norbold

The only track I've visited but not seen speedway at was Esbjerg in Denmark. Back in 1971, I went on the Wimbledon Supporters' Coach (don't ask!) to see the World Final, held in Gothenburg that year. We took the boat from Harwich to Esbjerg and as the coach left Esbjerg, we stopped off to have a look at Esbjerg Stadium. While there, I picked up a programme that I just found lying on the ground. When we got back to the coach, I passed it round for people to see - I never got it back! It is the only speedway programme I once had that I no longer have.

And here we are again. 86 years today.

Yes, there is a whole series of books by Peter Jackson, which give full statistics for the years 1933 - 1957, including all riders' averages (home, away and total), based on conversion to cma. They are a goldmine of information!

Speedway, the Pre-War Years by Robert Bamford.

There were also a few occasions in 1960 when we tracked six world finalists, including a four times World Champion!

We're the same age, Split!

Dick Case and Billy Lamont, Wimbledon 1932. Norman Lindsay and Ray Duggan, Harringay 1947.

Jack Young actually beat Moore, Knutson, Briggs and Craven in the Tom Farndon Trophy while the week before he had won the King of the South Cup, also at New Cross, beating Fundin, Moore and Briggs. So, in the course of those two weeks he beat every one of the "Big Five", some more than once! I was at both meetings and have always felt very privileged to have seen Youngie as he must have been at his best in the early 50s.

1963 was a bad year for New Cross; the crowds were small and the atmosphere nothing like it had been. In 1960 and 1961 the atmosphere was great. I don't want to upset chr too much, but I think the atmosphere at New Cross was better than West Ham. Being such a small stadium with the crowds more compact into a smaller area made it one of the best. I think the problem with 1963 was that the New Cross crowds were used to seeing the best. They had always been a "First Division" team and, good as the likes of Jimmy Squibb and Reg Reeves were, they weren't Barry Briggs, Ronnie Moore and Ove Fundin. What made matters even worse was the early injury to Reg Reeves, leaving New Cross as a candidate for bottom of the league - the second league at that! - as they lost 12 out of 14 matches. The crowds drifted away and even those that were left couldn't get very enthusiastic.

I got to Cradley once, the night West Ham won the League (and treble) there in 1965. A great night! Actually, it's another of my college stories....As I said earlier, I was at college in Norwich in 1965, and I really wanted to get to Cradley to see West Ham win the League, so I rounded up three friends, who had never been to speedway before, and we hired a car to drive across to Cradley. After getting lost in Halesowen, we finally made it. When we got there I joined the group of West Ham fans who had come up by coach. After the meeting, I celebrated with the Hammers' fans and decided to go back on the coach to London with them to continue the celebrations. My college friends slept the night in the car. Fortunately one of them could drive as well, so they drove back to Norwich the next morning.

Yes, there was stadium of sorts there and they certainly charged admission - 6d.

You can still see the outline of the track and the banking at the granddaddy of them all - High Beech.

The long and the short of it as you might say…..

You were saying…..?

Norwich, Crystal Palace, Walthamstow, Greenford and Clapton (Lea Bridge). A story about my never going to Norwich. I left school in 1965 and went to Teacher Training College in Norwich. Although I left school in 1965, I'd had to apply for college in 1964, so I applied for Norwich specially so i would be able to go to speedway there. Sadly as we know, Norwich closed at the end of 1964, so I was to remain speedwayless - though I did get along to King's Lynn once!

I guess the referee operates the tapes doesn't he? I don't think anyone has said any different…..

I'm glad Scott Nichols explained for viewers, "who are not too sure", that the tapes are computer generated and not operated by the referee, as I don't think Nigel Pearson has ever mentioned it.

Lucky guess?

New Cross, West Ham, Hackney, Harringay, Wembley. Sigh!

Talking of riders seeing their team mates home, we shouldn't forget the hero of Rye House, Kelvin Mullarkey. He was a master at the art of team riding. For example in the three years, 1978-1980, he scored 45, 84 and 69 bonus points respectively.

That I've seen: Ove Fundin, Stan Stevens, Reg Luckhurst, Jimmy Gooch, Ken McKinlay

Heavy rain now being forecast for this evening.

To be clear, I am in no way suggesting anything here, but it certainly does Zmarzlik a favour by having Kubera in the semi final, as that means at least one of his main rivals will not get there and will therefore drop points.

Are you sure you don't mean 13th= - in 1936?

Sorry, BOBBATH, I hope I can put this delicately, but you've got Aub wrong again. It was 1958 when he came third!