martinmauger

Will interesting once they (hopefully) actually start digging and laying bricks as they appear to intend dropping a stadium in 'Lego brick' style as opposed to building it, well, brick by brick. With Chrimbo around the corner, anyone know if Lego make a Speedway Stadium set ? (sorry )....

Same in Hull, though even charity shops and recently a 'Cash Grabbers' have closed. The local footie team and both rugby teams are alledgedly, though I couldn't possibly comment, millions in debt and the council, so people say, constantly bail them out and no seems to give a stuff....

Gotta agree, but IMO he was a better promoter then a team manager, good in both roles but a brilliant promoter....

I once saw 1979 World Final on DVD, with foreign commentary, good result obvioulsy, but also worth it to see Kelly Moran hold back Zenon Plech. 'A Hull 5-1' it was described as for some reason (!). As per 1979 WTC Qualy at Reading, the 'race' between Kelly Moran and Gordon Kennett slithering around in the sludge has to be seen to be believed. Re: 1977 World Final (another good result) most, if not all, heats were shown on the same afternoon by BBC's Grandstand & then ITV's World Of Sport. Not at the same time and just as well since VCRs weren't common at that time so while there some repeated heats, I got see most of the meeting....

Juts think; in 1997 one could have bought Hull's Craven Park (lock, stock, barrel with speedway track in situ) for - £600,000. Oh, how I had wished like never before for a row of colourful numberd balls to line up and match my predictions....

Having never visisted the much bally-hooed Blundson back straight toilets, which I would still describe as 'of recent vintage', one can only imagine what they were like. Being more familiar with the back straight loo facility at the Boulevard, which built almost a full century earlier in 1865 as opposed to the much more modern 1949-ish Blundson. I would describe the Boulevard loos as 'un-lit and open to elements cess-trenches'. Sarcasm (who me?) aside, one visit was more than enough much bettter to 'go' before leaving home....

A fair bit to digest from the AGM , time will tell how things pan out. Just one quick point; hope the 're-branding' lasts because the names of the 2 top leagues at least have been changed, again. I know the last change, to Elite & Premier, was in 1997, not sure when the Conference League became National league, but league name changes do seem to occur a lot in speedway.....

Highlights of the 'splish splash show' you mention are on Youtube, I know cos I've seen it. Now that meeting, and 1977 World Final, were wet meetings....

True, but not as many meetings as these days, more clubs & more matches in those days. Think (without checking progs) Hull could only use either Owen say 8 times I remember dispensation was applied to BSPA / SCB for to use Joe for most of the season(s) but it was refused. Agree with the point though: not enough riders to go round and the number doubling, and even tripling up, is too many....

Terrific commentator, so many of my early experiences and memories of speedway on TV were brilliantly described by Dave. Of Ivan Mauger (1973 World Final): "Here comes Mauger around the outside, come on Ivan my son!" Of Peter Collins (several times): "And Collins goes high, wide and handsome". And so many more. RIP....

As many already said: muchos kudos for time effort (and patience) keeping folk informed....

+ Redcar ? At Hull's Craven Park, I believe the speedway promotion only received income from season ticket sales, match day admission, programme sales, track shop rent and any sponsorship + fence / programme advertising, of which there was almost always a lot. Not sure about car parking income, but bar takings went to the landlords.. Early doors Craven Park had to be the ideal model for a stadium paying for itself as near to 7 days a week as possible staging, as it did, rugby, speedway, greyhounds + functions in the bar(s). Apparently future plans included a round of the short - track / flat - track racing series which was televised. Sadly, these days the Lightstream Stadium, as it is now known, only stages rugbny league with speedway totally out of the picture due to a new stand 'squaring off' what used to be turns 3 & 4. Sigh...

Some kind of promotion, anything, would be a good start. How often do we despair on replying to "speedway, what's that ?". Sigh. A guy at work is into stox and hotrods, well any motorsport really, lived around the corrner from Wimbledon stadium most of his life, untll quite recently, and was completely unaware speedway ever used to run there. Also I'm surprised Woffy's PR haven't gotten him featured in bike / music / lifestyle type of magazine, with his piercings and inkwork he looks more like a heavy metal biker guy than a speedway rider.......

