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AndyO

Best thing about the 60s &70s

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Reading some old speedway stars the other day got me thinking about what I really miss most about going to meetings back in the day, and whilst there is loads of stuff I think one of the things that was wonderful for a kid was to be able to stand up against the solid safety fence and feel the speed of the riders as they came past.. except on the bends when you had to duck down at the last minute to avoid a face full of shale!

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7 minutes ago, AndyO said:

Reading some old speedway stars the other day got me thinking about what I really miss most about going to meetings back in the day, and whilst there is loads of stuff I think one of the things that was wonderful for a kid was to be able to stand up against the solid safety fence and feel the speed of the riders as they came past.. except on the bends when you had to duck down at the last minute to avoid a face full of shale!

Remember visiting both Exeter and Newport and dodging the shale and Olle Nygren passing me within inches as he was so far back I had forgotten about him as I stuck my head over the fence at Exeter!

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3 hours ago, AndyO said:

Reading some old speedway stars the other day got me thinking about what I really miss most about going to meetings back in the day, and whilst there is loads of stuff I think one of the things that was wonderful for a kid was to be able to stand up against the solid safety fence and feel the speed of the riders as they came past.. except on the bends when you had to duck down at the last minute to avoid a face full of shale!

Yes, that happened to me a couple of times when I was distracted by conversation. I soon learned, however. :o:rofl:

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Yep. A strong programme board with a large bulldog clip was mandatory!!!

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Supporters club coach away trips (even the ones where we broke down)

Foreign riders felt genuinely exotic (with the 70s seeing the Danes and Americans going from nowhere to world beaters in the space of a decade)

Most of your team re-signing for the following season

The roar of the crowd during an exciting race (as opposed to today when all you get is the tutting of your nearest neighbour on the terraces 10 metres away)

The ability to go to a different track every night without travelling the entire length of the country (my 1974 holiday itinery - 6 tracks in 7 days all within an hour's drive of our Coventry base)

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The crowds and the friendliness of everyone.

Your favourite riders re-signing for the following season even if they'd had a nightmare last season.

New teams coming into the League (and the old ones Not worrying, well too much, about whether or not they would be there next season).

The newspaper coverage - feeling that you supported a national sport that Was covered by by the national press (and occassionally the telly too).

Teams with British riders predominantly in (and I do realise that some teams - Wolves, didn't meet this).

NL teams being staffed by only British and Commonwealth riders meaning more places for the Brits and greater chances.

The numbers of up and coming Brits.

The AJL and SJL.

Durex sponsoring and England test series (and other events).

The stadiums looking, generally, cared for and neat and tidy.

Booing the opposition (then clapping them after the heat was over).

No one kneeling before starting the meeting.

 

So much gone forever

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45 minutes ago, arnieg said:

Supporters club coach away trips (even the ones where we broke down)

Foreign riders felt genuinely exotic (with the 70s seeing the Danes and Americans going from nowhere to world beaters in the space of a decade)

Most of your team re-signing for the following season

The roar of the crowd during an exciting race (as opposed to today when all you get is the tutting of your nearest neighbour on the terraces 10 metres away)

The ability to go to a different track every night without travelling the entire length of the country (my 1974 holiday itinery - 6 tracks in 7 days all within an hour's drive of our Coventry base)

Spot on, Arnie. As a Londoner, your last point applied to me too. In the early 70s we had Wimbledon, West Ham, Hackney, Wembley, Crayford and Romford with Rye House and Rayleigh in close proximity. Twice a week (West Ham & Hackney) was regular for me. Three times was not unusual. Four on several occasions as well.

Perhaps, best of all, was the idea of having mostly the same team year after year with favourite riders re-appearing each season so you really felt your team was your team and not just a collection of visiting guests that changed annually. You could buy their rosettes, safe in the knowledge they would last longer than one year!

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Definitely the opportunity to take in several meetings in a week, and particularly bank holiday weekends!

Driving down the motorways seeing other cars with speedway stickers, and everyone honking their horns!

Bumping into the riders at the motorway services.

Decorating coaches on the away trips.

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Best things for me was.......I was young........and didn't have to pay for anything :D

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Can I add -

Seeing loads of people with team stickers on the front and rear windscreens of their car.

Seeing riders turn up (and on the road) with their track bikes strapped to the boot of their car.

Bumping into riders in the track's local chippy.

Also, 50p entry.

Edited by compost
Added last line

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9 hours ago, arnieg said:

Supporters club coach away trips (even the ones where we broke down)

Foreign riders felt genuinely exotic (with the 70s seeing the Danes and Americans going from nowhere to world beaters in the space of a decade)

Most of your team re-signing for the following season

The roar of the crowd during an exciting race (as opposed to today when all you get is the tutting of your nearest neighbour on the terraces 10 metres away)

The ability to go to a different track every night without travelling the entire length of the country (my 1974 holiday itinery - 6 tracks in 7 days all within an hour's drive of our Coventry base)

totally agree, I remember when the Young Czechoslovakia team came to Canterbury in 1969 it felt like they were from another world, and also seeing our local heroes who had by and large been second halfers and grass track riders 18 months previously representing England!

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4 minutes ago, AndyO said:

totally agree, I remember when the Young Czechoslovakia team came to Canterbury in 1969 it felt like they were from another world, and also seeing our local heroes who had by and large been second halfers and grass track riders 18 months previously representing England!

Think that was one of the great things from those days, in that the speedway world outside of the country was fairly unknown and there was always a new discovery who would seemingly appear from nowhere

Of course one of the big things of this era was the arrival of the American riders on the UK scene

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16 hours ago, compost said:

Can I add -

Seeing loads of people with team stickers on the front and rear windscreens of their car.

Seeing riders turn up (and on the road) with their track bikes strapped to the boot of their car.

Bumping into riders in the track's local chippy.

Also, 50p entry.

Alf's Fish and Chips at Weymouth was always a popular haunt with riders...still there now!

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Local derbies between Oxford, Reading and Swindon. Great rivalry.

Second Halves at Cowley with the riders from Eastbourne & Peterborough taking part.

Trips to Eastbourne on a Sunday afternoon preceded with a picnic at Beachy Head.

Teams predominantly filled with English/British riders with the odd exotic foreigner thrown in.

Trips to White City after school on a Wednesday much to the jealousy of some of my class mates..."What going to London tonight?"

Being able to mix with the riders in the pits after the meeting attempting to collect autographs.

Adding to my vast programme collection by visiting the souvenir shops on my travels.

Riders in easily recognisable leathers, helmets, masks etc.

Simple race jackets before they became emblazoned with sponsors etc.

Bikes prior to silencers and that throaty roar and the smell of Castrol 'R'.

Riders who became associated with a team before yearly 'merry go rounds' became the norm and averages dicatated the make-up of a team.

Interval rides for children with their favourites.

Telephone at the starting gate allowing 'interaction' with the referee in front of the fans.

 

 

 

Edited by steve roberts
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9 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

 

Riders who became associated with a team before yearly 'merry go rounds' became the norm and averages dicatated the make-up of a team.

 

 

 

 

Indeed. I remember the excitement at the end of season speeches if a rider said he would be back next year.

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