Onceadon

Gordon Kennett, Malcolm Simmons, Roger Johns and Barry Thomas.

Having criticised White City, it was on the basis of the meetings I had seen there, particularly the appalling British Open in 1982. Gordon Kennett remains one of my all-time favourite riders, and he wasn't just a gater. He could gate, but he was no slouch from behind either. So if a rider like that could handle White City (and I believe he had a 10point + average there for at least seasons 1977/8), it can't have been that quite that bad.

Firstly, my apologies to everyone for not reading the initial thread correctly. Being reminded of fatal accidents is never pleasant and I should have known better. As to my friend from Hackney, I did see some good meetings at Hackney (particularly if Barry Thomas was riding) although alas I wasn't present for what I still believe to be the biggest away win in British League history: Hackney 22 Wimbledon 56 (May 1979, if I recall correctly) I bet you were waiting for that one...........

We're going to disagree a bit more here because I never really liked Canterbury or Peterborough. Hackney was good for racing but I first started going not long after Vic Harding had been killed and Steve Weatherley crippled, and not long before Denny Pyeatt was killed. It always put me off although I did see some superb meetings there, especially if Barry Thomas was riding. For racing Hyde Road was hard to beat, along with Swindon and I thoroughly enjoyed the only meetings I saw at Stoke & Newcastle.

I went to White City in 1982 & 1983 and the meetings were abysmal. The low point had to be the Embassy Open in 1982 when Dennis Sigalos produced the one pass of the meeting to win £5,000. I'll admit I am biased but I saw everyone come from the back at Wimbledon (everyone that could, that is). The masters were Gordon Kennett, Malcolm Simmons & Roger Johns (in both leagues). If you never went to Park Road, Barrow, you never saw a speedway stadium. Go from Wimbledon to that place, yet the meeting against Exeter held in 1985 is my all time favourite.

I have never seen a really bad crash - and hope I never do - but every account I have ever heard says that the worst one was at Hackney in 1979 when Vic Harding was killed and Steve Weatherley crippled for life. It's one of the reasons (along with Denny Pyeatt being killed there in 1982) that I never rated Hackney, although I saw some fine meetings there.

Just put London Road down as one of my favourite tracks. I must admit I only went a couple of times but I saw two superb meetings - v Newcastle & Mildenhall in 1983 - and should have gone more often.

Park Road, Barrow & London Road, Crayford. Who said White City and that Wimbledon was a gaters paradise ? Did that person ever go to White City and see the racing ?