steve roberts

Funny but we called ourselves the 'Crusaders'! The jackets were based on the Canterbury version but were red instead of blue.

Fascinating clip! A group of us used to cycle speedway on a make ship track in Littlemore back in the early seventies. I went to watch the Horspath 'Hammers' on a couple of occasions and it sure was rough...anything seemed to go (except someone got excluded for swearing at the official I seem to recall!)

Personally I always enjoyed watching racing on small, technical tracks although watching racing around Exeter could be breathtaking! Some tracks appeared to be 'trick tracks' and caught many riders out. John Berry always maintained that Ipswich really tested a rider's ability.

Very impressive...so you got to see Lionel Van Pragg?

Yes when I last took a peak at Sandy Lane on one of my visits back to Oxford the stadium was looking very sorry for itself! Criminal really. Used to play snooker there...remember Nigel De'Ath and Per Sorensen enjoying a game next to me on one particular occasion! Just got me thinking how one would watch racing from different places depending on which track! Swindon I used to stand on the home straight. Coventry on the first bend. Reading the back straight and so it goes on. I guess that each track offered differing viewpoints whereas at Wolves, if I recall, you didn't have much choice other than to stand on the home straight!

Does Erik Stenlund count (World Ice Speedway Champion)?

What constituted a good night out to the speedway for me was watching two evenly balanced teams (local derbies against Swindon & Reading were always competitive) battle it out on a good race surface (we were lucky during the early Nielsen years at Cowley as the track surface was prepared second to none). The noise and smell and although never a great fan of Peter York he did create atmosphere. A vociferous visiting crowd (coaches used to travel around the country in those days) who gave one a good opportunity to interact with and surrounded by locals on my favoured third bend who I got to know over many years whereby we would discuss tactics etc. I'm sure that there are those who would disagree but I always felt that Oxford produced first class, close racing and was the perfect shape to allow calculated manoeuvres by those riders with the ability to use heir heads. And, hopefully, rounded off with a home win! What was it they used to say? 'Happiness is 40-38!' I used to travel extensively around the country in those days and there was nothing better than pulling off a last heat decider to send one home happy!

I would agree (but I would say that!) that Nielsen would have dominated during most of the eighties under a GP formula. If I recall he topped the averages for most of that period and although other riders would have won various rounds Nielsen was by far the most consistent.

Yes I preferred the 13 heat formula and a second half (we were spoilt at Oxford during the early seventies as we got to see the kids from both Eastbourne & Peterborough in the second halves). The heat leaders (1, 3 & 5) were always pitted against each other during the course of the meeting (but of course some Team Mangers played it tactically and sometimes programmed a heat leader to ride at number 4 or even at number 2) I think that it was 'Good Old' Bernie Leigh who has been quoted as saying that the number 4 position was the worse as the second string never had an easy programmed ride. Also, as you say, having more teams in the league meant that you only got to see some teams perhaps once a year which made the occasion special. Ivan Mauger would visit Oxford perhaps just the once, or at the very most twice a year, to Cowley.

John Berry...how he is missed!

Didn't Graham Hambly travel up from Plymouth after announcing at the football in the afternoon to make Swindon for the evening?

I got to enjoy the tones of John Earrey when he was presenter at White City. How he remained impartial when Ipswich came to town I don't know...a true professional!

Perhaps we should start a new thread...'Who was the best announcer?'

'As long as we know' Followed by 'The William Tell Overture"

I have a vast collection of DVDs from the 70s, 80s, 90s & 00s and matches are variable during that entire period. The camera work often leaves a lot to be desired (often not catching the action at the back) and although enjoying them from a nostalgic point of view it's the atmosphere that's missing - although listening to the soft tones of Dave Hammond over the PA does help bring it back to me!

Remember hearing the news of his death during a meeting at White City in 1977. RIP

If you say so! Blimey! Pot, kettle and black comes to mind here!

Peter Craven is one rider I would really liked to have seen. He remained the track record holder (63 seconds) at Oxford for nigh on 11 years...it was only beaten when it was decided to shorten the track and a new record established (Phil Crump who established a new time although Dave Perks was the first rider to circumnavigate Cowley at 62 seconds - although the track was different than in Peter's time) Sorry got my facts wrong...it was Ole Olsen who registered a new track record of 65.2 seconds (in case Mr.Peasley is lurking!)

Okay 95 per cent then...but the thing that bugs me are the posters who think that they are always right and continue to niggle away and should show a little more respect to other posters. As I keep commenting a little humility goes a long way.

Following on from a similar thread I'd be interested to know who has seen the most World Champions? I've seen the following: Moore Fundin Briggs Mauger Sczakiel Michanek Collins Lee Penhall Muller Gundersen Nielsen Jonsson J.O.Pedersen Ermolenko Rickardsson Hamill Hancock Crump Gollob Havelock Loram Olsen N.Pedersen

Agree 100 per cent! (don't know how to type percentages!)

Superb club man for both Swindon and Exeter and achieved very high averages for most of his BL career. Never was able to transfer that dominance to the international scene although he did have a very credible Test Match record.

As much as I hate to admit it being an Oxford supporter Martin was a very classy act! Although my first hero 'Cassius' Middleton often had the beating of Briggo he always seemed to come unstuck when up against 'Crash!' Martin's inside moves on the pits bend at Blunsden were superb and he has left me with many memories!

Yes I did realise that...just adding a bit of light hearted banter! However your question was 'How many world titles did he win?' The question is irrelevant as, with the benefit of hindsight, he never won the Individual Championship...however he qualified for the 1968 Final presumably hoping to win (his 1968 average was an impressive 10.72)?

Two! He was a member of the Great Britain Team that won the WTC in 1968 and 1975.