Joe Owen NL was he the best…?

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Just going through some old programmes from the old National league 1970 onwards wondered what people’s opinions were of who they believed was the best.? Lee, Carter, Crump, Louis i won’t include them them they were all destined for great thing’s mine has to be Joey Owen a terrific rider with his brother Tom a close up second.Others that really come to mind and i really enjoyed watching them ride were Jackson, Perks, Sampson, Etheridge, Lawson, a very tough league indeed.

Edited June 4, 2021 by Sidney the robin

[Guest]

From 1973 I'd add Lou Sansom, Arthur Browning, John Davis, Bobby McNeill, Mike Broadbanks, Carl Glover, Ken McKinlay & Geoff Bouchard.

18 teams in the league! Good old days :-).

[steve roberts 9,246]

8 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Just going through some old programmes from the old National league 1970 onwards wondered what people’s opinions were of who they believed was the best.? Lee, Carter, Crump, Louis i won’t include them them they were all destined for great thing’s mine has to be Joey Owen a terrific rider with his brother Tom a close up second.Others that really come to mind and i really enjoyed watching them ride were Jackson, Perks, Sampson, Etheridge, Lawson, a very tough league indeed.

Mike Sampson was a favourite of mine and really came to the fore in 1977 when he also doubled up for "The Rebels". The Second Division produced so many star riders...Dave Jessup, Peter Collins, Gordon Kennett etc. It was no accident that when the League went its seperate way Britain began to loose its dominance.

Another good post Sid!

[Guest compost]

Devils advocat but strictly speaking shouldnt the best NL/Div 2 rider be Jack Young ?

More recently what about Carl Stonehewer ?  Unlike Joe (who was definitely the best NLer in the '70s and '80s) he did get to a 'world final'.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

7 hours ago, compost said:

Devils advocat but strictly speaking shouldnt the best NL/Div 2 rider be Jack Young ?

More recently what about Carl Stonehewer ?  Unlike Joe (who was definitely the best NLer in the '70s and '80s) he did get to a 'world final'.

Yes great point compost and Sean the prawn Wilson was a legend for the Tigers in the Prem a terrific rider.

[Grachan 7,362]

Another great Second Division rider was Martin Yeates, who did pretty well in a British Final, which was unheard of for a second tier rider at the time.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

11 minutes ago, Grachan said:

Another great Second Division rider was Martin Yeates, who did pretty well in a British Final, which was unheard of for a second tier rider at the time.

He was a great servant to all of his clubs great value could never quite understand why he didn’t quite make it as a regular British league rider.He did so later on in his career and had  a terrific spell with Swindon , i remember going to Belle Vue in 1984 for the Overseas Final Martin qualified scoring two points a terrific achievement. Lance King won the meeting with Sir Crumpy coming second on 12 points Carter also qualified scoring 8 points.

[steve roberts 9,246]

35 minutes ago, Grachan said:

Another great Second Division rider was Martin Yeates, who did pretty well in a British Final, which was unheard of for a second tier rider at the time.

Did great service for "The Cheetahs" in 1977. Steve Weatherly was another great rider from that era. The old Second Division/National League produced many talented riders.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

5 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Did great service for "The Cheetahs" in 1977. Steve Weatherly was another great rider from that era. The old Second Division/National League produced many talented riders.

I think the reason of us producing so many good riders Steve over the years was the tracks in both leagues were so varied.The level in both leagues was very strong you had to ride in the uk then to be the best.Never really see alot of NL racing until Milton Keynes and Oxford entered it and for me was pleasantly surprised how much i enjoyed it even if it was at a lower level.In recent years i have got more pleasure watching the likes of Rowe,Palin,Thompson( bros) progress than watching the Grand Prix series.

[nw42 2,048]

10 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Did great service for "The Cheetahs" in 1977. Steve Weatherly was another great rider from that era. The old Second Division/National League produced many talented riders.

Carl Glover is one that springs to mind, had a very dominant period as Boston Barracuda's top man.  

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

1 minute ago, nw42 said:

Carl Glover is one that springs to mind, had a very dominant period as Boston Barracuda's top man.  

Before that  Arthur Price was another Boston gem.

[nw42 2,048]

5 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Before that  Arthur Price was another Boston gem.

Of course Sid, your memory bank is far better than mine, the way you recall meetings and individual performances never ceases to amaze me, I'm envious.  

Arthur Price was indeed a top 2nd division star, chuck in Michael Lee along with Carl Glover and what an era the 70's was for Boston.

[steve roberts 9,246]

14 minutes ago, nw42 said:

Carl Glover is one that springs to mind, had a very dominant period as Boston Barracuda's top man.  

Colin Richardson who I saw as fifteen year old giving demonstration rides at Cowley and beating a young Michael Lee. Another great product who never really progressed beyond his sensational 1977 season.

[steve roberts 9,246]

17 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

I think the reason of us producing so many good riders Steve over the years was the tracks in both leagues were so varied.The level in both leagues was very strong you had to ride in the uk then to be the best.Never really see alot of NL racing until Milton Keynes and Oxford entered it and for me was pleasantly surprised how much i enjoyed it even if it was at a lower level.In recent years i have got more pleasure watching the likes of Rowe,Palin,Thompson( bros) progress than watching the Grand Prix series.

I was fortunate Sid that at Cowley we had many talented Eastbourne & Peterborough riders take part in the old Second Halves (lamented in my opinion). Great days!

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

14 minutes ago, nw42 said:

Of course Sid, your memory bank is far better than mine, the way you recall meetings and individual performances never ceases to amaze me, I'm envious.  

Arthur Price was indeed a top 2nd division star, chuck in Michael Lee along with Carl Glover and what an era the 70's was for Boston.

My memory on certain issues Nw is very poor,  i  suppose it was just all of my youth was spent going to speedway with my uncle and dad it was full on really special memories i  cherish them.Watching Lee develop from a 16 year old was a privilege really a real natural talent only Carter, J, Crump, Gollob and in recent years Ward have excited me as much.