Middlo hits out

[Steve Shovlar 10,450]

Todays echo has this interview with Middlo.

 

HANS ANDERSEN? More like Hans Christian Andersen. He's turned my World Cup fairy tale into a nightmare in which I will never forgive him.

 

To get so close to glory and then be denied by a rider who shouldn't have been involved is something I am still finding difficult to deal with even 24 hours after a fantastic World Cup Final.

 

The last heat should have been a straight match race between Scott Nicholls and Peter Karlsson, of Sweden. The fact Andersen and Poland's Tomasz Gollob were in the race was incidental.

 

For Hans to then hold Scott on the line round the first corner, look over his shoulder, shut off the throttle to allow Karlsson to go past is an incident that will live with me forever.

 

I have watched replays of the race several times and I find Andersen's after meeting interview that "his bike was spinning" very hard to accept.

 

It certainly didn't seem to be "spinning" so much after Karlsson went past.

 

Hans is a good young rider who has built himself a bit of a reputation of being fairly ruthless on track.

 

And as a result his reputation normally would have seen him show Karlsson no mercy on the outside.

 

If he had concentrated on winning the race, chances are Karlsson would have had to shut off on the outside of Hans, allowing Scott to manoeuvre an inside line on the Swede going into the third and fourth bend.

 

The irony is that when Hans first came over to this country in 2001 as a teenage rookie rider he came and stayed with us in Sturminster Marshall for two years.

 

I have taken his actions very personally.

 

I couldn't even look at him afterwards. I can't ever imagine forgiving him for doing this to me, the rest of the British team and the fans.

 

In the politest sense, you could say he is definitely off my Christmas card list!

 

It's a shame I have to talk about a rider's negative attitude in a meeting and presentation that had so many positives.

 

After leading the meeting for so long it's hard to believe that we missed out by one point.

 

I would agree that every British rider was a hero this week. But it's so frustrating that we are the unlucky British heroes who just missed out again.

 

The team deserve so much credit for getting so close.

 

Mark Loram had a fantastic World Cup. Now that we are back to the four-rider race World Cup formula it's good to have him back on board. His presence was immense.

 

Scott Nicholls has proved a great captain and was involved in the two big talking points which has left him feeling "what might have been".

 

The fact he stopped in third place when he saw a red light was something any sensible speedway rider would do. He could not be faulted with his attitude throughout.

 

I was delighted that Lee Richardson picked up his performance after a slow start. I was desperate for GB to get gold for Lee because he had been with me for all the previous World Cups when we had missed out and had never shirked responsibility.

 

And what can I say about David `Floppy' Norris?

 

He was the only one of Saturday night's squad without any previous experience of being a Poole rider and yet who would have thought it on his showing?

 

Reputations mean nothing to Floppy. He's been a joy to have as part of the team.

 

Handing the final place to Gary Havelock was a calculated risk. And in retrospect I feel I really put Gary on the spot in having to perform.

 

Sadly I heard one or two jibes aimed at Gary from the terraces beforehand along the lines that he shouldn't have been part of the British side.

 

Well, the boo boys silence was deafening by the end. Havvy rolled the clock back 10 years and pulled out a display of such courage and determination.

 

We should not forget the part Joe Screen and Dean Barker - both squad members - played in the final.

 

With me running around all over the place, I asked them to watch the gates, see who was doing what and they didn't let me down.

 

My old mate John Davis was a knowledgeable asset to have in the pits too, even though he was wearing a dodgy t-shirt!

 

I would also like to thank Benfield Sports International for promoting a wonderful competition, Poole Speedway for presenting a perfect showcase final after Eastbourne had laid the foundation.

 

And, once again, to Robert Hawkins at North Haven Motor Cruising for letting us use his £1.5million boat on Friday to relax the boys before the final.

 

And how could I ever thank the fans enough for the support shown throughout.

 

Oh, and the Daily Echo for allowing me the platform to write my notes throughout a week in which we came so close to landing gold.

 

Three weeks ago my cancer-stricken and speedway mad friend Nick Whiffen told me to go out and win the World Cup for Britain.

 

That was the last conversation I had with him. He died a week later.

 

I would have loved to have done it for Nick.

 

But, alas, there's only one winner. This morning Sweden are still the World Champions because they scored more points than us.

Edited August 9, 2004 by Steve Shovlar

[Guest Sir Lunchalot]

Phew, at first by the heading topic I thought Vincent Vega had made it into the Echo !!

[shazzybird 10]

Thanks for posting that SS, had me in tears by the end.

