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I am going to simplify as much as possible. You have either not read my prior posts or are unable to absorb information and facts presented. I am not too sure but I will give you the benefit of the doubt. You brought the word status into the conversation, so I will go with that if it helps. The promoter of the speedway club decides who comes in on a free pass. The ex-rider who has no status in this decision making process does not. The criteria I would use if I was the promoter would be - I own the P&L and I am responsible for the financial success or failure of the club. Therefore I will make the call as to who gets in for free. This will not be decided for me and certainly not by an ex-rider who wants 100s of his associates and cronies to come in for free week in, week out. I also will not be told what I can and cannot do by a long retired ex-rider. For 7 years, said ex-rider has pursued a quest that he is never going to attain and believes he can on the basis of his own perceived status of himself that he has the power to enforce this. That in my book is delusional. I go back to another post (which you should read or re-read) - he has issued demands and threats for the above to be enforced, not requests. He is not entitled to it. End of. If Peter Collins decides to buy Belle Vue tomorrow and has a successful bid accepted (watch out for pigs flying in the skies over Gorton) then he is fully entitled as the business owner to decides who does and does not enter for free. Based on 1988 when he did have the promotion status - he did not issue passes to many, many riders. Hypocrisy of the highest order. Great rider, fantastic achievements and represented his country on the world stage Based on my own experience - despicable human being.

I assume none on here know exactly how Peter Collins stroke has affected him. I assume you all seen the current adverts on TV where quick action is needed to treat a stroke victim - remember the advert uses F.A.S.T. (face, arms, speech, time). The internet has just informed that every minute a stroke is not attended 1.9 billion brain cells die. So how long was PC not attended that morning he had the stroke. The internet also informed me a stroke can affect different parts of the brain, and therefore different functions. I know that by exprience. My dad, in his late 80’s dropped one morning, well over an hour (we don’t know how long) before he was found in a coma. Never recovered, 4 days later he died. He was worrying about mum, his wife for over 60 years. She had a number of strokes, such that when she died some 2 years after her first stroke she couldn’t do anything for herself. Internet also informs me one type of stroke affects logical thinking. Maybe that’s the type of stroke PC suffered, no one here probably knows. But if that is the case it could be why he acted the way he did that night signing books. As my mum and dad died of a stroke(s), I am being treated as likely to have a stroke. I just hope if I survive and my actions are at times unusual, even offensive, people around me will cut me some slack. We are all imperfect humans and at times will, and do, offend others.

Funny really, cos I’d be more inclined to believe someone who rarely posts, than someone with thousands.

Well you should know you start 99% of them

I think she would be better than hook or Bickley tbh.

Great post, enough description to create a picture in the minds eye of that race, the noise, smell, crowd noise, brilliant. I was fortunate enough to see the run-off between PC & Michanek in the 73 cup final, said by those present to be the best race they had ever seen. I can still take myself back to that night and recall the excitement.

One of the best races I ever witnessed was between PC (guesting for Dave Morton) and White City's Gordon Kennett at Hackney in 1977. They rode shoulder to shoulder for the entire four laps (PC on the outside and Gordon the inside) giving each other plenty of room to race and finished a "dead heat" as they crossed the line...great stuff!

The ACU/SCB do not have the monopoly on “speedway” so they have only limited rights. For example, Scunthorpe amongst other tracks have run events under Nora 92. Further, there is no “ban on motorsport” in Ulster - the organiser of various motorcycle road racing events have cancelled these for 2023 because they say they cannot afford insurance cover. These events have high risk to spectators - so public liability - because they are run on closed public roads and not in stadiums. “Speedway” is run in more controlled environments where the risk to spectators is far less.

Long time ago it’s was 1975 when Colin got the Max.Berwick won 45-33,in I976 your right Colin was a Lion,Berwick won 43-35.Was there both nights though.Can’t remember what I done yesterday never mind nearly 50 years Ago!!!!!!. Keep up the good work though, great recalling the memories.

Yeah sure you did. Might be easier to believe if Ian had compared their riding careers - you just took the opportunity to take a cheap shot. At least be big enough to accept that when you are called out, back pedalling like this makes you look, quite frankly ridiculous.

Did ride 15 meetings at reserve though, Easy for riders to fill their boots against NL reserves and 3.00/3.50 journey men imo.

Call them what you will, what I do know is that when these "caravan dwellers" turn up that invariably means trouble for the local neighbourhood. It makes no difference whether you describe them as Travellers or Gypsies.

Again, PC put himself in a position where he wrote, and publicised, his book - those around him, including his publisher, knew his condition. You can carry on excusing him, but, he was out of order and has apologised accordingly.

Workington, Oxford & Leicester look the favourites to me.

Henceforth to be known as Poole Pikey day.?

Could we please leave politics out of a speeway thread and concentrate on the new season, and that goes for football too, mon the Glasgow Tigers

I agree. But I'm asking only because I follow this pretty closely and haven't heard or seen any evidence to suggest it's going to happen any time soon.

Emil has now been approved to ride in the uk by fim , expect a signing announcement soon !

Post... Well done.... No one will know what impact such things will have...

Compare Masters away average to GP riders Jack Holder & Max Fricke, Nikolai Klint (only did 4 matches mind) or Chris Harris (number one last year, but not this year) & he doesn't seem so bad! Masters 7.36 (8.09) Fricke 7.32 (8.10) Harris 7.27 (7.87) Klindt 7.06 (7.53) Holder 6.34 (7.22)

Would also be a poor signing at that.

