steve roberts

One reason (amongst many) why I stopped going to speedway...the lack of continuity. To have a gap like that in June is just plain nonsense. Without knowing the facts I guess it's due to rider unavailability?

Never made the Internationale for some reason...second most important meeting to the World Final in its hey day. Used to enjoy the big individual meetings (most tracks held at least one invitation meeting a season) but I guess that in this day it wouldn't appeal...one only needs to look at the ELRC as an example of that! The BLRC was the last big meeting/showpiece event of the season (as well as the Second Division equivalent) A chance for fans from all tracks to get together at the end of the season.

I used to enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere of a second half and being able to wind down and chat with mates after the main event...and a chance to enjoy a bag of chips!

I have to say that I used to enjoy a second half especially in the days when Oxford had a tie up with both Eastbourne and Peterborough back in the seventies. Fifteen heats of racing (I assume that's the current heat formula?) isn't good value for money in my opinion.

I actually gave up reading the comment half way thru'!

Yes remember the days following the 'City Rebels' and meeting both Hackney and Wimbledon home and away on Bank Holidays!

Remember them well...although we, Oxford, never did very well in them! Never really liked the 3TT formula as for a third of the meeting your team wasn't involved! Good get together however.

Quite agree!

Agree that John could be abrasive but, boy, he would have shaken things up somewhat!

When I had access to a rule book...and it's many years ago now...there were so many rules and supplementary regulations that it just became so difficult to comprehend. Many of the rules were about the technical side of the sport (bikes etc) and to be honest way too intense in it's interpretation.

Super images!

I agree. The sport needs an independent body and it was on course to happening when John Berry was given the job (1987?) but soon withdrew his name because he could see that he wouldn't get the necessary approval from certain members of the BSPA. A lost opportunity in my opinion and of course, as you say, it will never happen due to vestige interests.

Trouble is, in my opinion, is that the sport has become even more obsessed with averages and statistics which are manipulated to suit a particular case and/or circumstance. This scenario has existed for many years what with the introduction of the points limit back in the late seventies early eighties but from my understanding has become increasingly more difficult to legislate. I've always thought that the 'assessed' average is the one that is most difficult to legislate. I recall Tomasz Gollob being assessed at 7.5 and later the Dryml brothers being burdened with the same (?) although they had no real proven record unlike Gollob. Mitch Shirra has gone on record to say that Coventry purposely dropped race points so as to be able to declare certain riders under the points limit. I'm sure that they weren't the only team to do so either!

Remember the late Bernard Crapper commenting that there became a time that he could no longer understand the rule book. It became too complicated and unwieldy. I once owned a copy of the regulations and you needed to be somewhat of a magician to understand many of the minor rules and regulations.

I followed Gordon during his Oxford, White City and part of his Eastbourne British League career. I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't have ridden at Weymouth during his 'Rebels' years...can't recall either team, in any format, ever riding at Radipole Lane. Couldn't be sure about his Eastbourne appearances however.

Gordon Kennett must also be a strong contender? His British League Division Two career followed by twelve years in the British League and then a further six (?) in the National League?

Super thread!

Am I right to think that Derek Hole, who rode in the seventies, was the son of Johnny?

Not sure where Ken McKinlay would stand having ridden in the old National League, British Leagues One & Two?

As I have often mentioned on this particular thread Clark Osborne was involved with the selling of Cowley Stadium back in 1976 but the stadium was saved by the very active supporters committee of which Bernard Crapper was part of.

Not as I remember it (I was there) The riders were stationary and as the tapes rose Evitts momentarily moved into the path of Gundersen and Erik shut off which allowed the two outside riders (Evitts was on the inside) to take the initiative with Neil winning the race. 'Cass' also perfected the art of sending opponents thru' the tapes when he rode for Oxford in 1972 by nudging the tapes. Simmo once did the same to Kenny Carter at Arlington I seem to recall...much to Carter's annoyance!

Perhaps we should start a new thread...Who was the best Team Manager? Remember when Bob Radford became General Manager at Oxford in 1974 and left during the season! If I remember it all stemmed from the time that he advised Gordon Kennett not to make the trip to Cowley for a British League Bank Holiday Meeting against rivals Swindon because the forecast was bleak. However the meeting went ahead without Gordon (I think Alan Johns deputised?) and 'The Rebels' lost to arch rivals 'The Budgies'! Whenever Bob Radford comments about Oxford there is always a certain amount of bitterness...but he never really fitted in at Cowley in my opinion and it wasn't a surprise that he moved on (a view echoed by the Promoters at the time).

Yes but it's fun though isn't it!

Steve 'Eccles' Holden - Ex Stoke and Oxford rider. Used to live in a caravan at the back of the pits at Oxford. Quite a character. He occasionally went round to my grandmother's for the occasional meal. If I recall he used to hang out with the likes of Peter Collins and the Morton brothers when they were all quite young. He just disappeared off the scene not long after joining Oxford after showing plenty of promise the previous year (1975) at Stoke. Sadly no longer with us.

Continuity was lost and tracks had to juggle their fixtures to fit around the GPs.