norbold

And of course, you're not actually comparing like with like as Walthamstow (if that's your 6th London track) was in the 2nd Division, so you should also count Hackney in the Provincial League in 1964, making three London Clubs, not two.

Still irrelevant to the subject under discussion. In any case in 1964 Hackney, West Ham and Wimbledon were all open and joined in 1970 by Wembley. So for the first two years of the 1970s there were four London tracks open.in the British League.

If you've never eaten there how do you know you detest it?

As it happens you are wrong. It's Goddard's that's almost opposite Douglas Way. Manzes is on the corner with Lamerton Street.

The op was talking about the 60s and 70s, so it's quite immaterial that the Sun wasn't around in the 1940s/50s.

There is a Manzes on Deptford High Street, also Goddard's. Both of them are still there.

Nice to see the book reached no.2 in Amazon's best selling philosopher biographies. Never thought of myself as a philosopher before, but it does have a nice ring to it....

Indeed. Manzes is still spoken of in hushed and reverential tones by the Pie & Mash cognoscenti....

My dad used to bring home the Evening News from work every night. One evening, the 11th May 1960 to be precise, I looked at the paper he brought home and saw that New Cross were racing Norwich that evening. I said, "Can we go?" He said, "Yes." The rest is history!

I remember the Daily Express Spring Classic as White Knight says, but I don't recall a meeting where every race was sponsored by a different newspaper.

Damn! I've been outed.

45 days?

I lived right next door to Clapton Greyhound Stadium. We certainly knew all about it on Thursday and Saturday evenings...

When I first mentoned Hackney and unwittingly started off this controversy, that was the period I was really thinking of - pre 1984.

Writing books gives me something to do in my retirement.

I understand there is a brilliant new book being published today. All about growing up in Hackney in the 1950s and 60s and contains a part about going to speedway in the 60s and how the author came to be named after a speedway rider...Looks good. More info here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pie-Mash-Prefabs-1950s-Childhood/dp/1784181234/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425542499&sr=1-1&keywords=Norman+Jacobs

According to Peter Morrish's book, the Newcastle v. Sheffield match was not restaged.and the points were awarded to Newcastle.

I'm sure there must be a joke there somewhere about a pickled onion..... Snap!

Eating a raw onion.

I would have thought that Ward needs to be careful what he says about the FIM and its findings otherwise he could find himself back in front of them on a charge of bringing the sport into disrepute or some such charge.

The racing at New Cross was always very exciting because it was so small. There was never time for a race to become boring! But talking about the best prepared track for good racing, I think I'd have to say the best I visited was Hackney under Len Silver.

I think you mean lowered it.

According to the link above he chose: Favourite track: You Oughta be in Pictures by Ray Conniff & Billy Butterfield Book: Encyclopaedia Luxury: Surfboard I don't know what his other seven records were.

Another former Hammer, Reg Luckhurst made a record.

Agreed sommelier. And it took him years of dedication to reach the top. He wasn't by any means a "natural". When he first came to England as a 17 year old he was, to put it bluntly, a flop. But he went away, worked hard and dedicated himself to the sport. He came back when he was ready, worked even harder, and we all know the end of that story. Without getting too boring on the subject, could I add that Tom Farndon too dedicated himself to the sport. He was probably the first rider to take physical fitness seriously with regular training, was tee-total and didn't smoke. He too wasn't a natural but it was his dedication and hard work that paid off.