Unsure, would have to revisit, which I will when I get chance, to establish who it is, not that I would recognise his voice, hopefully an introduction at the start will help.

i no mate but it is in a pretty poor state these days , would break your heart as it was the best stadium and track they ever had

Good post, very clear.

He had had 2 good seasons at Berwick was disappointed when he went Paisley.

Here you are, attempting to take the moral high ground - fooling nobody. Oh, and I'm not here to answer your questions so you'll have a long wait.

Yes he did, right handlebar, also Mich was on Bernie Leigh's bike, not one known for speed round Hyde Rd Bernie irrc but Mich had it working like a dream in that race. The other day I came across an audio commentary of the meeting on cd, no idea where I got it but I did have a quick listen and then fast forwarded to 'that race', great to hear.

That's a race I would have enjoyed...it's written down in speedway folklore. My first visit to Hyde Road (1984) I remember well a race involving Hans Nielsen, PC & Chris Morton. Hans made the gate and tried to cover as much of the track as possible as PC & Mort were buzzing around his rear wheel and they both eventually passed him...one on the outside the other the inside and there was nothing that Hans could do about it! Going back to the 1973 PC & Mich encounter I recall that PC was operating both the clutch and throttle on the same right (?) handlebar...quite a feat!

I agree ...match winner in those heats (Doyle)...

All gone now

Hmm, is it wise to have it on April Fools Day?

You really have got hold of the wrong end of the snooker cue. I make NO mention of comparing the riding status of Peter Collins and Mark Lemon. I will let you re-read the section :- I noticed in his book that ''all Mark Lemon needs to do is go to his house and sort it out with him'' which suggests he still believes he is the 'A' aide as they would say in boxing. He still believes he holds the power position and that is simply delusional. Please show me where I compare the respective riding achievements? Mark Lemon is the PROMOTER at Belle Vue Speedway and the person making the call on who does and does not enter on a free pass. Not Peter Collins. I also quote directly from his book. I do not compare them as speedway riders. For some strange and bizarre reason - you do.

Didn't Sheffield use up THREE of their allowed TWO changes last season?

Tbh anyone can be in speedway

He went injury free all of last year and purely off memory the year before that too. Not to mention he is actually still a very capable rider and very much a no.1 in this league.

Lewy Any truth in the rumour its Celina Liebmann ? Apparently Gary May has found a loophole in Home office regulations that means in a sport classed as a male sport the BSPL would have to reduce the usual starter average to 2 points for an overseas ex EU rider. I gather Plymouth Press and Practice is Saturday 1st April, sure to attract massive TV interest.

I doubt the "low life" will be deterred by that. They have no respect for anything or anyone.

Since we lost Peter Craven in 1963 and the first World Pairs Championship wasn't staged until 1968, it's hardly surprising that Craven's total number of World Pairs title wins exactly matches the total number of terminal cancer patients he callously insulted.

Great read,keep up the good work.Was at the meeting at Paisley with Newcastle when all the trouble with track width.

No Happy Pills though....

...personally I would have thought a photo/plaque commemorating Peter Craven would be appropriate in a suite/room named after him?

You're correct. Obviously lots of Peter Craven in the Peter Craven Memorial meeting programme (and a big photo of him on the cover). Don't think there was any mention of Peter Collins in the Peter Craven programme (unless he bought one himself off ebay and scrawled a nice message in it). No photos of anyone inside the Peter Craven suite, as you say it's a multi-use function suite used by lots of sports and schools. But there are some big boards in the concourse with list details of the achievements and the multiple world titles won by Mauger, Fundin, Crump, Craven, and even the single title won by Collins.

I presumed with the Victor Meldrew avatar it was an attempt at comedy that had just missed by a long way. In terms of Lemon's management ability in his 5 years in charge, I'd say 4 Premiership play-off appearances, 2 Premiership play-off Finals, a Premiership Title, a Premiership Knock-out Cup win, a National League win, and a National League Cup Final was pretty decent, but I'm not sure what relevance this has to the topic in hand of Peter Collins' BV vendetta, his list of 100+ friends, and his scrawling an obnoxious message in a dying man's book.

What do his riding achievements have to do with this? Or are you just being juvenile and spiteful? Maybe contact him about this, he seems like a reasonable person and would likely hear you out.

There must be some way of making sure that Kemp, Rowe and Thompson have Championship spots if they want them before handing out work permits for similar standard non Brits.

Keeping nostalgia alive!

Absolute result this morning that Worrall is joining Peterborough! Was worried we were going to have him at Ipswich again.

I thought that visa was only applicable to that rider for that particular team, if he changes Teams does he not have to obtain another visa ?, I have to admit I am unsure what the home office rules are with regard riders and sponsors, what I will say is that I think it is wrong that British riders are without Team places when visa riders can obtain Team places, but hey its what it is..

Emil was only a rumour, thought evryone knew that.

WWE is hardly dripping with credibility. I am being a tad facetious of course. I accept speedway's lack of credibility is an issue. But its not the biggest issue. If you had a time machine and brought 70s and 80s British Speedway back to the modern day and presented that to a 2023 audience, it would still be badly struggling.