Richard Tyrrell

Hardly anybody on this thread has mentioned what a great speedway meeting the World Team Final was. Didn't any of you enjoy the racing just a little bit? And I was only able to watch on the tele! Two things spring to my mind: 1. We lost the Final because our riders were just not good enough to beat the other riders. Had they been good enough on the night we would have been well clear, just like any other sporting contest. 2. The biggest crass decision of the night was the one that allowed an English Referee to referee in England when a GB team was riding in an International Final - especially when it was announced on Sky that he had ridden for Mildenhall. No disrespect there but a lot of neutrals would see that as a Conference ex rider - what a background for the uniniated! Can you imagine the Rugby World Cup Final in Sydney, Australia v England - with an Australian Referee? Finally, why not just chill out. Speedway is entertainment isn't it? It would be a pretty dull old sport with no controversies to talk about, but surely its not life or death, is it? Regards

Spin king, I saw several supporters at Weymouth with Poole boards and hats etc a couple of weeks ago. There are differences, Weymouth is small whilst Poole is much bigger and entry costs reflect the league standings. I guess what Poole are worried about is that their regular supporters are now given a choice, some may go to both and some may choose to go to Weymouth instead of Poole regardless of the fact that I bet some Poole supporters come from Weymouth area and were Weymouth fans before that track closed all those years ago. The quiet realisation is that Conference racing is just as exciting and attractive as Elite, its just that the 'star' names are missing and we all know the problems surrounding them in Elite. We are very lucky at Oxford with our 'go ahead' Promoter giving us both Elite and Conference - those that don't go to watch Conference are the ones who miss out!!! Regards

I remember Brian Seery's stats articles of the time. His was the last word on such things. Stranger things have happened. Some years ago one of our rugby club players went to live in Thailand, and it was later reported that he had died. There was a picture and a report in the local press, and a memorial match and cup was arranged. We were all sat in the changing room waiting to go out when his brother came in told us to cancel the match - he had just found out that it was an insurance scam. We played the match anyway! Regards

Apart from 'The Stadium, Southampton' book by CR Bailey, there is another book which is called 'A Dangerous Life', the speedway life story of Chum Taylor, published in Australia in 1986. I managed to pick up a copy a few years ago at Poole, only because there is a picture on the front cover of Chum in an Oxford race jacket! But, by its very nature, there is much on his years at Southampton and some pictures as well. Ah, memories! My Uncle used to go on about Dick Bradley at Bristol (and Johnnie Hole) and I remember seeing Southampton several times at Oxford. Sadly I never got to either track, they both closed before I was old enough to start getting out and about. I did see DC's team in a second half at Poole one time which brought back some memories. What a boon it would be if a track opened in Southampton again! Regards

Coventry and Brafield - the way things are looking it might turn out that Coventry would welcome Brafield - now that would be a turn-a-round! Regards