Issue 14

[TonyMac 720]

Looking ahead to just some of the delights lined up for our next issue which we're working on now....

 

MALCOLM SIMMONS - Main Man

 

BERNIE PERSSON (as long as our man in Sweden can get to him in time for our mid-May publication date!)

 

BOBBY GARRAD

 

DAVE MORTON

 

GRAHAM MILES

 

KEN EYRE

 

Etc, etc, etc

 

 

Would be good to hear of some of your favourite memories of these guys...

 

PS - For the smart wotsits among you, 'Etc, etc, etc' was NOT one of those here today-gone tomorrow foreigners tried by Birmingham or Halifax in the late 70s/early 80s either! OK, before you get heavy, I admit, we gave two rides to Timmy Joe Sheppard! Some you win, some you lose.

Edited April 21, 2006 by tmc

[salty 2,202]

Looks like a heavy Hackney influence! Not complaining though as I can't wait to read the Bernie article. I'm sure Simmo will have a lot of interesting memories.

[shazzybird 10]

BOBBY GARRAD

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The pretty boy of Rye House TMC I know Ashley Pullen is no longer with us but any chance of a feature on his career at some point please, he along with Kelvin Mullarkey kept me entertained for much of my childhood with their antics on and off track.

 

 

GRAHAM MILES

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Uh Oh!!! will have to hide this copy from my mum Graham along with Martin Piddock were her favourites back in the good ol' days

[frigbo 518]

I hope issue 14 returns to the standards previously set. Issue 13 was poor in my opinion.

[TonyMac 720]

I hope issue 14 returns to the standards previously set. Issue 13 was poor in my opinion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Care to elaborate on your useful throwaway line? Criticism is always accepted, but constructive criticism is always better and more likely to achieve a satisfactory result (assuming you would actually want us to improve, as opposed to lose readers who might think your comment representative of the majority?)

 

So where did we go wrong with issue 13? If you share your thoughts with us, we might be able to re-attain the high standards you expect.

 

Sorry to sound so sensitive, but I can't stand it when people hide behind anonymity when criticising others and anything.

[frigbo 518]

Blimey, touchy aren't we??

 

How do you know i haven't got constructive criticism and what difference would knowing my real name make??

 

As you ask, the main subject matter was about a rider that doesn't particularly interest me and i got the impression it was a book plug in disguise.

 

The earlier editions had far more 'off the wall' articles in my opinion, this one was more mainstream. The book extracts are creeping in which, to me, aren't what the essence of the magazine is about.

 

I enjoyed the Bob Radford and Mike Letch articles, but the rest did come across to me as perhaps ideas were running a little dry.

 

Personally i would like more behind the scenes, thought provoking articles, similar to those above and the excellent Edward Jancarz piece a few editions ago. Also, more features about some of the lesser lights rather than top riders who feature in all other mags.

 

There you go, an opinion. Sorry i didn't lie and say i thought everything was marvellous in the last one...that's life!

 

By the way the majority of the other 12 editions have been a fascinating read.

 

Andy Freegard.

Edited April 24, 2006 by frigbo

[sandman 0]

boys, boys.. quit arguin..enuff to turn a man to drink.. ok what do ya say you all meet at the old football field for a bit of a scrap, i got a twenty in my pocket to use for the sweet science of gamblin, an my bet is on....my nephew... OL Puss! heh heh..

Edited April 25, 2006 by sandman

[shazzybird 10]

Can always rely on you Sandman

[Shoddy 1]

PS - For the smart wotsits among you,  'Etc, etc, etc' was NOT one of those here today-gone tomorrow foreigners tried by Birmingham or Halifax in the late 70s/early 80s either!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

...and there was I looking forward to a piece on Gianni 'etc etc etc' Famari!!!

 

I very rarely post in here but am enjoying your magazine greatly. Only started going to speedway in 1984 so missed much of the era you cover but am a real history buff and have enjoyed reading every issue I've seen so far . Great to learn more about riders like Ivan Mauger who I didn't see, Peter Collins and Chris Morton who were past their peak when I started going and especially my first speedway hero Kenny Carter. Also great to remind myself just how good Hans Nielsen was - I still think he was better than Tony Rickardsson!

 

Keep up the great work.

[FenTiger76 0]

Like the majority on here I really enjoy the magazine and EX-Retro for that matter (how good was sunday!).

 

However I would like to see you keep away from to many excerts from recently published books.

[sandman 0]

Can always rely on you Sandman 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

welllll.. that my friend might just be a bit of a reach.. but hey, thanks for the compliment anyway.. ..

Edited April 26, 2006 by sandman

[FAST GATER 853]

TMC I would just like to say that every issue has been excellent so far and I can't wait for issue 14 .IMO after watching ,reading and seeing quite alot in 30 odd yrs as as s/way fan, your doing a great job long may it continue.!!!!!!!!!!!

[spin king 1,923]

Have too agree with Faster Gater, this is an excellent read, and I always look forward to the next issue after finishing my copy.

[Grachan 7,362]

I always enjoy reading it, but there were some valid criticisms made. I hope they won't be overlooked because loads of people start posting to say that they think it's great.

 

I agree that TMC is doing an excellent job though. I always look forward to that particular visit to the bathroom!

[TonyMac 720]

Blimey, touchy aren't we??

 

How do you know i haven't got constructive criticism and what difference would knowing my real name make??

 

There you go, an opinion. Sorry i didn't lie and say i thought everything was marvellous in the last one...that's life!

 

By the way the majority of the other 12 editions have been a fascinating read.

 

Andy Freegard.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Andy,

 

Thanks for responding positively and for your constructive comments. Thanks too to the rest for your kind comments. I'm sorry if I came across as touchy but having put so much into launching and producing Backtrack, I'm naturally disappointed if our readers have any gripes - and we like to address them.

 

It's not easy to please all the people all the time and, for instance, if you don't happen to like one of the riders we feature, then what can we do? We just want to know what you like and dislike - in fact, the next issue will include a readers' survey which we hope our subscribers will complete and return to us.

 

One change we are considering is to reduce the 'main man' feature, probably to no more than 5 pages, as this has taken up a large per centage of the overall content in previous issues. It is probably justified where genuine legend like Mauger and PC is concerned, but 10 pages on one rider is possibly pushing it too much and I acknowledge this. Having said that, the Simmo interview for issue 14 will be like no other EVER PUBLISHED - hard-hitting, highly contentious and totally absorbing. Watch out for it, because it will have everyone in speedway talking, as will his forthcoming book that we are publishing...(OK, it's a blatant plug, but I'm sure you will want to read what Malcolm has to say in SIMMO: THE WHOLE TRUTH, on sale at the start of June.