 

Middlo you and the boys done us proud, it should of been ours we got Silver never mind it's good we made the rostrum far beyond any of the doubters wildest dreams!

 

I for one had a wonderful time in Poole yes I was upset not to win Gold but I was there to witness Silver. Two meetings I never expected to see live and be a part of thanks Tabby and Hubby and everyone at Poole that made my stay enjoyable, yes Middlo you and the TEAM GB members included, even if I did have a Swedish fan with me (Macaulee) but even he was cheering on the lads on Saturday night!!

 

Can I have also if it's ok have the website address for The Echo, whilst there I read it most days with Tabby and the speedway coverage was something that I've never seen in any local paper for a track.

[Tactical Sub 0]

Thanks for posting this Steve, really helpful for those of us who live in parts of the country where the coverage is not so good.

 

The article helps understand the context to Middlo's emotions with the desire to fulfil his friend's dying wishes adding to all the other things driving him on.

 

Interesting to hear his feelings on heat 25, 1-2 days on. I don't think anything can sum up all the debate on many forum threads better than this for me so I'll be letting it lie with the Middlo comments as the final word.

[Dave the Mic 258]

Steve, I think you have done us all a great service by making this post. Thank you very much indeed. And, Middlo, if you get to read this, my thoughts are with you at this time of your loss, I felt for you at the end of the evening on Saturday & even more so now.

 

Middlo's comments sum up the events of heat 25 perfectly.

[bazlux 26]

Can I have also if it's ok have the website address for The Echo,

www.thisisdorset.net/dorset/bournemouth/sport/pirates

 

should do the trick

[shazzybird 10]

Thanks xxxx

[Jive 47]

An Excellent article thanks for sharing it Steve

[Brightonbob 0]

The saddest part of all is that the boys think they might have let the fans down. Talk about getting it wrong. I couldn't have been more proud if we'd won.

 

Floppy on TV tonight said he wished they hadn't let the fans down. Bless his heart and all that but how wrong can you be?

 

Middlos notes show why we are right to be proud of Team GB. Good men with big hearts who take pride in their sport and their country. Some of the things that happened on Saturday aren't worthy of casting any shadow on that and coming second to Sweden, who did nothing wrong, is no disgrace. Just ask the Aussies!

 

Heroes one and all.

[Nevs 4]

Middlo,

 

You dont have to explain to us lot at all, we all feel your pain.

 

It happened and we feel it too-The lads did us proud as far as they could but it wasnt to be cos of a certain person and im sure your friend Nick is saying for dingly dangly sake get over it Neil he is probably even smiling down and laughing at us all after Saturday thinking blimey mate never mind win it and watched heat 15 laughing and clapping so.......

 

You and the lads did us all proud mate-stop beating yourself up about it please.

 

One day........

[rabbit 1]

Middlos notes show why we are right to be proud of Team GB. Good men with big hearts who take pride in their sport and their country.

 

Heroes one and all.

Spot on BrightonBob - the whole country is proud of Team GB's performance last week.

 

So nice to see Middlo's words about Nick. He's sadly missed and I know that those words will mean a lot to his close friends. He was a lovely guy and character who's passing has left of a lot of us still stunned and I can just imagine his comments about the meetings - can picture him as I type this coming out with some dry comment. He would have loved and raved on about Havvy's race with Rempala for sure, but I'm sure he's up there snapping away with his camera like he always did. God bless ya Nick.

 

But to Team GB - the last week has been a blast. We didn't win and that is so gutting, but what a week's entertainment. Highlight of the season and even if Poole win the League again, it would have to be some final to top the SWC.

[FlyinRyan 0]

Todays echo has this interview with Middlo.

 

HANS ANDERSEN? More like Hans Christian Andersen. He's turned my World Cup fairy tale into a nightmare in which I will never forgive him.

 

To get so close to glory and then be denied by a rider who shouldn't have been involved is something I am still finding difficult to deal with even 24 hours after a fantastic World Cup Final.

 

The last heat should have been a straight match race between Scott Nicholls and Peter Karlsson, of Sweden. The fact Andersen and Poland's Tomasz Gollob were in the race was incidental.

 

For Hans to then hold Scott on the line round the first corner, look over his shoulder, shut off the throttle to allow Karlsson to go past is an incident that will live with me forever.

 

I have watched replays of the race several times and I find Andersen's after meeting interview that "his bike was spinning" very hard to accept.

 

It certainly didn't seem to be "spinning" so much after Karlsson went past.

 

Hans is a good young rider who has built himself a bit of a reputation of being fairly ruthless on track.

