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Dandelion

Comebacks?

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Another interesting footnote to Ivan Maugers famous British League "home meetings" only swansong at Exeter in 1984 was in that same season Coventry wanted to use the recently retired (in 1983) Ole Olsen in a similar way for home meetings only, when I think Tommy Knudsen got injured but they were turned down!   

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16 minutes ago, 25yearfan said:

Another interesting footnote to Ivan Maugers famous British League "home meetings" only swansong at Exeter in 1984 was in that same season Coventry wanted to use the recently retired (in 1983) Ole Olsen in a similar way for home meetings only, when I think Tommy Knudsen got injured but they were turned down!   

Interesting...never heard that one!

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26 minutes ago, 25yearfan said:

Mauger while past his best still attained an 8+ average in 1984 and remember he only did it for mainly financial gain and everything was done on his terms, so it was mission achieved from his point of view. The big reason given for not riding in the away games was cause he had business commitments and racing commitments on the continent but I'm sure a big untold reason was that Ivan knew if he rode away meetings as well his average would of probably struggled to reach 6. - He'd only partially retired anyway so he could do it without disgracing himself, especially on his old stomping ground the notoriously home advantaged County Ground!

 

The likes of Chris Pusey and Eric Boocock cameback after lengthy spells out, in Boococks case 9 seasons so they were always going to find it difficult. Puseys was especially sad cause he couldn't adjust to life after speedway so thought he could make a comeback in a poor physical shape with an alcohol problem in what he thought would be a less competitive 2nd Division.

 

One must remember that nearly all riders start racing cause they love the thrill of it so its to be expected that some like to continue racing some sort of motorcycle sport just cause they love it. I've watched ex Rayleigh rider terry Stone have races on his vintage bikes!. 

 

   

That was part of a conversation I had with Ian Cartwright (one time "Duke") on one of my visits to "Mouseman" at Kilburn of which he is a director...a very nice, humble man by the way.

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3 hours ago, geoff100 said:

Chris pusey rode for the comets early season very overweight red as a beetroot after the race sad to see and thankfully didnt last long.on the plus side terry kelly had his best year as a comet.

Yes, I see the point here. I suppose it's all in context.

Mauger was helping out and Morton was doing it just for fun. If you know that and they still show the odd glimpse it makes it  more acceptable. I also saw Eric Boocock's comeback and that was a less pretty sight. Pusey too was a guy with issues and I am sure that was a pretty sad sight too.

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When you say helping out I think Ivan Maugers desire was more about helping out his pension pot more than it was about helping out his old mate Peter Oakes but then again Mauger was in a position to manipulate the situation to his advantage!

 

Chris Morton was still very competitive when he cameback with Sheffield in 1993 and thats the key element cause if your not competitive its no good especially at a professional level! 

Edited by 25yearfan

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I’ve seen him mentioned on here already, but Jordan Frampton would be great. He was set to get abit further in the sport and I always felt like he could of done a ‘Charles Wright’ and gone to the top of the British scene, especially given the standard nowadays. 

I don’t think he’s interested anymore in regular action but still had a few practices fairly recently at Somerset within the last few years.

Edited by Najjer
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Yes Jordan Frampton was a talented rider who seemed to progress very quickly in a short space of time which indicates he could of gone further had he kept going?

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16 minutes ago, 25yearfan said:

When you say helping out I think Ivan Maugers desire was more about helping out his pension pot more than it was about helping out his old mate Peter Oakes but then again Mauger was in a position to manipulate the situation to his advantage!

 

Chris Morton was still very competitive when he cameback with Sheffield in 1993 and thats the key element cause if your not competitive its no good especially at a professional level! 

Ha! You may well be right on Mauger.

As for Mort. Whilst he was still competitive at Sheffield, he struggled badly on the away tracks. As above, I enjoyed his comeback. But I'm also glad it didn't extend beyond a year. 

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1 minute ago, falcace said:

Ha! You may well be right on Mauger.

As for Mort. Whilst he was still competitive at Sheffield, he struggled badly on the away tracks. As above, I enjoyed his comeback. But I'm also glad it didn't extend beyond a year. 

Yes Ivan Mauger certainly knew his value and quite rightfully fully exploited it!

