Sidney the robin

I was going through all my programmes from the British Final and BLRC from 1965 until 1974 and it was interesting looking back .I personally did not see any of there wins in both events i did see the 1974 British Final where Eric Boocock won it and Briggo did actually beat Ivan in there meeting.Barry generally was pretty poor that evening and Eric was sublime.HEAD TO HEAD in British Finals 1965/ 1974 Briggo won four beating Ivan six race wins to three in all there meetings IVAN also won the event four times in that period.The BLRC i UNFORTUNATELY gutted really saw none of Barry’s six victories he made that event his own from 1965/70 my only query was in 1969 Ivan did have an ef in one ride and had four other race wins beating Briggo in there meeting Barry went on and won the meeting.HEAD TO HEAD in BLRC 1965/1974 Briggo won six titles beating Ivan six times to Ivan’s two Ivan did win the event twice in that period 1971 and 1973. Ivan was arguably the greatest rider ever in my opinion ( was never a fan huge respect for him though ) so was quite proud of Briggs head to head record against Ivan generally i would imagine only Ole / Peter Collins can rival that.A great period that; other memories were Barry missing the 1972/73 BLRC but doing a great job in helping crash Ashby secure second place in 1972 behind Ole.

11.57 in 1986. an amazing 22 full maximums he averaged over the 11 point mark for four years a true GREAT.

I watched nearly all of his home meetings that year but only got to see him at Swindon and Reading and individual events .He certainly made me change my opinion of him he was awesome from memory 1984 onwards only a few names beat him Tommy, Erik, Shawn, Sam, Carl Blackbird, Paul Thorp, Jeremy Doncaster.

They met in six WORLD FINALS 1966, 67, 68, 69, 70, 72, Barry winning one title in 1966 and Ivan winning four titles in 1968, 69, 70, 72. They met in six races Ivan winning the head to head. 4. 2.

Totally Steve did he average 11,74 ( average lowered years later.?) he was awesome around Hyde Rd. That average did Hans get to beat it Steve? .Going back to Barry i always just presumed he always went well at Hyde Rd but looking back at his early career he did have a few hit and miss meetings there.

Yes WH that was a bitter pill to swallow i am convinced Barry would of gone on and won it but the man upstairs had different ideas.Ivan was not a rider i took to but by god i did admire him respected him he took the sport to another level certainly how to prepare for meetings very meticulous.My memory of him was him getting regularly booed by the Swindon crowd but he took it in his stride took it as a compliment.He had a nasty incident with Bob ( Kilb) Kilby and he had to get a police escort out of the stadium one year that still sticks in my mind.MAYBE ? Ivan was lucky in 1972 but the 1973 final certainly got away from him in theory he should of been a seven times world champion if only he had taken his time and picked Jerzy off.I think you were like myself WH ? you never got to see the great original PC but you did see Knutsson ride is that right..?

Danyon lost a point at Plymouth daz through no fault of his own , was involved in a few dubious clashes with Bowtell which cost him points.Overall apart from the 0 against Berwick he has contributed very well to the team..Be very interesting to see how he goes in his visits to Leicester , Kent. Scunthorpe.

Not really Arthur go past there three times a week it looks run down shocking really hurts.BUT we don’t no all could be well ?? but our council in Swindon must be in the bottom ten of the whole country our town centre is shocking.PRAY we open again but my instinct tells me there is a grave doubt fingers crossed eh!,

Great stuff Arthur think both will improve just wish Danyon had more rides both will improve if injury free.The top end strength is more of a worry but Poole will be thereabouts this year.

Off the subject back to Poole how has Cook/ Hume done generally?.? both should improve with no injuries.

Totally agree with all of that and you could say when the handicap system was in place the track craft element was odvious looking back.Going back to yesteryear i do think Bjorn could of won more titles and i really believe Mirac Moore was better than his two wins there is a rider who had real track craft a class act.I think Ole was better than his four wins and believe Michael Lee should of had more than just a maiden title all down to opinions Addio.

Learned alot from you BOBBATH , BL , Steve, Norbold ( ect) yesteryear is a passion of mine.My memorabilia collecting scrapbooks pictures autographs keep me occupied and it is very enjoyable.The last few months i have bought alot of DVDS from the Jan Staechmann collection terrific value great to look back at the old footage.

Great posts BL great stuff enjoy all of your yesteryear stuff very much keep them coming.

Great rider Addio it was a massive regret of mine never to have seen Bjorn ride and the original PC .My uncle who see both of them ride said they both could of one won more titles hypothetical really what could of been those two are certainly in a alltime top 20 more so because of the era they were in a mega tough one.

Get real Steve our sport is struggling you know it everyone knows it Iain makes a valid and hurtful point,

Off the subject Oxford greats Nielsen, Wigg, Middleton, Genz, Mckinlay, Pander, Lovaas not a bad lot eh!,

Great stuff BL knew that Summers had ridden for Swindon never Oxford noticed the great survivor Olle Nygren RIP) rode a few meeting’s for them in 1964.

Going through my Oxford programmes mostly home. Genz; Gooddy;Geran(c) How,Pander, Gooch, Major,McKee,Bishop, Reeves we’re the mainstay.BOBBATH/ Steve ,?.Danny Dunton,George Summers, Ted Ede also rode have you any recollection of those three riding the latter two i cannot.

Funny thing is salty Eric rarely had a scratch in his career unlike Nigel until he broke his arm at Newport in 1973.He came back and won a top class British Final in 74 great stylist hated watching him in his ill fated 1983 comeback.

For me falcace Penhall was the odvious one he was very lucky in 82 but when he went speedway died in the UK.After 83 Olsen, Mauger, Lee, Sigalos., Carter, Sanders all went for whatever reason a huge void..For me the Danes after that had an easy ride all those quality riders gone saying that got to realise just how good Hans was and Erik Jan O and Tommy rated all of them after the classy Olsen.

Betts, Ashby, Wilson ,and both the Boocock brothers all underachieved on the world scene but we all know just how good they all were.The era then was so strong and to travel abroad on foreign soil was not an easy task then either to see all them ride as geniune number 1 riders was a real privilege.

I remember the Keen meeting well Steve how that meeting was staged god knows it rained all day.Remember going to Wembley in 1974 for the European Final Dag had a bad fall in his fourth ride but won his last ride to qualify on seven points.Remember the meeting mainly because Terry Betts qualified for his only one world final unbelievable really a class act.Going back to Dag he was terrific for the Hawks had a shot at the Golden helmet which was no mean feat also his days at Reading with Michanek, Curtis( RIP) were great days.

All these salty are spot on Airey said he retired from British speedway because he knew after 1971 that he he would never become world champion.Dag I believe was like the great Shawn Moran just lost his nerve tried everything to get it back but nature took over.Shields and Brown (RIP ) we’re both terrific talents such a shame we couldn’t get to see how far they could of got in the sport.A great disappointment of mine was Scott Autrey wanted him to comeback so much in 1984 for the falcons to redeem himself. At Poole he still showed he had real class and what a rider he was at the County ground awesome.

This side even with Robert Lambert in it would struggle does it really matter who the manager is? Chapman is the man who should take the flak he built the side for me Peter is just a scapegoat.

Totally agree with that and speedway is a numbers game after all.