iris123 20,990 Posted May 8, 2004 can get in there through the Unknown riders thread i started i hope.not too good at this. I see after Andrew was criticised by Ivan he claimed he had overtaken more riders in his short career than Mauger had in his rather longer one Cheeky bugger Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,362 Posted May 8, 2004 Ah, I've got it now. Thanks. Good to see there's one of him wearing the 'Suicidal Tendencies' hat! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,362 Posted May 8, 2004 Here's something that might be quite intersting. It's Andrew Silver being interviewed by a typical 80s 'yoof TV' programme called Network 7, when they did a short piece to promote the 1987 British Final. Network 7 Clip 1 Network 7 Clip 2 Ooh, I've gone all Silver-stalgic now! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bee 1 Posted May 11, 2004 Ivan Mauger was right. 100%. Smashing rider and very talented at second division level, ala the Owen Bros. But that riding style! At Rye it was tremendous and he was almost totally unbeatable. The tight track suited that bending over backwards full lock cornering technique. But trouble was, he rode the same on the big open tracks like Swindon. Where full lockers actually lose you a lot of ground. He was never going to change his style, and therefore Mauger was right in reflecting he would never be top class. Still good at his best though. But overall my opinion was the same as Ivan's. A real waste of a great talent never really fully forfilled. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fatface 2,554 Posted May 11, 2004 Agree with most of what Bee says. Silver had his moments, but I don't think he was ever going to better than he actually was. having said that, it's a smashing clip. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,362 Posted May 12, 2004 Not sure I 100% agree, although he certainly had a unique style. He certainly never had any problems getting round Swindon, and a move to a small track like Eastbourne never helped his career. I think it was more a case of a rather casual attitude than anything else, and I suspect that is what Ivan saw in him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnsmithsmooth 0 Posted May 12, 2004 Silver often lost places during races at Swindon, simply because he would pull a full locker and virtually stop. On small tracks like Rye and Arena where he did his apprenticeship you have to turn a bike hard, but There is no need to do that at Blunsdon, something Andrew never learned. That apart, I do believe he didn't use his talents to the full, which is a shame, but there you go. I do recall him turning up to a meet. at Swindon at 7.30 pm and he was so layed back about it, he had to be lifted onto his bike, not sure why! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeneralMelchett 482 Posted May 14, 2004 The race is Heat 4 of Swindon v Ipswich on 29 August 1988. Final score: Swindon 51 Ipswich 37. See my signature for the riders in the race. Goodness me how you have brought back happy memories. Silver was my all time hero, as when i first went to speedway in 1987 he was in his heyday at Arena. The following year he moved up to Swindon and in Aug 1988 we were on holiday in the West Country and my Dad and I took a trip to Blunsdon. I remember the meeting well, Andy scored 14 from 5 and was involved in one of the best races i've ever seen, i'm downloading the clip now but i expect its the one where he feigns to go outsdie donkey and then cuts back to the inside? Classic stuff from a racer. I'm a bit of a expert on Andy's career as i followed it with such interest. he was never to reach the heights he could and maybe should have but i suspect speedway was more of a hobby for him. He did retire and then make a comeback with Eastbourne which for me was a real kick in the teeth as i wanted him back at Arena. he was quite successful for a couple of seasons if I remember correctly but then called it a day. I think Sir kelvin tatum summed it up well on sky this week when he said Lee Richardson had a more polished approach but SCott Nicholls had more natural ability Well for my money Silver was blessed with so much ability, more than any other rider but to a certain extent he wasted it. he was a VERY good snowboarder and often entered championships etc and he always used to work in the Chalets with his fathers business over the winter and i think the piste lifestlye suited him! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeneralMelchett 482 Posted May 14, 2004 can get in there through the Unknown riders thread i started i hope.not too good at this. I see after Andrew was criticised by Ivan he claimed he had overtaken more riders in his short career than Mauger had in his rather longer one Cheeky bugger That was in 87 after he'd just won the NLRC, cheeky but probably not wrong! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shazzybird 10 Posted May 14, 2004 The first clip for an awful second I thought he had pink curling tongs and was doing someones hair til the clip kicked in then all was revealed lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tarabanko 5 Posted August 29, 2004 Andrew Silver rode in Sweden in 1990 for Smederna. He didnt do so good over here. He was a really class act in Rockets colour in the 80's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Shovlar 10,439 Posted August 29, 2004 I remember going to Swindon when Poole rode there in about 1989/90 and Silver was riding for the Robins. Someone on the secondbend/back straight was obviously giving him greif so after the race he pulled up, jumpedd off his bike, hopped over the safety fence and went hunting for the guy. Bloody hilarious! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dekker 239 Posted August 29, 2004 Silver often lost places during races at Swindon, simply because he would pull a full locker and virtually stop. That he did, but then he usually went back past the others within 2 laps, one of the all time greats for the Robins of that era. Silver gave 110% in every race and the fans loved that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Scooterwolf Posted August 31, 2004 (edited) Very talented rider Andy. Sadly it was usually his gating that let him down. When someone was gating poor we used to say he had been to the Andy Silver school of gating. In the second division he could make up for that handicap but in the top flight they have always been more merciless with bad gaters. Saw him many times and could always say value for money and top effort. Like most English riders just lacking that alround quality to make him world class. Pity but good luck to Andy in all he does in the future. Edited August 31, 2004 by Scooterwolf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest BilaHora Posted October 19, 2004 (edited) All I remember very well Andrew Silver's two great seasons in the old National League (1986-87), after he had transferred from Rye House to Arena Essex. I had the pleasure of watching him race several times during those two seasons and he was nothing less than sensational, with a leg trailing style that the crowds loved. His final season in the National League was 1987 and, from memory, he ended with an average in excess of eleven points and won the National League Riders Championship. He scored a maximum at Berrington Lough (Berwick) and Powderhall (Edinburgh) in matches I attended. Then I remember seeing Ivan Mauger telling everyone, via the Speedway Star, that Silver had to "...tidy-up" his style and forget about the leg trailing. The next time I saw Silver was when Berwick were in the First Division and, sure enough, Silver's style was much neater. The problem was, he was no longer very good. The conclusion: a bloody good job Mr Mauger kept his mouth closed about Mark Loram or that Loram himself decided to ignore Mauger advice to "...tidy up" his style. Regards BilaHora Edited November 6, 2004 by BilaHora Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
