25yearfan

Sorry I forgot the Premiership is the top flight of speedway now, I was thinking of the Premier League which was the name of the 2nd Division until a few years ago. Your right and the reason that many teams would go to Saturday nights is cause that's the best night to attract a crowd which is why I think that night is the only viable chance for a reopened Bradford speedway to get break even plus crowds. Look at the woeful Tuesday night crowds in 1997 at Odsal, Rye House wouldn't of shut down had they been allowed to stay racing on Saturday nights and Leicester would still be in the top flight if they could of stayed on Saturdays in that league!

2nd Division speedway on a Saturday night would undoubtedly be the best way forward for a reopened Bradford speedway, I'm convinced midweek speedway would get lower crowds. Why do you say it will never happen?

Yes you are correct, Brafield raceway near Northampton (which last staged speedway in the late 60's) was converted to shale last season. Could a Northampton Rhinos speedway team be a viable propersition at Brafield? As for Yarmouth stadium, its still going strong up to date including reopening during this virus lockdown spell for behind closed doors greyhound meetings. I still maintain that speedway in Yarmouth during the months of June to early September could be viable cause stock car racing draws decent crowds to the venue during the summer months even though the number of entrants can be low due to the midweek nature of the racenights.

Whilst like all speedway fans especially those who went to the venue in the last era when the track was wider than it was in the previous speedway eras there, I hope that speedway can return to the iconic Odsal stadium, I have reservations considering the all conquering first ever EL champions of 1997, the Bradford Dukes more often than not rode in front of crowds under 1000. That 1997 team featured Loram, Havelock, Screen, as well as Josh Larsen, David Walsh and Garry Stead a team that should have attracted viable crowds. A lot of meetings at Odsal that year were staged on Tuesdays which undoubtedly had an adverse effect on crowd levels. Its a shame that the Shay previous home to the Halifax Dukes has been rebuilt cause I've no doubt that speedway would be viably supported in the town. That said combined with stock car racing, then speedway might just be able to hold its head above the water. To ensure the viability of speedway and stock cars at Odsal, racenights have got to be Saturdays and the speedway team should be called the Bradford & Halifax Dukes (with old red, white and blue Halifax colours with the iconic elephant which I believe was something to do with a local regiment) to represent the wider area. I believe Steve Rees has stated he has had interest from existing speedway promotors which is a must cause Rees is a stock car racing man with only a short abortive spell in speedway at Stoke in the 1990's. Like I said I hope it happens cause speedway is stronger with more tracks but those who invest money in to make it happen will be brave persons indeed!

The biggest sport in the world football wouldn't survive on gate receipts alone! The last two sentences I quite agree with and think that the sport in this Country would likely do alright out of it?

The title of the thread indicates exactly what you are saying it isn't! - "England's best" - The very reason why I never mentioned double World Champion Welshman Freddie Williams! Get what you are saying about World team cups and the Pairs wasn't about for most of Nigel Boococks prime in the 60's when he almost certainly would of seen service for an English pairing. Whilst high scoring heatleader form in the British League is a major indicator of a riders top level ability, all 7 riders in this list were out and out number 1's who had regular top average returns for many years so its hard to separate them there. That's why I have used World title successes as my measuring stick hence why Simmo is top of my list! For the record I think Scott Nicholls is up with the best English riders but theirs no way he would have won as many British titles if he'd of ridden in the 1965 - 1992 era when there was a lot more higher level English (and Brits for that matter) riding and at least 10 riders in a British final had a genuine chance of winning! + Its a hard call to make either way for sure but ones things for certain all 7 riders were top level riders during a golden age of speedway that doesn't look like being repeated.

Interesting thread! I'd seriously dispute your claim these are Englands finest especially with the complete omission of any of Englands 7 individual World Champions messrs Price, Craven X 3, Woffinden X 3, Collins, Lee, Havelock and Loram and that's before considering others! Although without doubt the 7 riders you name were all fine riders! I'll play the game and name the riders in the order who I thought was the best out them! 1, Simmons - World no 2 in 1976, and 3 pairs and 4 World team cup golds. One British final win. Had his first League rides in 1963 till 87 then 2 short spells in 1989 and 1993! 2, Louis - World No 3 in 1975 as well as 1 pairs and 3 World team cup golds. One British final win. 1 BLRC win, the only rider out of the 7 to do so. 1st League rides 1970, Last - 1984. 3, Wilson - a few World finals, best placing 4th in 1971, one pairs win and 4 World team cup wins. One British championship win. League speedway 1963 - 1979. 4, Nigel Boocock - 8 World finals, best placing 4th in 1969, No pairs wins best placing 2 3rds, 3 2nd places in the British finals, 1 World team cup win. Rode League speedway from 1955 - 1980. 5, Terry Betts - 1 World final came 12th, 1 World pairs win in 1972, 2 World team cup wins. One 2nd in British final. Rode League speedway from - 1960 - 1979. 6, Martin Ashby - One World final came 11th, one World pairs came 3rd, 2 World team cup wins, No top 3 British final appearances. Rode League speedway from 1961 - 1980. 7, Eric Boocock - 3 World finals best placing 7th, pairs one attempt came 3rd, 2 World team cups best finish 2nd, 1 British final win. Rode League speedway from 1961 till 1974 then a short stint in 1983. Stats courtesy of Wikipedia!

