Simon Wigg Or Kelvin Tatum?

[lucifer sam 3,953]

Wiggy by a mile.

 

All the best

Rob

[Hobnob Smith 77]

• Wiggy for me a cracking rider more reliable under pressure than Tatum who also was a great rider but didn't like hard stuff.

as for long track WIggy for me I wonder how many more titles he would have won, also Wiggy was a great person always approachable

and willing to help lesser riders I was privileged to call him friend. Kelvin also great on longtrack but if Wiggy was still riding would have been

an interesting time

[BWitcher 12,453]

I would vote Wiggy every time, Simon was & still is the RIDER'S RIDER not only that, also a great ambassador with brilliant PR skills off track - never matched to this day.

 

You're right.. sort of, I don't think anyone ever did as much damage to the sport off track as Wigg did. Unmatched indeed!

 

As others have said, Tatum by some distance as a rider, but Wigg, especially in his younger days was the more exciting.

[Lord Skid 425]

In Wiggy's beloved Germany, he was a superhero to the fans, had to be seen to be believed.

[orion 7,615]

Am I wrong but I thought that Wigg was one of the riders who dropped points for cash ...how does make you a great ambassador ..only in speedway I guess .

[waiheke1 4,295]

Am I wrong but I thought that Wigg was one of the riders who dropped points for cash ...how does make you a great ambassador ..only in speedway I guess .

I thought it was the opposite and he paid some riders (including Simmons?) to let him beat them in the British final in 84? Or he paid Simmons to pull out of the British final so he got promoted from reserve spot? Think must be the latter aa I see Simmons didn't ride in the British final and I'm pretty sure hexwas involved (and suspended). Edited February 21, 2017 by waihekeaces1

[iris123 20,991]

 

Would've been the third time had Wigg won in '95 Fair play to Kelvin, for me the more successful across all sideways events - except Teterow? Does anyone know who was best there?

 

Neither Tatum or Wigg as successful as Gerd Riss though in Longtrack, doubt his records will be surpassed.

 

 

OFF the top of my head think Kelvin had the better record at Teterow and, of course, his father Martin won there. Might even have been the first time the event was staged there.

Wiggy won 3 Bergring Cups as did Kelvin.This was also the event that Kelvins father won,though he wasn't the first.But Wiggy also won 5 Golden helmets there to Kelvins 3.So Simon would be considered the better Teterow rider,i'd say

 

Honours list

http://www.bergring-teterow.de/die-sieger.htm

[Lord Skid 425]

One had flair, charisma and personality, the other is still trying to find them.

[Grand Central 2,654]

I thought it was the opposite and he paid some riders (including Simmons?) to let him beat them in the British final in 84? Or he paid Simmons to pull out of the British final so he got promoted from reserve spot? Think must be the latter aa I see Simmons didn't ride in the British final and I'm pretty sure hexwas involved (and suspended).

 

Yes,

The Sunday People led their three week 'Speedway Bribes Sensation' story in September 1984 with a double page spread that heavily featured Simon Wigg.

It is moot whether they would have gone to print with the rest of their 'twit-bits' had it not been their good fortune to have an opening splash featuring England's only world finalist of that year.

 

On another thread the question is asked 'When did Speedway's decline start?'

For many it was around this time.

[BWitcher 12,453]

Am I wrong but I thought that Wigg was one of the riders who dropped points for cash ...how does make you a great ambassador ..only in speedway I guess .

 

Bribed opponents to drop points to him wasn't it?

 

Wigg was responsible for a massive proportion of the decline of British Speedway.

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

 

Yes,

The Sunday People led their three week 'Speedway Bribes Sensation' story in September 1984 with a double page spread that heavily featured Simon Wigg.

It is moot whether they would have gone to print with the rest of their 'twit-bits' had it not been their good fortune to have an opening splash featuring England's only world finalist of that year.

 

On another thread the question is asked 'When did Speedway's decline start?'

For many it was around this time.

AS someone who worked for a national newspaper (Daily Express) at that time, attended every minute of the SCB Tribunal and had major coverage in the paper including inside page lead stories, I would attest to that.

[BWitcher 12,453]

One had flair, charisma and personality, the other is still trying to find them.

 

One all but destroyed the sport, the other is working hard to try and get it back to where it was

[Ghosty 500]

AS someone who worked for a national newspaper (Daily Express) at that time, attended every minute of the SCB Tribunal and had major coverage in the paper including inside page lead stories, I would attest to that.

Phillip are you saying that speedways decline is all down to Simon Wigg?

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

Phillip are you saying that speedways decline is all down to Simon Wigg?

Not speedway's decline ... but for a fact that Sunday People expose and what followed had a huge impact of how speedway was treated by the national press. Simon wasn't the only one involved of course.

[Gavan 5,050]

Wiggy by a mile.

 

All the best

Rob

In what way?

 

Character? Yes

Longtrack? Yes

Grasstrack? Maybe

 

But for racing Tatum was the better rider. Both won 2 British Crowns

 

But Tatum won 4 Commenwealth titles to Wiggs 1

Tatum also won a Inter Continental title and Wigg didnt.

Both stood on the rostrum in the World Final and arguably Tatum should have again in 1989.

 

Wigg the most flamboyant by a mile bu the better speedway rider was Kelvin Tatum

 

People confuse excitement with skill. Stephen Hendry boring as hell but a much better player than Jimmy White

 

And lets not forget Wiggs dark side and the way he dragged the sport through the gutter at times