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customhouseregular

Your best speedway year

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In my younger days every meeting I could possibly attend was the best ever, I had the bug that bad.

In later years I'd say 1996 and 2009. Both seasons I was fortunate enough to get to every meeting home and away and in both years Wolves were Champions.

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1 minute ago, BWitcher said:

Both seasons I was fortunate enough to get to every meeting home and away and in both years Wolves were Champions.

That was the one thing that eluded me; I never got to see the Dons win the league. Best was the hat-trick of KOC's...

Never saw a Wimbledon World Champ either - except for Larry in the 79 WTC.

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21 minutes ago, norbold said:

When you say, Nordin was a newcomer, Sid, it is true that 1966 was his first year in the British League, but he was third in the World Championship in 1961 and 5th in 1962 and 1963, and Wimbledon's top scorer in 1964, so not really a newcomer. He was already a world class rider..

Often quoted as the best rider never to win the world title.

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38 minutes ago, norbold said:

When you say, Nordin was a newcomer, Sid, it is true that 1966 was his first year in the British League, but he was third in the World Championship in 1961 and 5th in 1962 and 1963, and Wimbledon's top scorer in 1964, so not really a newcomer. He was already a world class rider..

Spot on cannot understand Norbold why the figures generally are  taken from 1965 onwards.Great that we have these sites that have some recollection of the past that we can go back on and learn from.Going back to Gote he is often forgotten a classy rider who some say was is in the mould of Warren (etc) good anough to have been a World Champion.

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1 hour ago, chunky said:

From that list, the only one I never got to was the Cross.

I was thinking the other day, the vast majority of tracks I visited have gone.

Same here...it would be easier listing the tracks that are still open!

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If I remember correctly, I think Nordin was one of the reasons the handicapping of The Big Five (or three by then) came to an end. Apart from not liking it anyway, when Nordin rode for Wimbledon in 1964, Fundin, Briggs and Knutson complained that they shouldn't have to give 10 yards to Nordin as he was as good as they were and most fans agreed. I think it was Briggo who settled the matter in the end by threatening to quit British speedway altogether if handicapping was not ended.

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2 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Same here...it would be easier listing the tracks that are still open!

Fancy you and Chunky both missing racing at the best track ever! :D

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1 hour ago, norbold said:

If I remember correctly, I think Nordin was one of the reasons the handicapping of The Big Five (or three by then) came to an end. Apart from not liking it anyway, when Nordin rode for Wimbledon in 1964, Fundin, Briggs and Knutson complained that they shouldn't have to give 10 yards to Nordin as he was as good as they were and most fans agreed. I think it was Briggo who settled the matter in the end by threatening to quit British speedway altogether if handicapping was not ended.

Another reason was Trevor Hedge. He was proving a match winner for Wimbledon going off scratch at reserve. I remember an article in SS I think by Eric Linden analysing his performance as an indictment of the handicap system. 

 

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57 minutes ago, E I Addio said:

Another reason was Trevor Hedge. He was proving a match winner for Wimbledon going off scratch at reserve. I remember an article in SS I think by Eric Linden analysing his performance as an indictment of the handicap system. 

 

What with Nordin and Hedge, it was all down to Wimbledon then!!!

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1984 for me. 

I was 16 and went to watch a lot of Sheffield away meetings on the Supporters Club coach. The British League was pretty good that year and I went to places like Newcastle and Exeter for the first time. I was also doing a few after the meeting rides at the time and to be in the pits at the same time as the top riders was amazing. 

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Thought long and hard about this. I was lucky enough to watch the great Ipswich sides of the '70's and had a Dad who took me to lots of away meetings. The 1975-76 seasons, which Ipswich won with a team of home grown, local riders, all born within 20 miles of the stadium plus Billy Sanders  who'd only ridden for the Witches since he was 16, were great. Never properly recognised for the achievement it was and also proved you can compete and be successful without using guests.

Saw every Ipswich home and away in '81. 82, 84 and 98, seeing the Cowboy develop in 81 was fantastic, the 84 league and cup double a pleasant surprise and the 98 super team was a little dull to watch at home but superb away.

But I'm not picking any of them. I'm going for 1990, another season I was fortunate enough to watch every match home and away . After John Berry left we had three disastrous, embarrassing seasons under the ownership of the charlatan Chris Shears. When he was finally kicked out we dropped down to the National League and it was like a breath of fresh air. The two seasons, 1989 and 90 provided great speedway, the Northern tours and were immense fun, with 1990 just shading '89 for entertainment. A young exciting side lead by for me the most entertaining (and brave to the point of lunacy!) rider to ever wear the Witch - Moggo. Great days, but we actually won bugger all that year!

Edited by Shrub
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4 hours ago, norbold said:

Fancy you and Chunky both missing racing at the best track ever! :D

Sorry I'm not as old as you! Actually, I was born in 1962, so there was a small chance...

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1 hour ago, norbold said:

What with Nordin and Hedge, it was all down to Wimbledon then!!!

 

2 hours ago, E I Addio said:

Another reason was Trevor Hedge. He was proving a match winner for Wimbledon going off scratch at reserve. I remember an article in SS I think by Eric Linden analysing his performance as an indictment of the handicap system. 

 

Except that
(a) Trevor Hedge didn't join Wimbledon until 1965, he was still at Norwich in 1964
(b) Trevor didn't ride at reserve in 1964 

 

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1 hour ago, BL65 said:

 

Except that
(a) Trevor Hedge didn't join Wimbledon until 1965, he was still at Norwich in 1964
(b) Trevor didn't ride at reserve in 1964 

 

Maybe the years have telescoped in my mind. Perhaps ‘63 when Hedge was a on loan at Hackney,  perhaps Hedge guesting, but definitely an article in SS using Hedge as an example of flaws in the handicap system.

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1 hour ago, Shrub said:

Thought long and hard about this. I was lucky enough to watch the great Ipswich sides of the '70's and had a Dad who took me to lots of away meetings. The 1975-76 seasons, which Ipswich won with a team of home grown, local riders, all born within 20 miles of the stadium plus Billy Sanders  who'd only ridden for the Witches since he was 16, were great. Never properly recognised for the achievement it was and also proved you can compete and be successful without using guests.

Saw every Ipswich home and away in '81. 82, 84 and 98, seeing the Cowboy develop in 81 was fantastic, the 84 league and cup double a pleasant surprise and the 98 super team was a little dull to watch at home but superb away.

But I'm not picking any of them. I'm going for 1990, another season I was fortunate enough to watch every match home and away . After John Berry left we had three disastrous, embarrassing seasons under the ownership of the charlatan Chris Shears. When he was finally kicked out we dropped down to the National League and it was like a breath of fresh air. The two seasons, 1989 and 90 provided great speedway, the Northern tours and were immense fun, with 1990 just shading '89 for entertainment. A young exciting side lead by for me the most entertaining (and brave to the point of lunacy!) rider to ever wear the Witch - Moggo. Great days, but we actually won bugger all that year!

After doing the double in '88 it was obvious Hackney were going to lose a couple of riders to our new 'sister track.' It was no surprise to see Loram and Louis go but we were gutted to lose Moggo, because as you say he was entertainment personified!

Remember the fantastic match between the clubs at Foxhall in 1990 when you beat us by a point? What a final heat with Whittaker, Moggo, Louis and Galvin!

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