A name synonymous with the sport from the 1950's till at least the early 90's I think.

I remember him in NL in the 80's as a classy smooth rider!

Oval track racing - Simon Wigg, top speedway. longtrack and grasstrack rider over a 23 year career must be the obvious one!

Have be a brave person or persons who reopen speedway at Odsal which couldn't pull in even a 1000 people regularly to watch the brilliant Bradford Dukes team win the 1st ever Elite League title in 1997! That said its not impossible and is more likely to happen if stock cars return to the venue where the four wheeled sport was previously very well supported. League Speedway, International speedway, stock cars, Bradford Park Avenue FC and Bradford Bull RLFC?

Devastating news. I'm glad I saw him in action many times, a great naturally talented rider, full of energy and very entertaining. R.I.P.

I did say 400-1000 so was hinting that the highest figure would be exceptional, though I suspect if (again hopefully when!) Rye House reopen, the opening night would be a crowd in the 1000 range? Lets hope we get to find out what crowds a reopened Rye House speedway can attract sooner rather than later, EG, this season!

If (hopefully when) Rye House speedway reopen they should take the same route as they did in 2000 when they reopened at Hoddesdon by going in the 3rd tier. I haven't been back to Rye House since the mid season closure a couple of years back but surely theres enough room there to accommodate crowds of up to 2000? - Though I suspect crowds of 400-1000 would be the crowd figures in the 3rd tier on a Saturday night? In times of track closures which means less teams plus a surplus of riders who wish to ride and the BSPA hinting they want to drop the standard of the 3rd tier (something I totally disagree with cause theres already a level below the NL and if we are to produce World class British riders then they need to race at a decent level whilst learning) surely it makes sense to allow Rye House to compete in this seasons NL even if the stadium is not quite what it should be?

What like they did with Readings bid to race at Swindon, giving the NL another much needed team, exposure for a homeless club trying to increase interest with a view to finding a location for a new track while giving more NL opportunities for British youngsters??

Unique Character!

100% and add in the factor of another team in the 3rd tier in an area without a 3rd tier team presence would present more opportunities for up and coming British youngsters. BSPA = British speedway prevention association! Complete madness!

A very young age to pass. I remember the impact he made at Ipswich when he came in late season in 1986! Good servant to Coventry and Sheffield! 1989 World Final at Munich when he found a very fast line by sticking his front wheel over the inside line creating a tremendous amount of grip in a Scalextric rail like way! 1991 or 92 Fours final at Peterborough when 3 riders crashed down the back straight in front of him and he then tried to jump over them. The subsequent interview on Anglia TV when he was upset by fans who claimed he was an "idiot" and his "I think the riders are going a bit crazy today!" statement was classic stuff!

Mike Lanham had a chip shop in Ipswich which hes now passed onto his two sons one of whom is Leigh Lanham! Shrimp Davey works at a garage near Ipswich! Ted Howgego owns confectionary stores. Mel Taylor works for a housing developer. John Gibbons owns a plant hire/groundworks business. Mick Hines owns a forklift business. Robert Henry was driving a sweeper lorry!

Great servant to speedway particularly the Northern tracks. Was well into his 40's when he finally packed up in the mid to late 70's I believe? Like others said if it weren't for the downturn in speedway North of the Border during those fallow years of the late 50's and running the farm he and his brother could of gone further and maybe made a World final or two!

Very weak Newcastle Diamonds team but as other have alluded to its better than no racing at all and Newcastles got a stronger team than my original speedway team, Norwich Stars! Just hope the weak team doesn't reduce the crowd levels too much?

I believe the infamous Steve Ribbons made enquiries about speedway at Harlow a number of years ago. A bit ramshackle but taking Rye House out of the equation might be a viable concern at NL level with the right promotion in charge? That said Rye House is still used as a training track so more chance of League speedway there I reckon.

Yeah like the massively profit making but politically correct athletics events!

I see a couple of posters on the Oxford Mail website have suggested that its madness to contemplate spending a load of money on Oxford stadium to reopen dying sports like speedway and greyhound racing! While the slow demise of both sports is very true they aren't terminal and there are other agendas to consider as well like the stadium would be used for other activites and the overall social beneifits to the local community would be indeed very benefical!

I believe Ipswich speedway had a similar case a few years ago where a women complained about the speedway on a specific night when there wasn't any speedway that night! It beggars belief how pig ignorant some people are. I still remember the hugely successful Romford Bombers speedway (averaging 5000 crowds) shutting down in 1971 after losing a High court case brought against them by ONE guy who lived live by. Ironically this dreadful person moved soon after winning this case and cut of an avenue of pleasure for his son who was a Regular at Brooklands! Crazy! Think of the income 5000 average crowds was bringing to the area in terms of money spent in nearby outlets and jobs created on racenights. I'm still convinced that had Romford been allowed to continue, they'd of had a similar successful history to that of fellow early 70's Division 2 boom track Ipswich and would be a well established top flight track even now? Did Oxford ever have problems with NIMBY's? - If so it could be a problem if the speedways ever reinstated at the stadium?