steve roberts

...or indeed Aunt Sally! Always remember Dave Clinkard (whatever happened to him?) who took an Aunt Sally set on a trip to Denmark and proceeded to play the game totally bemusing the Danes (and a few Britishers!) present!

I did some talks at schools during the Wagstaff years at Cowley but didn't feel that I got any real backing from the promotion...no tickets and, if I recall, there was talk of a bike being supplied but nothing came of it. All I had was a pair of kevlars which hardly was ever going to catch their imagination!

...what would have been good was a group of kids spending an afternoon/evening behind the scenes watching riders go about their business preparing their bikes and all that entails and watching the racing from the inside etc, But, of course, H&S wouldn't allow any of that now...imagine doing a work experience at the speedway?

I grew up on Blackbird Leys (and proud of it!) and the stadium was but a stone's throw away and the noise generated by the bikes really caught my imagination and on going I dropped football like a stone (I was an ardent football fan) as it had nothing compared to speedway...great days!

...and I had that programme before selling them off much to my regret!

What drew me to the sport was hearing the bikes on a Thursday night where we lived and being curious I just had to go...and was hooked from then on!

I think I'm right in saying that Ipswich withdrew during the early sixties as well as Sunderland?

Yes I was at school during that period and there were very few class mates who were aware of speedway or even went which made me somewhat of a celebrity the fact that Dad was taking us up to London every Wednesday to watch the "Rebels"..."What you're going to London tonight? I've never been" was the question I was often asked!

I think that Oxford's side of 1986 was pretty special especially when the vastly under-rated Per Sorensen joined the side. One has to remember that this was during an era when a team had to declare a junior in the side therefore it's difficult comparing teams over any particular era when points limits/restrictions dictated the make-up of teams. Personally I would put Oxford top of the list as regards the team of the eighties winning three championships and many cups during seasons 1984 - 1989. One shouldn't forget the Newcastle side of 1976. it's funny that Division Two/National League sides tend to get forgotten about in these comparisons?

...or time of the month.

Same with Oxford when we had Reading, Coventry, Swindon and Milton Keynes all within easy reach.

Toto the troll or is it Dopey Debbs?

I was the same at Cowley...it was the group that I stood with who made the evening.

I guess a bit like the Cradley scenario?

Sorry I did mean the A19...confused or what!

An interesting interview with Roy Trigg and, of course, that infamous incident with Garry Middleton and the gun...although Roy's version is slightly different to other versions I have read.

I seem to recall that there was also a plaque dedicated to Alan Wells who used to train there prior to winning his 100m Gold Medal in 1980?

The winter tours to Australia used to be beneficial in bringing riders on...Gordon Kennett came on a bundle when he was chosen to tour during the winter of 1975/76.

That was awful Chunky!

I was born in 1960 therefore have no memories of the fifties but grew up hearing about mum and dad growing up during that time and I have to say it evoked many images in my mind. They appeared to be very happy and so much was going on in their lives what with music, fashion and of course meeting each other and eventually marrying. They both enjoyed their speedway and would talk of having to queue up at 6pm to get into Oxford to get a decent view...it was that packed. They would go up to London to watch the likes of Stan Kenton and overall appeared to have such a wonderfull time before we three came along and their lives were changed forever!

The ROW reserve combination looked to be quite potent on paper...twelve months earlier second and fourth in the world on the same track! I recall the hoo-ha when John Louis was dropped after a poor showing in the proceeding match.

I visited the stadium a few years back (after the speedway had long gone) and got to view the plaque dedicated to Peter Craven.

What a great little film!

There was Matti Olin at Coventry (1974) followed by Ila and Pepe Teromaa at Leicester and Kai Niemi at White City (later Eastbourne). Pajari rode in the UK in 1959...not sure if he was the first but I would hazzard a guess and say that he was?

...I do sometimes wonder?