steve roberts 9,246 Posted June 20, 2021 22 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said: Your memories of seeing Hans progress from a world class rider to a superstar has to be up there as one of your greatest memories Steve surely…?Personally was never a fan felt he was a bit of a gating tart quick but nothing else how WRONG was i i admit it got it badly wrong as i have done endless times on this forum.My memory of Hans is just how underated he was as a team rider helped endless riders progress his team riding with Dugard, Sorensen, Butler, Rasmussen, Wigg, stick in the mind.To have a rival like Erik pushing you beating you but you come out on top shows how strong his mentality was.His rivalry with Erik to me is like a same scenario as Briggs v Fundin Lendl v McEnroe, Holyfield v Tyson, Ali v Frazier, Senna v Prost . I recall seeing Hans as a seventeen year old riding for Wolves at White City (think he scored 7 or 8?) and it was obvious he was going to make it in the British League but who would imagine then how he would go on to dominate things as much as he did? Remember one classic race at Swindon when Hans was a "Brummie" and he and Phil Crump passed and re-passed each other many times over the four laps...great stuff! Personally I felt that Martin Dugard could have gone further in the sport and I think moving back to Eastbourne was a mistake. Similar with Gordon Kennett who I felt should have moved to Swindon after the closure of White City? Or "ifs and buts". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted June 20, 2021 36 minutes ago, steve roberts said: I recall seeing Hans as a seventeen year old riding for Wolves at White City (think he scored 7 or 8?) and it was obvious he was going to make it in the British League but who would imagine then how he would go on to dominate things as much as he did? Remember one classic race at Swindon when Hans was a "Brummie" and he and Phil Crump passed and re-passed each other many times over the four laps...great stuff! Personally I felt that Martin Dugard could have gone further in the sport and I think moving back to Eastbourne was a mistake. Similar with Gordon Kennett who I felt should have moved to Swindon after the closure of White City? Or "ifs and buts". Dugard i knew was the better rider longterm than Silver but for me he should of moved to a bigger venue. He was a rider though exciting tough as old boots like his dad ( RIP ) really admired Dugard (snr) Eastie was always prepared well.Gordon should of moved to the Abbey in my opinion certainly one of the best visiting away riders at the Abbey in the late 70s.Going back to Hans how he brought Per Sorensen on was amazing was a real fan of Per at Swindon and always knew there was a rider in there. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted June 20, 2021 18 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said: Dugard i knew was the better rider longterm than Silver but for me he should of moved to a bigger venue. He was a rider though exciting tough as old boots like his dad ( RIP ) really admired Dugard (snr) Eastie was always prepared well.Gordon should of moved to the Abbey in my opinion certainly one of the best visiting away riders at the Abbey in the late 70s.Going back to Hans how he brought Per Sorensen on was amazing was a real fan of Per at Swindon and always knew there was a rider in there. Per was an inspirational signing for Oxford making a good side into a great one! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted June 20, 2021 16 minutes ago, steve roberts said: Per was an inspirational signing for Oxford making a good side into a great one! We often talk about Hans Steve; you must of seen him more than most of us on the forum certainly when he approached his superstar years.He has to be in the top seven ever ? ( easily one of the best ever longevity wise impressive).A question Steve i have no idea why did Hans/ Ole have a funny relationship baffled me i know Ole helping Erik was wrong really not a wise move .Now i believe Ole and Hans are ok and that is great really liked Ole as a rider a class act ( sorry Steve didn’t want to join the Cheetahs.!,,,Tommy Knudsen is a rider often forgotten a class act was unlucky in 86 could beat Hans/ Erik on a regular basis and was a hell of a rider remember his riding in Long beach USA outstanding came back after horrendous back injuries and was still a force. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted June 20, 2021 (edited) 17 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said: We often talk about Hans Steve; you must of seen him more than most of us on the forum certainly when he approached his superstar years.He has to be in the top seven ever ? ( easily one of the best ever longevity wise impressive).A question Steve i have no idea why did Hans/ Ole have a funny relationship baffled me i know Ole helping Erik was wrong really not a wise move .Now i believe Ole and Hans are ok and that is great really liked Ole as a rider a class act ( sorry Steve didn’t want to join the Cheetahs.!,,,Tommy Knudsen is a rider often forgotten a class act was unlucky in 86 could beat Hans/ Erik on a regular basis and was a hell of a rider remember his riding in Long beach USA outstanding came back after horrendous back injuries and was still a force. Sid I think that the Ole/Hans thing went back many years. Infact Bobby Schwartz made a comment in the latest "Backtrack" issue during a World Pairs Final when Hans went against Ole's instructions. Trouble was that Ole was strong willed and would often impose that on other riders but Hans like Bo Petersen were their own men and didn't go along with it. Remember reading that when Ole and Ivan would share a plane together Ole would remark being 'done again' by Nielsen. Essentially I felt that Olsen felt that his position was being challenged as the 'Main Dane' and those he couldn't mind control upset his ego! And, yes, the fact that he turned a move down to Cowley upset a few but not me as it brought the majestic Dag Lovaas to Oxford instead! Edited June 20, 2021 by steve roberts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigerowl 630 Posted June 20, 2021 Having said that I felt depressed about reading this thread, I went to Leicester last night and really enjoyed it. It isn't what it was in the 1970s and 1980s but it can still be a nice night out. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted June 20, 2021 (edited) 15 minutes ago, tigerowl said: Having said that I felt depressed about reading this thread, I went to Leicester last night and really enjoyed it. It isn't what it was in the 1970s and 1980s but it can still be a nice night out. Personally I think that a speedway meeting promoted in the right way with good track preparation and priced accordingly is still a good night out. Trouble is that personally when I re-located I wasn't prepared to drive a goodly distance and paying £15 or so for fifteen heats of racing. Back during the seventies and eighties a meeting often had twenty heats including a second half which I used to enjoy! Edited June 20, 2021 by steve roberts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auntie doris 2,342 Posted June 20, 2021 12000 officially at The Abbey for GB v Sweden in 1968. The queue for people climbing in, my queue, was longer than the turnstile one, so far more packed in. In 2019 when Swindon won the league and cup double there was 3500 there. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted June 20, 2021 2 hours ago, tigerowl said: Having said that I felt depressed about reading this thread, I went to Leicester last night and really enjoyed it. It isn't what it was in the 1970s and 1980s but it can still be a nice night out. Great that you enjoyed,it want to get see Jason ride again when he gets back fit, Both of the Thompson twins have futures both tenacious. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
