steve roberts

Recall the time that Wilkie was excluded at Cowley on one occasion and proceeded to rip the tapes out of their sockets...and didn't he get a response from the fans! Great memories from a great man.

Very sad news...a hard but fair competitor. Always recall when the "Rebels" won at Belle Vue in 1977 Alan insisted that they take a victory parade. RIP.

We had "Kojak" at Oxford who used to wind up the away fans when selling "The Star" & "Mail".

I was no longer an attendee after re-locating some years previous and I have to say that the team in the last couple of years was pretty dire. and the whole Rickardsson thing left a sour taste in one's mouth.

I sincerely hope that some sort of action returns to Cowley as I spent many a happy year there but during these uncertain times, both externally and within speedway, I really wouldn't like to hazzard a guess what might be the future however I wish everyone success who is involved behind the scenes.

Depressing!

Funny but I had my first ever flu jab during this last winter...never felt the needle go in and was told that my arm would probably ache for a couple of days. No reaction at all...when I next saw the pharmacist she asked if I had had a reaction and I retorted whether she had infact injected me!

I re-collect the story when John Berry and Ron Bagley produced a tape measure and proceeded to measure the width of the Hull track in front of baying "Vikings" fans. The track was apparently a bit skinny and Ian Thomas used a shortened tape measure to get it passed by the Control Board?

Who could forget Tom Owen at Eastbourne? There was the time with the broken tea pot which is written in folklore!

Didn't Cyril once kick the stuffed Panthers mascot at Peterborough once in front of the Grandstand?

The occasion that Garry Middleton apparently tied two broomsticks to his handlebars to make his bike wider because he got fed up with Ole Olsen passing him? Surprisingly the referee wouldn't allow him to race before he removed the offending articles!! Remember when he rode down the entire straight at Plough Lane with his left leg stuck out to stop Ray Wilson from sneaking by up the inside!

...or Dick Barrie!

I used to relish the thought of Ian Thomas visiting Cowley with his "Diamonds" or Cyril Crane with his "Barracudas" and the mayhem that would occasionally ensure. Would enliven many a dull meeting...and throw in Soldier Boy for good measure! Good old Bernard Crapper was another who would wind up the oppostion so as to get a reaction. I had a long chat to him once some years ago and he explained that he would sometimes phone the referee from the centre green waving his arms about but was only passing the time of day with him so as to get an otherwise dull meeting livened up!

Unfortunately the advent of four valves and lay downs, diamond frames, alloy wheels, linked forks, tyres etc pushed the costs up over time whereas attendances have dropped significantly which has helped create the present dilemma...certainly in this country.

Something that in an interview with Eric Monaghan in the latest edition of "Backtrack" touches upon whereby his great mate, Nigel Crabtree, comments upon modern young kids not working thinking that they're superstars. Eric also mentions the lack of characters within the sport nowadays and how referees don't appear to encourage a bit of a "bust-up or fracas".

Used to annoy me watching snooker and the number of people continually coughing in the audience.

I'd be very surprised if speedway returns this year?

I've just watched the race in question and personally I didn't see anything suspicious in it. Dave Lanning just adding his usual spin on things as was his wont...Stancl shaking hands with Penhall after the race but that's the norm when a rider wishes to be the first to congratulate a new champion.

I was there too Sid! Milton Keynes were our nearest rivals during our National League days and although not at the same level as Swindon & Reading we used to have some right humdingers with them! I got to see the best of both worlds...White City and Oxford.

The recently deceased Wayne Jackson - Manchester

David Shields was a revelation riding for Oxford in 1978. Scored a maximum in his first match for the "Cheetahs" in a challenge at Milton Keynes...I was there! Shame he didn't come back the following season. Together with John Hack made a formidable early season reserve pairing.

At Oxford we got see a 15 year old Michael Lee take on Colin Richardson in a series of interval match races.

In the British league it was 1984 (not sure about the National League). In 1985 a Junior League replaced the old second half set up which was an admirable idea producing a number of riders of differing talents. However I personally preferred the old tried and tested system which gave riders an opportunity to test their abilities against full team members. There is an opinion that some riders 'bunked off' riding in the second half and although that was sometimes true it wasn't as common as some would suggest...certainly not during my years of following speedway. When the old second half came to an end it also drew negative views from many riders (Phil Crump and Keith Bloxsome...two riders from opposite ends of the speedway hierarchy...for example) I did put the question to Martin Rogers a couple of years ago and his reply in "Backtrack" was most informative and generally he was in favour of the old system. I remember when Oxford Promoter, Chris Shears, re-intoduced an old fashion second half after one meeting in 1995 and it proved popular with the fans however he was ostrasised by fellow promoters and was forced to dis-continue the initiative.

Gutsy Gordon Kennett!

Yes a great side made up of local discoveries...very different to today and perhaps that's where speedway started to go wrong?