BL and we had the first mass switch. I remember Wimbledon manager Cyril Maidment telling me in an interview "We are moving ACROSS, not down".

After 1985 the NL was a completely different 'beast' and now a long way from its training origins. It was only later with Rasmussen and Schroeck's signings that the gates opened but by then the places once available for up and coming EEC riders in BL tracks were much reduced and with a pool of talent looking for places the NL was under incredible pressure and temptation to hire them. The NL was changed by the influx of tracks like Wimbledon and Hackneyand the return of Eastbourne and Exeter

Okay IT WAS MY FAULT I won't come quietly......

 

It's all about u.do u ever stop talking  about yourself and screen sport