Reviresco

Yes outside, where hopefully a conversation could be had rather than inside where all Dekker's aggresion is manifested and focused on all things anti-Billy Sanders and the people who respect him and respect speedway for what it is - a decent family sport. I can only assume that you have been raised to believe that a meeting "outside" refers to implied physical violence, which is a great pity for you and your upbringing. At my great age, I have learnt that disputes are best resolved through conversation, but it is apparent Dekker is not one for conversation, only unsubstantiated malicious innuendo and re-working of the facts. Oh and why would I want to pay to go inside Blundsdon to be threatened with physical violence by somebody whose views are so bigotted? It is also the last place I had the privilege of watching Billy ride (13pts from 5 rides I think) and I would prefer to leave it that way. Defend Dekker if you wish, I hope you are content in your viewpoint.

Thanks Tomcat, you are quite correct 'people' like Dekker are not worth any comment. Yes Dekker, sometimes I was in the pits with Billy (1981/82) and sometimes on the 3rd bend. I never said that I was in the pits on the occasion that your drunk friend tried to assault him and was evicted from the stadium. As in every sport, the spectators should never invade the performers space, especially not in a dangerous sport like speedway. Fancy taking a swing at you? You are a total idiot aren't you? Dropping to your very low level is not for me buddy. And as for Midnight Lady's comments, I hope you are not suggesting that I had anything in mind other than talking with Dekker and I am unsure how you could possibly read that into my comments. As Tomcat says, Dekker is a disgusting object who obviously has no grip on facts or reality and is his own fool. Billy Sanders a true speedway rider, stylist, national champion, member of 3 British league winning sides including 2 doubles, one as captain and a true friend to the sport, his club and country who he never turned his back on. 25 years later, remembered and celebrated.

Not much point in corresponding with you is there as you are so bigoted against Billy Sanders? I am due to be in Swindon in July and would really welcome meeting you then to discuss your biased viewpoint - although it sounds as if it may be best to arrange this outside the stadium rather than in it. Feel free to bring your 'gang' and your friend from the back street bar whose actions you so obviously condone. Maybe you could bring some sweets and your mum too? I doubt whether being saintly or not leads to a "poor pairs meeting". And who said Billy or any speedway rider was "saintly" or is whitewashing history exactly? Just like you no doubt we are none of us "saintly" but to accuse a deceased person of taking drugs with no evidence of same and distorting the truth as to Billy's status at the time of his death and the incident with your friend from the back straight bar smacks of desperation, a lack of knowledge and a long held grievance that maybe you should seek some help with. Maybe you are the one that tried to attack Billy, got smacked and evcited from the stadium and you are still feeling sore about it still? What a sad person. No rose tinted glasses here Dekker. Just remembering Billy as the speedway rider he was - at the time the best rider not to win the individual world championship, a multi national champion and one of themost liked and respected riders by his peers due to his classic riding style, fair riding, knowledge of the sport and the assistance he always offered any rider who asked. And he didn't turn his back on his country - unlike Phil Crump. I believe in Australia annually a memorial is held in Billy's memory too, possiblt the U23 championship. I guess that that is "half assed" recognition too then? I was stood on the 3rd bend that night the bloke from "the back straight bar" had a go at Billy, got offered a chance to ride his bike if he thought he could do better, was beckoned closer to the track and got smacked before being evicted. No glasses of any tint - just fact. You bracketed Billy with Gary Gugliemi and Steve Payne, two riders who were banned due to drug use. Billy was never accused or banned, so where is your connection? Basically your post is lies, innuendos and full of libel. A real shame you jumped on and tainted this thread. I trust you will be treated to the same respect when you are dead. PM me with your contact details and we'll arrange that meet at Blundsdon.

A spent force who finished 2nd in the 1983 Individual & Pairs World Final, was one of the favourites for the 1984 Final but chose weslake rather than GM, captained the Ipswich Witches to 1984 League and Cup double and was Australian champion already qualified for the Overseas Final at Bradford and top of the British averages at the time of his death. And Phil Crump was where? He had given up riding for Australia and I'm unsure when, after 1976, that he had qualified for a World Final. I was at Blunsdon every time Billy raced there, sometimes in the pits. I remember when a member of the public was allowed to make his way to the outside of the track to goad Billy and Billy offered him a go on his bike if he thought he could do better. The person leant over the fence to attack Billy and, Billy being an ex amatuer boxer, clocked the idiot on the chin just before security dragged him out of the stadium. I also remember being at an Australian Final at Mildura when Phil Crump knocked Billy off on the 3rd bend. Billy was injured and lay on the track and the nice people of Mildura pelted the prostrate Billy with bottles and rocks. I think this is where the troubles between them started. I do remember Phil throwing V signs at Billy at Foxhall when beating him in a 2nd half in 1984. Phil then coasted round at the back in the Final to avoid any trouble, rode his bike straight onto his trailer and left the stadium without getting out of his leathers. I passed him in his citroen safari on the A12 still wearing his leathers. Quite funny, but no bad words against Phil as he was a great rider too. What a shame Phil took the stance he did as it left Billy between 1977 and 1985 as the only Australian riding at world level and Billy had to make do with riding with Gary Gugliemi in the 83 World Pairs which, with Phil, Australia could have won. Now, what is this issue with drugs? Are you suggesting Billy was taking drugs? Have you evidence, has it ever been proved? I can from my own personal observations name names, but what is the point in that? Gary Gugliemi was banned due to trafficing drugs into Australia in his engines. Billy's wife Judy left Billy for Gugliemi. Enough said there I think. And were you at Blunsdon the night Billy stood up in the bar and said who cares about the rivalry between him and Crump as we are all speedway fans who love the sport? Phil's words at Foxhall last Thursday back up that statement. I don't know who you are or why you are trying to dish the dirt on Billy and I don't really care. But imo it is a horrible thing to do and totally unjustified and unecessary.

