Brilliant Club Men

[g13webb 4,254]

One of the big problems with today’s speedway is the connection between riders and supporters. This is all down to the lack of continuality of the team line-up. Years ago, we had riders who put everything into their club and became icons that everyone could connect with. People will say the point limits stop this from happening, but we have always had a point restriction and Rider Control in the past.

This thread is about those riders who put the club first and therefore became BRILLIANT CLUB MEN.

 

First rider I put in this category is : TERRY BETTS

 

He started racing with Norwich before retiring , still very young. Then joined Kings Lynn as their star attraction in 1965. He was ever present until 1979. 14 years of solid service. He was Kings Lynn Speedway . When he went, the team spirit he inspired just disappeared. Getting rid of Bettsy, was said to be one of the worst decisions made by the club officials.

 

 

 

I have no doubt there are many more riders that fits the bill

Edited March 1, 2012 by GRW123

[speedyguy 20]

'Uncle' Bob Harrison. Spent most of his pre-war career from 1930-39, then from1947 until retirement in the early 1950s as a rider and England international, then became team manager for many years. All for the great Belle Vue Aces. Now I doubt if there's a fan at the Manchester track who has had heard of him!

Edited March 1, 2012 by speedyguy

[cityrebel 2,960]

i'd nominate the great ronnie moore, a fantastic one club rider for the wimbledon dons. although i only saw mirac ride from 1969 to 1972, he made a lasting impression on me as a young fan that stays with me today.

[stratton 1,491]

One of the big problems with today’s speedway is the connection between riders and supporters. This is all down to the lack of continuality of the team line-up. Years ago, we had riders who put everything into their club and became icons that everyone could connect with. People will say the point limits stop this from happening, but we have always had a point restriction and Rider Control in the past.

This thread is about those riders who put the club first and therefore became BRILLIANT CLUB MEN.

 

First rider I put in this category is : TERRY BETTS

 

He started racing with Norwich before retiring , still very young. Then joined Kings Lynn as their star attraction in 1965. He was ever present until 1979. 14 years of solid service. He was Kings Lynn Speedway . When he went, the team spirit he inspired just disappeared. Getting rid of Bettsy, was said to be one of the worst decisions made by the club officials.

 

 

 

I have no doubt there are many more riders that fits the bill

One of the big problems with today’s speedway is the connection between riders and supporters. This is all down to the lack of continuality of the team line-up. Years ago, we had riders who put everything into their club and became icons that everyone could connect with. People will say the point limits stop this from happening, but we have always had a point restriction and Rider Control in the past.

This thread is about those riders who put the club first and therefore became BRILLIANT CLUB MEN.

 

First rider I put in this category is : TERRY BETTS

 

He started racing with Norwich before retiring , still very young. Then joined Kings Lynn as their star attraction in 1965. He was ever present until 1979. 14 years of solid service. He was Kings Lynn Speedway . When he went, the team spirit he inspired just disappeared. Getting rid of Bettsy, was said to be one of the worst decisions made by the club officials.

 

 

 

I have no doubt there are many more riders that fits the bill

Mine are the following and alot are missed shows years of continuous service and Sheffield in this respect were amazing. P.Craven belle vue 1952-63 K.Middledich poole 1950-62 (1957 poole closed for a year) N.Middledich poole 1975-84 E.Boocock halifax 1965-74 N.Boocock coventry 1965-76 Ron Mountford coventry 1957-68 P. Smith poole 1965-77 C.Morton belle vue 1973-90 A.Haley sheffield 1965-78 B Paulson sheffield 1965-74 Reg Wilson sheffield 1970-84 D Wyer sheffield 1969-80 B.Larsson sheffield 1965-74 M.Keen swindon 1965-75 S.Sjosten belle vue 1967-75 Ray Wilson leicester 1968-76 N.Storer leicester 1968-75 R.Henry mildenhall 1976-86.

[oldace 1,678]

 

S.Sjosten belle vue 1967-75

 

Soren was an Ace a few years before that Sidney

[Brian L 2]

Barry Thomas Hackney - a 20 year double testimonial, can't be many of them around.

[HasseHolmqvist 102]

Shawn & Kelly Moran along with Lance King & Ronnie Correy ... you could find these guys in "clubs" most nights when not racing

[BOBBATH 467]

Dick Fisher -Belle Vue, Ron How Wimbledon.

[stratton 1,491]

Soren was an Ace a few years before that Sidney

Sorry i didnt include 1962- 64 Oldace a gap in service makes it even a more remarketable achievement for Soren.

