Five tracks you never got to but wish you had

[steve roberts 9,242]

6 minutes ago, salty said:

Lars Hultberg rode in 1973 on Bernie's recommendation. As I recall he had a really tough start to the season, not helped by the team being very weak and injury hit. 

I think he'd just started to show a bit of form, scoring 9 at the Shay, when he got injured and was out for a couple of months. When he returned the struggle continued and I think he got released and replaced, eventually, by Mal Corradine. Maybe with a bit more time and not getting injured at the height of the summer, he would have made it? We'll never know.....

I remember Lars riding at Cowley for the touring Bysarna side at the tail end of the 1972 season at Cowley and he did look useful.

[steve roberts 9,242]

6 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Yes the riders you named Steve, plus   Puk, Lucero, Johansson, Slabon ( really Arlington?) Righetto, Ericksson, ( who i liked at Wimbledon).

I recall Teuroniemi who looked useful but failed miserably when he moved on to Swindon!

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

5 minutes ago, salty said:

Lars Hultberg rode in 1973 on Bernie's recommendation. As I recall he had a really tough start to the season, not helped by the team being very weak and injury hit. 

I think he'd just started to show a bit of form, scoring 9 at the Shay, when he got injured and was out for a couple of months. When he returned the struggle continued and I think he got released and replaced, eventually, by Mal Corradine. Maybe with a bit more time and not getting injured at the height of the summer, he would have made it? We'll never know.....

What about Shields Salty ? so wanted him to continue in Britain. For me  he was like Mick Mckeon  Coatbridge/ Halifax ( king of Claremont)  both was never going to be here long term both class riders.

Edited August 21, 2021 by Sidney the robin

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

7 minutes ago, salty said:

Lars Hultberg rode in 1973 on Bernie's recommendation. As I recall he had a really tough start to the season, not helped by the team being very weak and injury hit. 

I think he'd just started to show a bit of form, scoring 9 at the Shay, when he got injured and was out for a couple of months. When he returned the struggle continued and I think he got released and replaced, eventually, by Mal Corradine. Maybe with a bit more time and not getting injured at the height of the summer, he would have made it? We'll never know.....

Klinge was introduced for a few meetings at the end of 1980 I think. Danish junior champion as I recall. Don't know why he never came over more permanantly, I think he had a decent career in Denmark.

I think Klinge was  like  Hans Nielsen’s brother Henry ( he came over to Swindon on a working holiday) both decent had good jobs outside of speedway.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

6 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

I recall Teuroniemi who looked useful but failed miserably when he moved on to Swindon!

Bob Radford RIP ) recommended him he had a torrid time at the Abbey.

[norbold 7,101]

4 hours ago, E I Addio said:

One of the great meetings I wish I had seen but didn’t, would be the 1961 Tom Farndon Trophy when the great Jack Young in the Twilight Of his career came back and worked his old magic and took the Trophy ahead of the Fundin , Briggs and Moore. Everything I’ve ever read about Jack Young makes me wish I had seen him at his best, so to get in my time machine to see him at New Cross would be killing two birds with one stone !

 

Jack Young actually beat Moore, Knutson, Briggs and Craven in the Tom Farndon Trophy while the week before he had won the King of the South Cup, also at New Cross, beating Fundin, Moore and Briggs. So, in the course of those two weeks he beat every one of the "Big Five", some more than once! I was at both meetings and have always felt very privileged to have seen Youngie as he must have been at his best in the early 50s.

[steve roberts 9,242]

57 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Bob Radford RIP ) recommended him he had a torrid time at the Abbey.

...not a name that revered at Cowley after he walked out during 1974 and the last straw being when he took a call from Gordon Kennett who was enquiring whether that day's match was still on and was told by Radford that it had been called off but then went ahead and we were beaten by Swindon with a depleted team with Alan Johns replacing the missing Gordon who didn't travel from his Kent home.

Radford later tried to claim that he had laid the foundations for White City's title win in 1977 which was a total nonsense. The only two rider's who rode under Radford's era was the aforementioned Gordon and Trevor Geer (who occasionally put in an appearance for the "Rebels")

Sorry Sid...not a fan of Bob Radford based on his Oxford exploits.

Edited August 21, 2021 by steve roberts

[salty 2,200]

30 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

What about Shields Salty ? so wanted him to continue in Britain. For me  he was like Mick Mckeon  Coatbridge/ Halifax ( king of Claremont)  both was never going to be here long term both class riders.

 

53 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

 

Was great for Cradley in '81, Sid. Got better and better as the season went on, providing crucial backing to the big 4 of Penhall, Gundersen, Collins and Grahame. Pretty sure he averaged over 6 in the BL taking plenty of extra rides as McNeil and Rasmussen struggled as the season went on. Was gutted when he never returned and the 1982 team struggled all year long from reserve.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

10 hours ago, salty said:

 

Was great for Cradley in '81, Sid. Got better and better as the season went on, providing crucial backing to the big 4 of Penhall, Gundersen, Collins and Grahame. Pretty sure he averaged over 6 in the BL taking plenty of extra rides as McNeil and Rasmussen struggled as the season went on. Was gutted when he never returned and the 1982 team struggled all year long from reserve.