Should have read "completing the race without even losing his position". And it was in fact 2004 I have it on DVD but unable to upload. Phil Morris: Wizzer, as in Wizard Of Wales ? Nice guy Phil; bought a few Reading v Hull vids from him and he threw in some DVDs FOC that he'd previously forgotten to mention. Lovely gesture :t: ....

Dunno either. I've made enquiries and it appears Emiliano has always been nicknamed Poty, even from his Trewlany & Glasgow days, and I believe it to be a common-ish nickname in his native Arngentina. At Hull we just knew him as 'The Crazy Argie' . One reason was in a 2005 race, I believe it was, at Craven Park and knowledgable he had entered turn 1 way too hot and was therefore unlikely to exit turn 2, he let the bike run and rode 2ft UP the fence, completing the race with even losing his position. Class ..

I recall Eriksen's van, hey it was 'just' a van (!), it even made the weekly motorcycle comics: MCN & Motorcycle Weekly....

Yeah, Briggo helped Tatum in 1985/86 (87?) on speedway then Mauger had a little involvment with Kelv's later longtrack wins. Think Mauger also had the odd word with with Simon Wigg, as again did Briggo I think, from time to time....

Think I read it in Briggo' book 'Wembley And Beyond' about Mauger's early Sprouts Elder-style handlebars. Moving slightly sideways, which is what we do on this forum, anyone recall or know who the rider was who needed a logo or slogan covering on his kevlars covering as it was offensive ? I can only remember him being a Dane (or maybe a Swede) who in his first ever meet over here wore kevvies from his 'own country' so all the lettering was in a foreign language and wasn't understood by us Brits - apart from this one word or phrase....

Could be, and prevous post, couldn't quote both. Personally, I used to think it came from his Exeter days when he wore green leathers for a while. Anyone know why Niels Kristian Iversen is sometimes called 'Puk' ?....

Indeed I do (at least I think I do). I believe it given to him by Barry Briggs due to his (Mauger's) handlebars on an early bike resembling those of American rider Lloyd 'Sprouts' Elder who rode in the 1920's & 30's. Coincedentally I read that somewhere recently, probably in a Vintage Speedway Magazine, though more than a bit before my time....

Indeed. Mauger also had an involvement with Mark Loram in 2000. As pointed put ex-World Champs don't seem to help along riders as they used to be, though Nielsen was Denmark team manager in this year's SWC. If Woffy does run training school(s) rider have nothing to lose just by listening to him....

As an ex-modeller, but current track anorak, I can appreciate the effort that went into his brilliant model. Great work. Think the Britains model bikes and riders are the wrong scale for this model and would be too big., a centre piece might work though...

Think Hancock had early tips and assitance form Bruce Penhall and Barry Briggs certainly learned from Ronnie Moore, but Mauger spent a lot of time with Jack Young prior to his 'second coming' (couldn't resist that) to the British League. And so it begat Ole Olsen spent a lot of time with Mauger in their Newcastle days and I believe Peter Collins, & Chris Morton, benefitted from some one-to-one tuition at Hyde Road with Mauger. Chris Morton was never individual Wolrd Chamipion of course but he did win the old World Team Cup with England and the World Best Pairs with Collins....

Kick, schmick. I remember reading of one rider, forget who but think it was at Mildenhall, had a cat, dog & pig of a meeting mechanically and proceeded to bodily pick up his bike and launch it at a wall . He then loudly proclaimed to all in hearing range "don't anyone touch that flipping bike, it's blooming scrap!" . Or words to that effect. Presumably it was loaded up and taken back home (or maybe to a skip)....

As above, various commitments prevent more fequent visits. As an aside, I took my father to watch Scunny Amateurs the week before - his first live meet since watching Hull Angels in 1949 - and he thouroughly enjoyed it and woulda loved the JAPs in 2nd half of the Redcar match. Beat that anyone for re-introducing 'lapsed fans' . Thanks for the missing info, such a blooming shame for the Devils....