[keef 105]

Great clubmen for The Robins with over 200 appearances, would include Briggs, Adams, Ashby, Crumpie, Killer, Broady, Keener, Jones, Hitch, Munday, Bouchard, Mad Wellie, Karger, Chessell, Williams, Gjedde, Nilsen, Street, White, Malone. Probably half were born or lived locally.

The Boococks, Betts, Craven, Morton. Sjosten, etc., were solid clubmen.

[Bryce 349]

I'd like to mention some stalwarts of Cradley Heath. Alan Grahame, Erik Gundersen, Simon Cross and Phil Collins were all part of the set up there for a very long time compared to the way riders seem to move around these days.

[mervjankefanclub 48]

Super Steve Lawson for the 15 years loyalty he gave to the Glasgow Tigers, especially when you consider he led some of the poorest line ups in the clubs history, who were routinely hammered on their travels throughout the mid-80s, with Steve fighting a lone battle. The fact he remained one of the top men in the NL for the majority of those years makes him all the more remarkable. As one of the leagues top riders, he could have named his price and had his pick of most clubs in the country, but he stuck by the Stripes from 1978 until 1992. and for that he will always be worshiped by the Glasgow fans of the era Ask any Glasgow fan and I am sure they will agree that its not inconceivable that Glasgow as a club would have folded during those dark days of the early/mid-80s if it wasnt for Steve and Jimmy Beaton senior.

[stratton 1,491]

Super Steve Lawson for the 15 years loyalty he gave to the Glasgow Tigers, especially when you consider he led some of the poorest line ups in the clubs history, who were routinely hammered on their travels throughout the mid-80s, with Steve fighting a lone battle. The fact he remained one of the top men in the NL for the majority of those years makes him all the more remarkable. As one of the leagues top riders, he could have named his price and had his pick of most clubs in the country, but he stuck by the Stripes from 1978 until 1992. and for that he will always be worshiped by the Glasgow fans of the era Ask any Glasgow fan and I am sure they will agree that its not inconceivable that Glasgow as a club would have folded during those dark days of the early/mid-80s if it wasnt for Steve and Jimmy Beaton senior.

Steve was good Merv a great national league rider and the league was a hard one.Merv janke i liked i also liked mick mckeon.

[Gatwick Rocket 53]

Super Steve Lawson for the 15 years loyalty he gave to the Glasgow Tigers, especially when you consider he led some of the poorest line ups in the clubs history, who were routinely hammered on their travels throughout the mid-80s, with Steve fighting a lone battle. The fact he remained one of the top men in the NL for the majority of those years makes him all the more remarkable. As one of the leagues top riders, he could have named his price and had his pick of most clubs in the country, but he stuck by the Stripes from 1978 until 1992. and for that he will always be worshiped by the Glasgow fans of the era Ask any Glasgow fan and I am sure they will agree that its not inconceivable that Glasgow as a club would have folded during those dark days of the early/mid-80s if it wasnt for Steve and Jimmy Beaton senior.

This is such a good comment. Steve Lawson was Glasgow Speedway for so long, and on more than the odd occasion scored more than the rest of the team put together. I remember him at Arena Essex in (I think 1985). The final score was something like 54-24 and Steve scored 16 of those 24. I always thought it was a real shame that the year after he retired Glasgow finally won something, especially as he so very nearly helped Glasgow win the KOCup against the awesome Arena Essex side of 1992.

[mervjankefanclub 48]

This is such a good comment. Steve Lawson was Glasgow Speedway for so long, and on more than the odd occasion scored more than the rest of the team put together. I remember him at Arena Essex in (I think 1985). The final score was something like 54-24 and Steve scored 16 of those 24. I always thought it was a real shame that the year after he retired Glasgow finally won something, especially as he so very nearly helped Glasgow win the KOCup against the awesome Arena Essex side of 1992.

 

The Tigers' certainly encountered some severe doings during that 1985 season. Gattwick Rocket, and more often than not Steve would score more than the rest of the team put together He has always said he was happy at Glasgow and had a great time with the fans and thats why he never left.. That KOC final was actually 1991 and by his own admission he didnt perform well during the 1st leg at Shawfield and vowed to make up for it down at Arena, and he did. I think he reeled off four wins on the trot and when he and Jason Lyons gated on the 5-1 in the final heat that would have given the Stripes an unexpected win, the fans were gong wild until Petersen and Karger passed him down the back straight. Although Lyonsy held them both off to earn a draw on aggregate. It was ironic that Glasgow should win the league the season after he retired, but even more of a shame was the fact that he never got the chance to ride in his final meeting and say a farewell to the fans, as the last meeting of 1992 against Rye House was postponed and it was too late in the season to re-stage it.

Edited March 1, 2012 by mervjankefanclub