Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted August 22, 2021 2 hours ago, steve roberts said: 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? Yes was never really a fan of Bobby, Geoff Bouchard, Jan Andersson yes they give there all for Swindon but as yourself you have your favourites over the years . Mine were Briggs, Ashby/ Kilb, Hitch, Crumpy ((snr) Holloway, Mastrup, Gramstad .As for Oxford it has to be Lovass, Middleton, Timmo, and later on 84 onwards Hans. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,362 Posted August 22, 2021 1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said: Yes was never really a fan of Bobby, Geoff Bouchard, Jan Andersson yes they give there all for Swindon but as yourself you have your favourites over the years . Mine were Briggs, Ashby/ Kilb, Hitch, Crumpy ((snr) Holloway, Mastrup, Gramstad .As for Oxford it has to be Lovass, Middleton, Timmo, and later on 84 onwards Hans. I always liked Bobby. I remember he really struggled at reserve in his first year at Swindon and then top scored with 14 in the final match of the season. He then went on to be a heatleader from there. Was never the same after his coccxyx injury though. I read somewhere he decided to retire after Vic Harding's crash. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Split 177 Posted August 22, 2021 17 hours ago, norbold said: 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. I was also at both meetings. Jack Young had actually already won the Tom Farndon Memorial Trophy in 1951 and it's remarkable that he won it again ten years later! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted August 22, 2021 (edited) 18 minutes ago, Grachan said: I always liked Bobby. I remember he really struggled at reserve in his first year at Swindon and then top scored with 14 in the final match of the season. He then went on to be a heatleader from there. Was never the same after his coccxyx injury though. I read somewhere he decided to retire after Vic Harding's crash. He did have two really good years at Swindon, put well over 3 points on his average in 1976 a really good year in 77 to.At Hackney he was not quite the same and Vic being killed must of affected him.Bobby along with Ian Cartwright, John Cook ( averaged 4.17 at Hull over 8.5 the next year .Not to many riders put over 2.5 to 3 points on there average there must be a few over the years but those three named come to mind. Edited August 22, 2021 by Sidney the robin 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted August 22, 2021 3 hours ago, Split said: I was also at both meetings. Jack Young had actually already won the Tom Farndon Memorial Trophy in 1951 and it's remarkable that he won it again ten years later! How many times did you see Jack ride Split? ( at a guess) and how bigger shock then ? that a div 2 rider won the World Championship. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Split 177 Posted August 22, 2021 4 hours ago, Sidney the robin said: How many times did you see Jack ride Split? ( at a guess) and how bigger shock then ? that a div 2 rider won the World Championship. I probably only saw Jack Young ride about half a dozen times or less and as I was only 4 years old in 1951, I can't really comment on his World Championship win. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,106 Posted August 22, 2021 2 hours ago, Split said: I probably only saw Jack Young ride about half a dozen times or less and as I was only 4 years old in 1951, I can't really comment on his World Championship win. We're the same age, Split! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Split 177 Posted August 23, 2021 (edited) On 8/21/2021 at 4:01 PM, 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 ! Being reminded of Jack Young finding his best form so late in his career make me looks back at the New Cross team that I supported in 1961. I often think that if they could only have all been riding at the peak of their form we would have had 6 heat leaders and maybe even have challenged our near neighbours, Wimbledon for the league title. Obviously the difference in ages and riders being at different stages of their development makes this a pipe dream but there are not too many teams that can boast of having 6 world finalists in their line up with Waterman (twice runner up) and Eric Williams (fourth place in 1955) being the most successful. Edited August 23, 2021 by Split 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,106 Posted August 23, 2021 4 hours ago, Split said: Being reminded of Jack Young finding his best form so late in his career make me looks back at the New Cross team that I supported in 1961. I often think that if they could only have all been riding at the peak of their form we would have had 6 heat leaders and maybe even have challenged our near neighbours, Wimbledon for the league title. Obviously the difference in ages and riders being at different stages of their development makes this a pipe dream but there are not too many teams that can boast of having 6 world finalists in their line up with Waterman (twice runner up) and Eric Williams (fourth place in 1955) being the most successful. There were also a few occasions in 1960 when we tracked six world finalists, including a four times World Champion! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auntie doris 2,342 Posted August 23, 2021 (edited) On 8/22/2021 at 11:13 AM, Sidney the robin said: Yes was never really a fan of Bobby, Geoff Bouchard, Jan Andersson yes they give there all for Swindon but as yourself you have your favourites over the years . Mine were Briggs, Ashby/ Kilb, Hitch, Crumpy ((snr) Holloway, Mastrup, Gramstad .As for Oxford it has to be Lovass, Middleton, Timmo, and later on 84 onwards Hans. Abbey faves Hitch, Briggo, Ashby, Kilbs, Broady, Doyley, Zagar, Adams.Never saw Crumple, Autrey or Nilsen ride. Edited August 23, 2021 by auntie doris 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted August 24, 2021 19 hours ago, auntie doris said: Abbey faves Hitch, Briggo, Ashby, Kilbs, Broady, Doyley, Zagar, Adams.Never saw Crumple, Autrey or Nilsen ride. Did you give speedway a miss Doris from 1980 for a while..? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auntie doris 2,342 Posted August 24, 2021 2 hours ago, Sidney the robin said: Did you give speedway a miss Doris from 1980 for a while..? 30 year break Sid..early 70s Swindon, starting going again 2004. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chunky 6,091 Posted August 26, 2021 (edited) On 8/24/2021 at 11:12 AM, auntie doris said: 30 year break Sid..early 70s Swindon, starting going again 2004. You're probably the only person who missed Les Collins' entire career!!! Edited August 26, 2021 by chunky 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auntie doris 2,342 Posted August 26, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, chunky said: You're probably the only person who missed Les Collins' entire career!!! I heard about crowds of 17000 at The Abbey, people locked out, Brits being top of the world, then the Americans and Danes reigning in the 80s. Riders such as Nielsen, Gundersen, Penhall, Ermolenko, Crump. Who was this Les Collins guy?When I returned 30 years later Wimbledon, Ackney, Mauger, Briggs, Olsen, had disappeared, Poole and Coventry were top 2, and you couldnt buy year bars or rosettes anymore. GPs at a stadium in Cardiff instead of one'off finals! Edited August 26, 2021 by auntie doris 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chunky 6,091 Posted August 26, 2021 38 minutes ago, auntie doris said: I heard about crowds of 17000 at The Abbey, people locked out, Brits being top of the world, then the Americans and Danes reigning in the 80s. Riders such as Nielsen, Gundersen, Penhall, Ermolenko, Crump. Who was this Les Collins guy?When I returned 30 years later Wimbledon, Ackney, Mauger, Briggs, Olsen, had disappeared, Poole and Coventry were top 2, and you couldnt buy year bars or rosettes anymore. GPs at a stadium in Cardiff instead of one'off finals! There was a lot more than that few that had bloody disappeared... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