 

And as a result his reputation normally would have seen him show Karlsson no mercy on the outside.

 

If he had concentrated on winning the race, chances are Karlsson would have had to shut off on the outside of Hans, allowing Scott to manoeuvre an inside line on the Swede going into the third and fourth bend.

 

The irony is that when Hans first came over to this country in 2001 as a teenage rookie rider he came and stayed with us in Sturminster Marshall for two years.

 

I have taken his actions very personally.

 

I couldn't even look at him afterwards. I can't ever imagine forgiving him for doing this to me, the rest of the British team and the fans.

 

In the politest sense, you could say he is definitely off my Christmas card list!

 

It's a shame I have to talk about a rider's negative attitude in a meeting and presentation that had so many positives.

 

After leading the meeting for so long it's hard to believe that we missed out by one point.

 

I would agree that every British rider was a hero this week. But it's so frustrating that we are the unlucky British heroes who just missed out again.

 

The team deserve so much credit for getting so close.

 

Mark Loram had a fantastic World Cup. Now that we are back to the four-rider race World Cup formula it's good to have him back on board. His presence was immense.

 

Scott Nicholls has proved a great captain and was involved in the two big talking points which has left him feeling "what might have been".

 

The fact he stopped in third place when he saw a red light was something any sensible speedway rider would do. He could not be faulted with his attitude throughout.

 

I was delighted that Lee Richardson picked up his performance after a slow start. I was desperate for GB to get gold for Lee because he had been with me for all the previous World Cups when we had missed out and had never shirked responsibility.

 

And what can I say about David `Floppy' Norris?

 

He was the only one of Saturday night's squad without any previous experience of being a Poole rider and yet who would have thought it on his showing?

 

Reputations mean nothing to Floppy. He's been a joy to have as part of the team.

 

Handing the final place to Gary Havelock was a calculated risk. And in retrospect I feel I really put Gary on the spot in having to perform.

 

Sadly I heard one or two jibes aimed at Gary from the terraces beforehand along the lines that he shouldn't have been part of the British side.

 

Well, the boo boys silence was deafening by the end. Havvy rolled the clock back 10 years and pulled out a display of such courage and determination.

 

We should not forget the part Joe Screen and Dean Barker - both squad members - played in the final.

 

With me running around all over the place, I asked them to watch the gates, see who was doing what and they didn't let me down.

 

My old mate John Davis was a knowledgeable asset to have in the pits too, even though he was wearing a dodgy t-shirt!

 

I would also like to thank Benfield Sports International for promoting a wonderful competition, Poole Speedway for presenting a perfect showcase final after Eastbourne had laid the foundation.

 

And, once again, to Robert Hawkins at North Haven Motor Cruising for letting us use his £1.5million boat on Friday to relax the boys before the final.

 

And how could I ever thank the fans enough for the support shown throughout.

 

Oh, and the Daily Echo for allowing me the platform to write my notes throughout a week in which we came so close to landing gold.

 

Three weeks ago my cancer-stricken and speedway mad friend Nick Whiffen told me to go out and win the World Cup for Britain.

 

That was the last conversation I had with him. He died a week later.

 

I would have loved to have done it for Nick.

 

But, alas, there's only one winner. This morning Sweden are still the World Champions because they scored more points than us.

I've got a lot of time for Middlo, and I respect him greatly for what he has done on limited resources for British Speedway, but frankly his comments in this article make me want to puke.

 

If you want an excuse for not winning Middlo, have a look at the return from Scotty and Norris on Saturday, they were clearly not up to it. Andersen never cost you the World Cup. Why oh why can't us Brits just not put our hands up and say we simply weren't good enough.

[shazzybird 10]

How can you say US you were flying the Aussie flag til they were knocked out

[Gemini 4,894]

Why oh why can't us Brits just not put our hands up and say we simply weren't good enough.

Why, oh why can't people just click on the Reply icon instead of quoting all over again something we have already read, especially one as long as that?!

Edited August 10, 2004 by Gemini

[Grachan 7,365]

To get so close to glory and then be denied by a rider who shouldn't have been involved is something I am still finding difficult to deal with even 24 hours after a fantastic World Cup Final.

 

The last heat should have been a straight match race between Scott Nicholls and Peter Karlsson, of Sweden. The fact Andersen and Poland's Tomasz Gollob were in the race was incidental.

I don't agree with Neil's comment here. To win the World Cup you have to defeat all the other teams over the course of the entire meeting. If he wanted a straight match race to decide the winner then he should be refelecting on the fact that if Scott hadn't pulled up earlier he would have got one.