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steve roberts

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Everything posted by steve roberts

  1. To be fair speedway has rarely enjoyed continual sustainable sponsorship...although during it's last 'Golden Era' Gulf Oil, Marlboro, Durex and Volkswagon were branded sponsors and I recall that during the middle/late eighties Sunbrite came on board. The Mirror Newspaper group were high profile sponsors (which included The Sunday People) but they withdrew their interest before the 'scandals' claim if I recall but I am open to correction? It's a sport that traditionally relied/relies upon small to medium size businesses to back either teams or individuals however many riders have achieved considerable success with personal high profile sponsorship over the years. I remember that Peter York was apppointed by the BSPA to become Commercial Manager but I don't recall how sucessful that post was and whether he was able to attract any big time sponsors? Unfortunately the sport appearing regularly on SKY for many years failed to initiate much in the way of sponsorship at domestic level to the best of my knowledge (?). How other sports have attracted sponsorship and/or media attention despite some having their own 'issues' with drugs and match fixing etc I have no idea as I have no personal interest in other sports and gave up buying newspapers years ago but no doubt there are lots of theories and/or reasons out there.
  2. Central TV (and Anglia TV apparently) used to be pretty good during the eighties showing domestic meetings around the Midlands but nationally it was pretty dire although when cable TV came on board we were fortunate where I lived to be able to watch highlights of National League meetings and later Internationals and British League.
  3. We even used to pop down to Arlington on a Sunday occasionally. During the seventies it was White City on the Wednesday, Oxford Thursdays and Saturdays a visit to Swindon. Certainly couldn't entertain that regime now what with admissions and petrol costs.
  4. Yes I agree that it was an over reaction that Simmo was greatly to blame and one of "Biggest Reasons" for the demise of speedway in this country. The so-called 'Scandal' was obviously one factor but as Martin Rogers' quoted crowds were not immediately affected during that period and it was an accumulation of events that has proved destructive over time. Personally I believe that the demise of "World of Sport" on ITV started the decline as speedway was no longer shown on mainstream TV although regional networks and the BBC dipped in and out over the next few years. I do recall a two page feature of the all-conquering "Cheetahs" team of 1986 (including Wiggy) appearing in a mainstream newspaper but generally speedway within the media was already declining (and it was never that good even during the 'glory years') and some would argue that was due to the emergence and later domination of the Danes and the fall of England's dominance during the seventies that proved a factor. It's a complex issue and one in which there is not one specific reason for the sport's decline but where there are many which have been well documented over the years and no doubt will continue to do so.
  5. It's Malcolm Simmons' fault, apparently, posted on another thread (which is a bizarre statement to make to say the very least) although the reasons I believe lie much deeper and Martin Rogers' gives a very candid and constructive view/opinion in the latest edition of 'Backtrack' as regards to why speedway in this country has declined over the years.
  6. Ivan mentions it in his book and subsequent interviews that he would purposely run his back wheel up on the fence at the County Ground which would then give him the momentum to pass a rider up the inside (where they least expected it) on entering the next bend. If I recall he used to say that it would take him a couple of laps in which to build up the necessary speed.
  7. ...and, of course, Elvis appeared in a film entitled "Speedway".
  8. Yes I remember attending Oxford on the Friday, Swindon or Coventry on Saturday and Mondays a visit to Reading (Bank Holidays Home & Away)...great days!
  9. This thread got me thinking about strange lines some riders used to take on their way to the chequered flag. There was no better sight than watching Dag Lovaas ride the notorious adverse camber on the pits bend at Cowley as he swept round the opposition. He was one of few who were able to negotiate that move successfully before it was removed some years later.
  10. I think Vaclav Verner may well have used the same ploy around the County Ground? He certainly got thru' gaps others feared to tread!
  11. Wasn't the manourvre that was questioned but that Rickardsson claimed that he had meant to carry it out...nine point nine times out of ten it would have ended in a crash. Doesn't matter who made the comment really (only that it was Simmo who went into print) but most speedway fans/observers would have come up with the same opinion. Spectacular move, but not calculated as Rickardsson afterwards claimed, that paid off... on that occasion. He was mighty lucky!
  12. He's both a journalist and one-time Promoter/ General Manager of several teams. He passed an observation based upon my question I put to him regarding whether it was where fundimentally speedway started to decline in this country. He felt that there were more pressing issues...far more detail than I am able to list on here only to say that he was able to out-score said journalist at the subsequent hearing which he attended to which he was congratulated. Well worth subscribing to the magazine to which I highly recommend.
  13. ...read Martin Rogers' most interesting comments on that very subject in the latest edition of the "Backtrack' magazine.
  14. ...which of course was a fluke despite Rickardsson's claims to the contrary. Malcolm Simmons lost a lot of respect for him when Rickardsson later claimed that it was a calculated risk rather than admit it was pure chance and a manourvre a rider wouldn't normally expect to take or get away with.
  15. Exciting race on a track that was prepared for racing and allowing four riders to go full steam over the entire four laps. Reminded me of the Tony Rickardsson ride when he rode up the fence and then claimed that it was the best corner that he had ever made. A pure chance execution that nine times out of ten wouldn't have come off something that "Simmo" also stated at the time.
  16. That's right, Sid, in 1973 when he didn't get any further than the first bend and on falling remained trapped under the kickboard!
  17. I saw Ronnie ride at Poole during his last season in the UK and he was superlative. Never saw Peter Craven ride but I do know that his track record at Cowley (63 secs) stood for over a decade and was only lowered when the track was shortened! Another rider I wished I could have seen was Igor Plechanov who had, if I recall, two outstanding World Final performances against his name.
  18. Remember when I attended an Olle Nygren Training School at Lynn many moons ago now his advice was always "Give it plenty of trottle"...like most Swedes was unable to pronounce "th". Trouble is I was unable to do so but that's another story!
  19. I'm just reading Jackie Stewart's autobiography "Winning Is Not Enough" and having read Ivan's book "Will To Win" there were great similarities as regards their approach to their given sport/life and therefore achievements. Personally I think Ivan would have been succesful whatever the era as he was deep thinking and was always looking at ways of bettering himself whether it was mechanically or state of mind and Jackie had the same mentality.
  20. Just received my edition of 'Backtrack' and Martin admirally, and in great detail, answered my question as regards the "Sunday People" sensationalisms that attempted to undermine the sport back in 1984. Like me he generally didn't really think that it had any short/long term effect and apparently when he appeared at the subsequent hearing scored some points against the 'journalist' who wrote the article and was congratulated by the SCB's Michael Limb.
  21. I recall that he went on a crash diet that year and his league form was superlative.
  22. I remember an altercation with Ivan and Malcolm Ballard at Cowley (1973) over a starting offence?
  23. Personally I sit uncomfortably with the memory Gary Guglielmi and the subsequent suicide of Billy Sanders. I can't seperate one from the other. However I wish the event well.
  24. Remember seeing some real old 'ding dongs' during some second half finals...great days and memories!
  25. Remember it well as I was there whilst on holiday in the area.
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