Great images and doesn't he look young there. I have Billy's Vikings race jacket from when he rode at Foxhall in 1981, so was good to see him wearing it. Will always remember Hull at Hackney that year and the clash with Finn Thomsen. And it was very poignant that Billy left (injured) for Australia that year on the day of the famous Wembley world final. Super web images on your site too.

Disappointed with the last 2 comments about Jason as, imo, he was never going to 'race' in this meeting as he has bigger fish to fry these days. Just really pleased that he appeared and good to see his dad there too, creating another link between today and Billy's riding days. Good turnout of the 'old guard' and some really genuine comments about the Rooty Hill Rocket. The programme was decent and, at last, John Berry wrote something half decent about Billy. I have always been fed up with Berry saying that Billy only rode well when in Australia or in an Australian race jacket. Billy loved speedway and loved riding for the Witches and surely 1983 and 1984 proved that even to JB. A bit spooky hearing Billy's voice again from the Radio Orwell interview. And it was good to have the Gab Racing memorobilia show there. Nigel and his missus are very good people. A decent crowd. Some decent racing. The track is beginning to look good. The weather stayed reasonable. All in all a great tribute to Billy and much credit to John & Chris for staging it.

And I thought it was Reg Wilson (Sheffield) who picked up the rake and threatened JL? One incident involving Billy was with Finn Thomsen at Hackney in 1981 when Finn decided to knock Billy into the fence after the end of a heat in which Billy had beaten him. Apparently the animosity went back to a World Championship qualifying round when Thomsen wanted to "buy" points of Billy, but he refused. Billy heading back to the pits at a rate of knots to say hello to the Dane was great to see. Also remember when Phil Crump threw a V sign at Billy in a 2nd half qualifying heat at Foxhall and then crawled round at the back in the final, rode his bike staright onto his trailer and left the stadium still in his leathers. I drove past him on the A12 later and there was Crumpy still in his leathers - I guess he had taken his steel show off. And that time.......... Oh my, so many memories....

Thank you John and Chris for putting this meeting on for the 25th Anniversary of Billy's sad and premature departure. I am one of the people that do feel that a memorial meeting should be held each year at Foxhall, but thank you for staging this one. I had the honour of being able to count Billy as a friend and not just a speedway rider and I stayed with him an his family a number of times at his home in Werrington County and in Sydney. His mum Bonnie was a lovely lady and his sisters Sylvia and Robyn were always so friendly and welcoming. So many memories, so many highlights. Probably one of the best riders not to win the individual World Championship, but so many honours with the Witches - 1984 probably being the highlight. It always used to annoy me that John Berry put it around that Billy only cared for riding in and for Australia. I can ensure anybody who holds that opinion that that was about as far from the truth as possible. Yes he had his faults - we all do - but Billy was a real character and a smashing bloke who loved and cared for speedway passionately. I trust the Rootyhill Rocket is still riding the tracks somewhere along with all the other super people who have graced our sport and passed away in whatever circumstance. (Also remembering Billy's son Dean and Pat Palmer who was Billy's No. 1 Fan and had the experience of hooking up Billy's bike trailer onto the back of her Capri and taking Billy home to Trimley when his car gave up the ghost (again) at Saddlebow Row in 1982)

Mark Webber pays tribute to Jason Crump (and Casey Stoner for his Phillip Island motogp win) on BBC TV live. Thanks Mark, what a diamond bloke.

Some say that the SGP format rewards the consistent rather than the best. If there is a difference, I don't know. In my opinion Jason has been both this season anyway and what a superb record of World Championship podium placements. Seems a long time ago that I spoke with Jason and his mum in the pits at the practice for the Australasian Final in 1981 at Liverpool. I'm pleased that one of us made a success of our lives Live long and prosper Jason.

Can somebody explain to me why there has to be a British competitor in the SGP and why it appears most people believe Tai Woffinden should be that person? I don't take much notice of Elite League averages these days but, if there has to be a British rider next season, should it not be the one who has the highest average this season?

