norbold

If you mean the Astorias' Annuals and the Five Star Annuals, yes there were, but only the 1957 Five Star Annual has Southern Area League averages, which is why I have the 1956 averages but still need the rest.

The last Stenner's Annual was in 1954.

Thanks PP. Yes, I would be grateful if you could.

Yes, thanks, I have Peter Morrish's book, but it just gives the scores. It doesn't even say how many matches they rode in it so you could work it out yourself! I've also got all the 1964 Speedway Stars. I guess it's a trip up to the loft for that one then!

Thanks sb You mean you can't remember the result of every race you ever saw???

I expect this is a bit of a long shot, but does anyone have the Eastbourne riders' averages from their Southern Area League and Metropolitan League days in the 50s and 60s? The only year I have is 1956, so I am missing 1954, 55, 57, 59 and 64. Thank you!

He must have sneaked an extra one in while no-one was looking!

He scored three full and one paid maximum in 1992. Now for the rest....

Well I do.....but then I don't feel I am qualified to speak on behalf of "normal people"...

That's no way to talk about Liontamer!

High Beech is 19 February this year.

Wal Phillips rode in the first-ever Test match for England against Australia on 30 June 1930 and scored four points. I'll see what information I can dig out for you.

Sorry, Gem, I was at Brighton yesterday... Howard Cole was Kid Bodie. I believe he used the pseudonym when he first started because he didn't want his mother to know he was a speedway rider. I know nothing about George Cole. I have never heard of him so I didn't know if this was Howard Cole or someone entirely different. Sorry.

Good thinking, Bert. Take your time....

Any chance of explaining the explanation, Bert...

Gold smuggling, gun running...nothing too trivial for our Split.

Thanks Hazzman, you're a star!

I don't suppose there's any chance......?

Yes. It remained the track record until West Ham closed in 1972.

7 April 1969. Hammers first home match of the 1969 season v. Leicester. Ray Wilson recorded 70.2, beating the old track record held jointly by Norman Hunter and Sverre Harrfeldt of 70.8

Sorry, the name still doesn't ring a bell, but then if he rode mainly in France on grasstrack and longtrack, I don't suppose it would. You could always ask Alf Hagon if he remembers him...

er...sorry...never heard of Bill Savage. I'll see what I can find out though, unless anyone else knows.

According to Stenner's 1948 Annual. Wigan's opening meeting on 4 April 1947 (Good Friday) was the Easter Cup and was won by Clarke. Ron presumably.

There's a recent photo of Edgar Stangeland here taken at the 2004 VSRA dinner.

I can't remember the whole story off hand, but it was about race fixing as Grachan says and was in the Sunday People. Simon Wigg had apparently, naively, spoken to a stranger who turned out to be an undercover People reporter and told him how some races were "fixed". Wigg was suspended. I can't remember who else was involved. Perhaps it's all in Gareth Rogers new book. Tony?