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Sidney the robin

Belle Vue 1972 or Cradley 1983.???

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5 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Chris was going great guns in 1973 (ten plus avearge) but a badly broken arm he recieved in Poland (?) finished his season. He never reached those same heights again and eventually moved to Halifax. Badly effected by great mate Alan Wilkinson's injury and he later developed an alcohol problem but I think that was after he finished riding. Died far too young. 

Also sold his soul to the Sunday People in the fixing scandal.

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1 minute ago, steve roberts said:

Chris was going great guns in 1973 (ten plus avearge) but a badly broken arm he recieved in Poland (?) finished his season. He never reached those same heights again and eventually moved to Halifax. Badly effected by great mate Alan Wilkinson's injury and he later developed an alcohol problem but I think that was after he finished riding. Died far too young.

He was also very good in Aussie  and he really was a top class grasstracker as well.Never really enjoyed his Halifax career remember Chris scoring a 15 point maximum at the Abbey one year and year or two later scoring 0.I remember  his Polka leathers a real talent I believe he also  had a nightmare spell with Weymouth.

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Just now, Sidney the robin said:

He was also very good in Aussie  and he really was a top class grasstracker as well.Never really enjoyed his Halifax career remember Chris scoring a 15 point maximum at the Abbey one year and year or two later scoring 0.I remember  his Polka leathers a real talent I believe he also  had a nightmare spell with Weymouth.

On one memorable night he scored paid 14 points at Cowley with Weymouth but generally he wasn't a success on the south coast. A great thrill merchant in his day and I know that it irked his brother Geoff that Chris' name wasn't mention during a Belle Vue reunion some years ago.

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16 minutes ago, Grachan said:

Also sold his soul to the Sunday People in the fixing scandal.

Don't recall that one? Was he part of the Jiri Stancl  conspiracy which 'allegedly' enabled Bruce Penhall to win an important race untroubled? :)

Apparently Martin Rogers may well touch upon the Sunday People article after I put a question to him in an edition of "Backtrack" a couple of years ago.

Edited by steve roberts

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1 minute ago, steve roberts said:

On one memorable night he scored paid 14 points at Cowley with Weymouth but generally he wasn't a success on the south coast. A great thrill merchant in his day and I know that it irked his brother Geoff that Chris' name wasn't mention during a Belle Vue reunion some years ago.

Yes a real shame that and you have to ask yourself were Chris, PC, Mort treated shabbily by Belle Vue in later years.

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29 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Don't recall that one? Was he part of the Jiri Stancl  conspiracy which 'allegedly' enabled Bruce Penhall to win an important race untroubled? :)

Apparently Martin Rogers may well touch upon the Sunday People article after I put a question to him in an edition of "Backtrack" a couple of years ago.

I don't remember the exact story, but it was one of the follow ups. Chris Pusey in an exclusive interview, telling of how speedway was fixed.

If, as you say, he had an alcohol problem, then maybe there's a connection with that and him doing the story.

The Jiri Stancl one is actually quite an interesting one if you watch that final race and listen to Dave Lanning's commentary on how Penhall and Stancl seem to be "playing to the gallery".

 

Edited by Grachan
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After the way he beat Olsen and Knudsen that night, does anyone really think Penhall would have needed help to beat Stancl? I was more concerned that Carter would try to knock Bruce off his bike, and judging by the way he let Kenny go away from him for the win, Bruce was too.

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31 minutes ago, Bryce said:

After the way he beat Olsen and Knudsen that night, does anyone really think Penhall would have needed help to beat Stancl? I was more concerned that Carter would try to knock Bruce off his bike, and judging by the way he let Kenny go away from him for the win, Bruce was too.

My views on the Sunday People's allegations are well documented but I would seriously recommend reading Martin Rogers' answer to my question in "Backtrack". It proved to be very enlightening.

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13 minutes ago, Bryce said:

Which number issue do I need to dig out for that?

Issue 92 which featured Chris & John Louis on the cover.

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Going to be a bit controversial here but strangely I preferred the mid to late 70s at Dudley Wood, not knowing if we would win and the racing was arguably better. I got bored with thrashing everybody and actually lost a bit of interest in speedway for a quite a while before starting up again in the late 90s at Monmore

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1 hour ago, bruno said:

Going to be a bit controversial here but strangely I preferred the mid to late 70s at Dudley Wood, not knowing if we would win and the racing was arguably better. I got bored with thrashing everybody and actually lost a bit of interest in speedway for a quite a while before starting up again in the late 90s at Monmore

Personally I thought that the Cradley team of 1979 was a bit special?

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2 hours ago, bruno said:

Going to be a bit controversial here but strangely I preferred the mid to late 70s at Dudley Wood, not knowing if we would win and the racing was arguably better. I got bored with thrashing everybody and actually lost a bit of interest in speedway for a quite a while before starting up again in the late 90s at Monmore

Would have to agree, I loved my Speedway in the 70's. Particularly enjoyed the Johnny Boulger years at Dudley Wood watching Stevie B develop. The all conquering team from 1983 meant that a lot of home matches were less than entertaining.

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8 hours ago, salty said:

Would have to agree, I loved my Speedway in the 70's. Particularly enjoyed the Johnny Boulger years at Dudley Wood watching Stevie B develop. The all conquering team from 1983 meant that a lot of home matches were less than entertaining.

I would have to agree. The 70's were a bit special...speedway's last "Golden Era". I enjoyed watching my teams the "Rebels" at Oxford and White City and the incoming talent from our sister clubs at Eastbourne and Peterborough. Plus the "Cheetahs" in the National League. I had the best of both worlds watching both British League and National League encounters...great days!

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17 hours ago, steve roberts said:

Don't recall that one? Was he part of the Jiri Stancl  conspiracy which 'allegedly' enabled Bruce Penhall to win an important race untroubled? :)

Apparently Martin Rogers may well touch upon the Sunday People article after I put a question to him in an edition of "Backtrack" a couple of years ago.

Still got that race on video stancl hardly moves when the tapes go up and was one of the first to get to penhall after the race

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