I disagree, Iris, but it all about opinions. He didn't touch the tapes, so he wasn't excluded, that is fact. Then again, Rune appeared to me to jump on one of the re-runs more than Nicki did in the first attempted start. Highlights of this SGP haven't reached my planet yet

I would like to see Snyper1010 given a wildcard to next season's SGP, as I'd love to see him competing against his hate figure, Tomasz Gollob, next year. Would make for entertaining viewing

QUOTE (iris123 @ Oct 18 2009, 02:02 PM) What planet are you on? Even if Nicki was excluded i still don't think it was the right decision.And Gollobs behaviour is unexcusable.Terrible attitude from such a seasoned campaigner.Realised all was lost and spat out his dummy........ Well, I'm not sure they were condoning cheating, just pointing out what would have happened if Gollob had - which of course he didn't. Iris, I think you missed the point of my comment, but if you are on a different planet to me, then that probably explains why :-) If Nicki had been excluded for jumping the original start, for riding the rider outside him (twice) rather than the track, then the Gollob incident wouldn't have happened as Nicki would not have been in the 3rd attempt to stage the semi-final. As I said in another post, isn't sport great that it can encourage so many emotions and different view points? And, me being on a different planet, can somebody tell me what happened to the Super GP Heat thingy that they had last year? Did it happen again this year, or did I just miss it whilst circling planet zog?

No, I don't. Having been involved in speedway and other motorbike sports since the mid 1960's, it is my opinion that Tomasz Gollob is one of the most naturally gifted motorbike riders I have seen and would have been World Champion at least once if the SGP series hadn't of been introduced and one off World Finals had continued. But that is the beauty of sport, everyone can have a different opinion and this forum gives - the sensible ones, the chance of discussing their differences without resorting to personal insults to the competitors or contributors. In my opinion, Nicki should not have been in the 3rd re-start, and maybe not even the 2nd one, but he was and as a result Gollob parked his bike on the track and we are all having this discussion. Great, isn't it?

Oh shut up. How does 3 in Poland help Gollob with the pressure he comes under in Poland? You can hardly claim that the track was made up to suit Gollob last night. Of course Gollob never wins SGPs outside Poland does he and always wins in Poland? Runner-Up twice and Third four times in the SGP championship and would definitely have won a Championship under the old one off format. Well done Jason, dominated throughout the season and only threatened by injury.

As said by Ermolenko and Havelock, if Gollob wasn't such a good motorbike rider he would have fallen under Nicki's challenge on the 4th bend and, more than likely Nicki would have been excluded. Tomasz knew he had little or no chance of overhauling Crump tonight and was delighted to finish runner-up in the overall World Championship, so I am surprised that he then had his head messed up in the semi-final gate pick and went for blue rather than red. He is always under intense pressure in Poland, but he should have been more relaxed and enjoying himself by then. I agree that Gollob shouldn't have parked his bike where he did, but I'm sure he feels that you should not have to fall off a bike to obtain an exclusion. He was very contrite and apolgetic afterwards and talk of a season's ban is just plain ridiculous. There is little enough entertainment in the SGP these days without excluding the most naturally gifted motorbike rider in the field. Personally I hope it doesn't come to that. Well done Jason, you surprised me this season. A worthy world champion. Congrats to Tomasz - again proving, maybe, that he is the best not to win a world championship. A great first season from Sayfutdinov, let's hope Chris Holder can do similarly next season. Well done Rune making into the top 8 again, a really nice bloke and I hope he will be back in the SGP next season. But where for British hopes and does anybody merit a wildcard?

Agreed jrs. It was good to hear both Gary Havelock and Hans Andersen make a similar reference to Tomasz as "being the best not to be / should be on this form". Miracles sometimes happen, but as TG said "7pts maybe - 17 no way". I don't know what changes Tomasz has made recently, but his bikes have looked so much faster in the last two SGPs.

Loved the Sky commentary - Lap 2, turn 4 = "Hans Andersen is looking brilliant here & what a fine victory this would be for the Dane - Yes its nice to see Hans out front..... Here comes Gollob - Wow - how much speed is he carrying there".......... Mr Pearson & Mr Louis jnr, never forget a speedway heat is never over until the chequered flag - especially when TG is one of the riders

TG - class act, worthy winner.

Just watch it again then.

Watch it again - without a Nicki Pedersen eye-patch on - and you will see Pedersen look to his right before he goes out wide. Simples.

Typical Little Nicki - dangerous. He sees Tomasz going wide and tries to take him out, forgetting that Tomasz is a brilliant motorbike rider, and ends up losing positions and looking stupid. Gollob looking back at him was pure class.

What total garbage. A boost to the GPs if Gollob and Hancock pull out? What rubbish. Until such time as a better rider arrives in the GP, I hope to see these two great riders (and I am no fan of Greg's) entertaining us for many years to come.

What a totally ridiculous thing to say.