Actually had forgotten Salty that Dave started his career in 1974, remember him getting a paid or maximum.? at Milton Keynes 1978.? 

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

10 hours ago, steve roberts said:

...not a name that revered at Cowley after he walked out during 1974 and the last straw being when he took a call from Gordon Kennett who was enquiring whether that day's match was still on and was told by Radford that it had been called off but then went ahead and we were beaten by Swindon with a depleted team with Alan Johns replacing the missing Gordon who didn't travel from his Kent home.

Radford later tried to claim that he had laid the foundations for White City's title win in 1977 which was a total nonsense. The only two rider's who rode under Radford's era was the aforementioned Gordon and Trevor Geer (who occasionally put in an appearance for the "Rebels")

Sorry Sid...not a fan of Bob Radford based on his Oxford exploits.

I got on with him personally but he did have certain issues with people over the years.When you look back at that White City team you would never think of it being good anough to win a league fair play they did it.Steve the POLE you had ( AJ) can’t be bothered spelling it looked very useful felt he could of along with Piotr Pyszny had good careers in Britain  if the opportunity had arisen.

[steve roberts 9,242]

23 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

I got on with him personally but he did have certain issues with people over the years.When you look back at that White City team you would never think of it being good anough to win a league fair play they did it.Steve the POLE you had ( AJ) can’t be bothered spelling it looked very useful felt he could of along with Piotr Pyszny had good careers in Britain  if the opportunity had arisen.

I'm afraid that Bob continued to carry a 'chip on his soldier' as regards Oxford long after he left under a cloud Sid!

The Pole would be Andrzej Jurczynski who ocasionally showed some form no more than in a second half (remember those?) final where he came from behind and beat Gordon Kennett twice! They passed and re-passed on a number of occasions and when the race was re-run the same thing happened!

[Grachan 7,314]

12 hours ago, steve roberts said:

...not a name that revered at Cowley after he walked out during 1974 and the last straw being when he took a call from Gordon Kennett who was enquiring whether that day's match was still on and was told by Radford that it had been called off but then went ahead and we were beaten by Swindon with a depleted team with Alan Johns replacing the missing Gordon who didn't travel from his Kent home.

Radford later tried to claim that he had laid the foundations for White City's title win in 1977 which was a total nonsense. The only two rider's who rode under Radford's era was the aforementioned Gordon and Trevor Geer (who occasionally put in an appearance for the "Rebels")

Sorry Sid...not a fan of Bob Radford based on his Oxford exploits.

I remember that match. It was the first time I ever went to Oxford. I had no idea who Alan Johns or Gordon Kennett were so it meant nothing to me. I even wrote A.Jones in my programme as the replacement.

Martin Ashby had an ef in his first ride and gifted Henk Steman a point. The same thing then happened in the return match at Blunsdon, when Oxford got a pretty hefty revenge.

 

[steve roberts 9,242]

26 minutes ago, Grachan said:

I remember that match. It was the first time I ever went to Oxford. I had no idea who Alan Johns or Gordon Kennett were so it meant nothing to me. I even wrote A.Jones in my programme as the replacement.

Martin Ashby had an ef in his first ride and gifted Henk Steman a point. The same thing then happened in the return match at Blunsdon, when Oxford got a pretty hefty revenge.

 

If I recall that was Henk's debut match? Yes I remember the return tie...an all round team performance from the "Rebels". We also spoilt Swindon's 25th Anniversary Meeting when we were, again, the victors! Happy days!

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

13 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

If I recall that was Henk's debut match? Yes I remember the return tie...an all round team performance from the "Rebels". We also spoilt Swindon's 25th Anniversary Meeting when we were, again, the victors! Happy days!

I remember 1974 pretty well can remember the Rebels beating us 46-32 at the Abbey Ashby only scored 7 points from five rides unheard then. And in a challenge at Cowley i went beating us god 50-28 battered us to be precise.A couple of other moments that stick in mind at Cowley in 1974. are Kennett/ Dews getting a 5-1 over Mauger in the Exeter encounter and in some other meeting Bobby McNeil beating the late great Jack Millen  2-0 in the Silver Helmet.

[steve roberts 9,242]

9 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

I remember 1974 pretty well can remember the Rebels beating us 46-32 at the Abbey Ashby only scored 7 points from five rides unheard then. And in a challenge at Cowley i went beating us god 50-28 battered us to be precise.A couple of other moments that stick in mind at Cowley in 1974. are Kennett/ Dews getting a 5-1 over Mauger in the Exeter encounter and in some other meeting Bobby McNeil beating the late great Jack Millen  2-0 in the Silver Helmet.

Sorry to go on about Bob Radford Sid but mentioning Bobby McNeil I'm sure that Radford was instrumental in him going to Swindon rather than the "Rebels" when he finally moved up full-time in 1975 after doubling up with the "Rebels" during 1974 on occasions?