salty

I'll have to dig out the Backtrack feature.

I remember Wayne riding at Dudley Wood a few times in 1982. Had looked quite promising in a weak Workington side the previous season, hence his signing (not sure if he was a Cradley or Oxford asset), but he never really kicked on. Just checked and he made a comeback for the ill fated Barrow Blackhawks in 1985, don't know if he rode again after that. Sad news nonetheless, 58 is no age. RIP.

Big difference between you and my autograph hunting youth at Dudley Wood. None of the plush surrounds of the Plough Lane grandstand for us, we used to have hang around the back straight car park in the hope of bagging a few. Like you Chunky I used to stand on the pit band. Always preferred the open air than watching behind the glass, though there were a few late October meetings when the option was nice!

Apart from the bar at the back of the grandstand, pretty sure I used to get a pint from a wee hatch at the back of the first bend terrace when I first started going to Plough Lane in 1981. In later years used to get a pint from the main bar. There was a lady who worked there for years. She lived in Raynes Park and used to be regular when I worked in the bookies in Lambton Road there. Used to give me a pint on the house each week, but can't recall her name - best guess - Doris. Maybe someone else might recall her? What year did they close the back straight stand for Speedway? I'm guessing it was when they went NL in 1985?

Still waiting on my copy! That's the drawback of living out in the sticks in Northern Ireland. Hoping it pops through the letterbox tomorrow. Edit: And it did! Happy days!

As the person who made the initial post, which I came across whilst confirming that Martin knew nothing of Speedway until sent on his first assignment to Plough Lane 60 years ago, I can confirm there isn't really any preamble to his description of you. He is simply telling us who the respective editors of "Soccer Star" and "Speedway Star" were when he started working for their publishers. He describes Jack Rollin simply by his name, but obviously felt the embellishment of "whimsically eccentric" was required in your case. Sadly, there is no further mention of you in his tome (which I have to say is a good read and very informative of his time around (and in) the sport), though he does mention that when Paul Parish took over as Editor of Speedway Star it "took a step up market"!

No worries. Gave me the chance to get my memory working! Monmore is essentially just the main stand and terrace on the home straight now, the old cover on the back straight and the 4th bend has long since gone.

Going back to his book, Martin mentions about starting for Echo in their Carter Lane offices when the "whimsically eccentric" John Hyam was the editor of Speedway Star.

In his book "In My View" Martin talks about his trip to Malmo working for the Daily Express. He also mentions that another journalist from the paper had got there first and used his ticket, a situation thankfully resolved.

Quite correct. His first trip abroad was to cover the World Final of 1961 in Sweden.

Remember Martin Rogers writing that he knew nothing of the sport when, as a fledging reporter at Hayter's, he was sent to Plough Lane to cover the Dons v Swindon at the start of the 60's.

Bobbath, got to be more than 3 tracks still going from 1968? Owlerton, Wimborne Road, Shielfield and of course the Abbey. Still hope for Coventry and Oxford....

Wasn't aware of that, I was only going by Peter Oakes tribute to Eric recently. Love the way Phillip says he "stamped" out the practice of pseudonyms.

The Speedway Star tribute to Eric Linden mentioned that Danny Carter was a figment of Eric's imagination - as was Rick Eldon,James Oldfield, Dave Nelson, the aforementioned Angus KIx and many more. Pretty sure Frank McLean passed away a few years ago, I seem to recall a feature in the Star - apologies if I'm mistaken. Hopefully, Phillip Rising might see this thread - he's likely to have more info on these writers.

Hard to believe IMO

Two utterly different issues. One is a top 10 rider from when you were heavily involved as a journalist within the sport. The other is a picture of someone who rode before you were born.

Sid. Full marks for trying to stick up for Gustix, but to be fair this thread was grand until Gustix re-posted something from Chunky that was over a year old. He could have had no motivation other than to stir things up which he has achieved.

But you were at the Speedway Star in 1962 and that year Igor was number 10 in their World Rankings so hard to believe you wouldn't recognise him.

I think it was ex Spurs and Scotland striker Steve Archibald who said something along the lines of....team spirit is something you glimpse when you win.

You're welcome.

In the Christmas issue of Speedway Star there was a lengthy "Where Are They Now?" feature on the 1972 Crewe Kings. 8 pages with detailed updates on the likes of John Jackson, Dave Morton, Dai Evans and Phil Crump. Only a small update on Gary Flood, says he went back to motocross Down Under and won numerous championships and awards as well as being inducted into the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame. Also says he's an introvert who shuns the limelight. In the Phil Crump piece he says he keeps in regular touch with Garry and talks about his expertise with motors.

Thirded! I thought it was a great read and very moving.

Sorry, but that's rubbish. Obviously we are constrained by our living memory, but any list of great British riders would include the likes of Craven, Collins and Lee all who rode well before your 1990 cut off.

Good spot!

Getting back to to Wimbledon memories, the most recent issue of Backtrack has a feature on Wimbledon second half riders from the Backtrack era. Certainly rang some bells with the track obviously a magnet for young hopefuls in the early 70's, but less so in the later 80's. Plenty went on to good careers elsewhere, others less so. From my time going to Plough Lane from 1981, Phil Vance was a regular as was Jay Pleece and other names like Ian Hunter, Paul Hilton and Chris Standen.