madbiker

Mrs Sheffield, you brought back memories with the phone call thing, I remember when he won those aussie titles, 2 on the trot as I recall ! I told him to let me know how he went to help me get him sponsors and a better pay deal, of course what he did was to ring me straight after the meeting ie 3am our time and shout down the phone "G`day yer Baaaaarstad it`s the Aussie champion here" I always felt he treated his racing in the UK as a holiday, never really taking it seriously, if he had really applied himself I think he could have gone a long way, still he enjoyed life and certainly had an eye for the ladies, you barely saw him with the same one twice ! ;-)

Mrs Sheffield, I too was a Long Eaton fan from 83 till they closed down, some great nights ! winning the league was fantastic, and some great riders as well, remember Gerald Short, ? his blasts round the boards will live in my memory for ever ! as for Glenn Doyle, I also got to know him very well. I sponsored him and then became his personal manager, in fact it was me who got him his deal at Bradford, alas I too have lost touch with him now, I am now a Football fan although I still watch speedway on tv. have some great memories of Sheffield as well.

In my years as a Long Eaton follower following the "death" of my beloved Lions, I remember Mike Spink riding for them, was`nt he a former Crusader :?:

My best memory of "Shakey" was the midland pairs handicap at Leicester, can`t remember the year, in that meeting they used to pair up a heat leader with a second string but handicap the heat leader by 30 yards, my memory has faded a bit but I remember him getting an 18 point maximum, non of the top riders, including Olsen etc could catch and pass him ! I think he was paired with Johnny Boulger and they won the meeting, may be wrong though, great night though.

I`ll echo those thoughts Gemini, I too remember Ken.

Howling Gorgon, calm down, did you not see the smilie ????? it was meant as a joke, in my day even Coventry fans had a sense of humour ! obviously things have changed.

Or indeed any riders from any other teams ! there is more to heaven and earth than Coventry !! not that their fans ever thought that !