 

I went to a Peterborough V Sheffield fixture in 1993 when I recall Mort beating Mick Poole around there in the days when Poole could of almost won a GP round on the Showground track where he was nigh on unbeatable, so he had a few moments away from home! - Like you say though it was for the best that Mort didn't extend his comeback to the following season! 

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Every rider that has mentioned or said they are considering  retirement immediately lose something IMO and once they do stop riding no matter what happens they are never quite the same again , as if something is switched off that can't be turned back on again .

I would say it is easier for gaters than "from the the back riders" to continue longer or make reasonable comebacks ,I am still amazed that Hancock (love or hate him) was not just a race winner but a possible GP winner at nearly 50 yrs old .I  for one was pleased he left the sport in tact personal reasons aside .

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On 2/9/2021 at 11:33 AM, 25yearfan said:

Yes Jordan Frampton was a talented rider who seemed to progress very quickly in a short space of time which indicates he could of gone further had he kept going?

I watched Jordan as a novice at Sittingbourne and then at Rye House when he retired mid season. He wasn’t an overnight sensation by any means and did his apprenticeship but at Rye he showed real class but I think he blew a bit hot underneath and threw it all in on a disagreement with management.

On another comeback remember Peter Moore at Rayleigh in 73 and he still used his ‘cow horned’ handlebars looking out of place in the modern times then! He could certainly gate though!

 

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7 hours ago, GWC said:

I watched Jordan as a novice at Sittingbourne and then at Rye House when he retired mid season. He wasn’t an overnight sensation by any means and did his apprenticeship but at Rye he showed real class but I think he blew a bit hot underneath and threw it all in on a disagreement with management.

On another comeback remember Peter Moore at Rayleigh in 73 and he still used his ‘cow horned’ handlebars looking out of place in the modern times then! He could certainly gate though!

 

Jordan certainly wore his heart on his sleeve but give me a rider whose got abit of fire in his belly all day long. When he was properly in the mood he pulled off many memorable rides at Somerset and could be ruthless at times aswell.

I’ll never forget what I would say was the best performance I have ever witnessed before too when he came to Somerset with Rye House. Absolutely mowed the first bend fence down after tangling with Cory Gathercole, ended up outside the track and near as damn it on the patio in front of the clubhouse. He got up, walked back to the pits and then went on to score what can only be described as the most amazing maximum I’ve ever seen.

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1 hour ago, Najjer said:

Jordan certainly wore his heart on his sleeve but give me a rider whose got abit of fire in his belly all day long. When he was properly in the mood he pulled off many memorable rides at Somerset and could be ruthless at times aswell.

I’ll never forget what I would say was the best performance I have ever witnessed before too when he came to Somerset with Rye House. Absolutely mowed the first bend fence down after tangling with Cory Gathercole, ended up outside the track and near as damn it on the patio in front of the clubhouse. He got up, walked back to the pits and then went on to score what can only be described as the most amazing maximum I’ve ever seen.

He was involved in the horror smash with Rene Bach in about 2011, when Rene ended up under the 4th bend fence, and smashed both his legs. Derek Sneddon showed immense courage by holding up the wire fence for about 15 minutes, whilst the medics treat him, and kept the fence from pressing on Rene's legs. One of the many crashes Jordan has been involved in, which was a shame because he could have been a very good rider. 

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21 minutes ago, Tsunami said:

He was involved in the horror smash with Rene Bach in about 2011, when Rene ended up under the 4th bend fence, and smashed both his legs. Derek Sneddon showed immense courage by holding up the wire fence for about 15 minutes, whilst the medics treat him, and kept the fence from pressing on Rene's legs. One of the many crashes Jordan has been involved in, which was a shame because he could have been a very good rider. 

There was another at Somerset coming out of the 4th bend when he collided with Stefan Ekberg and sent him over the fence and landed alongside the track shop. Couldn’t fault his commitment that’s for sure.

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Not necessarily a comeback but it was a massive shame Ipswich didn't resign the cowboy in 97 and again for 2001. I think 97 was very close to happening and Cook went on record in during an interview after his short stint with Lynn in 2000 that he fancied riding for the witches again. That after a mighty impressive 13 points at Foxhall for Lynn. 

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