cyclone

If IoW are in the 40 point limit camp, I wonder if this is because Shields & Bird have requested transfers :?: . Under such a scenario it would be cheaper to replace with lower average riders. IoW would not be the first team to have placed self-interest ahead of the common good of the league, so I would not be surprised if this turn out to be their motive for supporting "Stone the Moan" and his stingey cohorts, such as Colin Hill. :evil:

Think this problem relates to the EL structure and the way it runs it's business, which appears to be an unattractive financial proposition for most EL second strings and reserves. You might find that if doubling up was scrapped, this might encourage some PL guys, such as Shields and Bird to move up permanently. By the same token, doubling down should also cease and you wouldn't have those such as Colin White, who ended up unemployed in the PL in 2003 when his former team opted for doubling down. Glad to see that Neil Machin reckons the 45 points limit will remain - sanity prevailing

Agree it should either be 45 including bonus points, or 42 excluding bonus points (thereby reflecting actual match scores). If it were drop to 40, in addition to putting riders out of work (probably 1 heat leader per team), you would probably find there would be an excess demand for riders in the 5 - 7 point range who in turn could raise their demands, thereby defeating the so called cost cutting rationale of a points deduction to 40. Alternatively, I fear that we could end up with top heavy sides which retain their heat leaders and fill positions 4 - 7 with 3 and 4 pointers. Then instead of getting real four man races, in most heats we could also end up with type of racing common in the EL where the big guns slug it out at the front, whilst some way behind, the minnows scrap for 3rd & 4th. In good old rock & roll speak lets keep the Status Quo :!:

Believe the book covering pre-war @ Marine Gardens is out of print. Jim Henry (Clerk of Course) & Ian Moultray(Pits Marshall) were joint authors.

Seems like the ideal opportunity for the British teams affected to claim compensation from the FIM. lol - Gather Lord Lucan is already writing out the cheques on behalf of the FIM in Geneva. I'm sure BSI will invoke their "Send British Speedway to the Taxidermist" clause for next week with the full approval of Terry Russell. :twisted:

Stenners 1950 has an article on BV since start, and list all riders who rode for the club up till then. Unfortunately your grandfather's name does not appear. Perhaps the researchers overlooked him, or perhaps Ronald Hillary rode at Hyde Road, but not in the team.

Danny Lee was a West Ham asset and rode at Edinburgh from 1948 - 50/51. Think that might have been his last team

Kevin & Addict - I see no justification for flippant & humorous remarks in this context. :-( These guys put their lives on the line every time they race and all deserve to be admired for their courage - wonder if you would like to swap places with them in such circumstances :?: . No doubt you will reply with the standard "lighten up" reply to which I would say to you pair : "Grow Up" and think more carefully before considering uttering such insensitive comments :!:

Suggest that any PL to EL moves should be based on final league positions on an invitation by performance merit basis. If any of top 4 PL clubs don't fancy joining the EL, then keep going down the list to see if any wish to join. Who knows you may even have to go the CL, and perhaps Wimbledon and/or Mildenhall might be tempted. Would not be surprised if less than four PL/CL clubs would be enticed up, and perhaps Ipswich might go in the opposite direction also.

To return to the thread, the most distinctive, wide handlebars I've come across where those used by the Aussie World finalist Peter Moore, who came to the UK in 1952 at Long Eaton, and ended his UK career @ Rye House, I think, in the seventies. He was at his peak riding for Wimbledon in the 50's, and Ipswich in the 60's , latterly for Kings Lynne in 1966. Interestingly he was reckoned to be one of the fastest gaters of his time, despite the extravagant cow-horns.

A guy called Dave Robottom was considered the "Coventry Historian" in the 70s and might have produced something. I think he used help compiling the stats for the Coventry prog also.

Charlie Monk started off in the UK in 1962 riding for Trevor Redmond at Neath/St Austell. In 1963 he moved to Long Eaton and in 64 joined TR at Glasgow. IMO his peak season was 1965 when he again imo, closely ran Barry Briggs a close second as top BL rider. Was very unlucky not to qualify for World Final that year (a dubious exclusion in British Final ?) and I think he won the Internationale in 65 also. Eventually moved on to Sheffield & Halifax & rejoined Tigers @ Hampden in between. Rode for Monarchs in Powderhall opening season and seemed to be more comfortable with the fans. Finished his career at Barrow. I think he was unfairly stereotyped as surly - remember he gave me the most carefully written autograph on my prog at Meadowbank in 65. The guy was just shy and introverted at that time.

If people from Berwick don't want to be Scottish, then why do they put on those obviously fake Scottish Accents - is it just one huge joke to them? And here was me thinking that Geordies all sounded like they came from Berwick

Berwick, north of the border? Nope it's in Northumberland - maybe it's just a problem in tracks located in this English county Returning to the thread, one very good thing has been the introduction of air fences in modern times - anything that improves rider safety without detracting from the spectacle deserves praise.

So you share something in common with Frank Ebdon, the greatest referee in his own lunchtime :?: :twisted:

Motherwell's 1972 meeting (vs Teeside) was run on the same site as used from 1950 - 54 & 1958, though I believe not on the same track previously used. In 1972 were also scheduled to meet Barrow, but I think this fell foul of the weather.

Norwich Hevingham only ever held one meeting in the seventies, under Cyril Crane, before the local council nuked poor old Cyril. Mute point may be whether this was ever an "official" meeting, which was won by Andy Buck (Eastbourne version) when he was under 16.

2 meetings only - opener vs Birmingham, 2nd & last Northumbrian Champ. Geoff Brownhutt was promoter, not sure if his sidekick Thomas was also involved. Robin Dixon was one the original Arrows - he used to wear the racejacket @ Berwick 2nd halves

Inspector Clouseau he note a 5 letter name which is unusual - how about Silas :?: mais oui ou mais non as they say in Franglais

Biblical - Saul or Solomon :?: After a place - Sebastapool or Salisbury :?: Or Sod this - roll on Friday when all will be revealed :x