Parsloes 1928 nearly

WHAT???!!! How on earth do you work that one out...??!! Crayford had closed, shazzy!! The fact that a number of the riders and the Kestrels name re-emerged at Hackney was in no way relevant to the fact that our track and our club had been wiped off the map!!!!

Did they change the track in 1984..?? I was so disgusted at what had happened to my team (Crayford) that I didn't venture to see the Kestrels at Waterden Rd.!!

Hmm, Hackney swallowing up Crayford would be my description of the events of 1984 (not '83)..!!!

The peanut sellers at London sporting events is one of the really missed icons from my youth & teens!! I used to see the same guys at White City on a Wednesday, Hackney on a Friday and then on the Clock End on a Saturday. And doubtless they had 'gigs' on the other days: though rarely if ever Sundays in those days.. The all-seater stadiums did for them at football; and, well, the Speedway tracks were just all done in, period... I notice no-one other than me is admitting ever going in the stripper pub after a meeting...!!

And getting home to north-west Kent from that marathon meeting always caused me grief!! Remember one time ending up at bloody Kidbrooke Station (must've been the only vaguely familiar destination available from a long post-midnight London Bridge); and having to get my disgruntled Dad out of his bed to come and pick me up.. That was when it was good that it was October and there was no Speedway for months, so I could get back in the parents' good books.. Funny enuff, not much has changed 'cept it's a wife now I have to hope forgets over the winter about my Speedway 'misdemeanors'..!! Now, what was the name of the pub near the Stadium with, er, "glamour dancing" on after the meeting..?? Come to think of it, calling in there may have contributed to my late-night stranding in the midst of Kidbrooke’s inhospitable the Ferrier Estate.. was it The Falcon or something like that..??

I first went to Waterden Rd. in 1975 - 'twas vs. Sheffield : Dave Kennett’s photo was on the front cover of the prog.!! Remember I went via Leyton tube station and asked a few people the way when in the Ruckholt Rd. area: no-one had ever heard of the place!!! But that became my regular route; though sometimes we'd go a long circuitous route (from Orpington!) via the 51 to Woolwich, the foot tunnel then the bus via East Ham. Phew!! Me and my fellow Crayford pal Rowan (who occasionally lurks on here!!) would always support the opposition, such was our antipathy (not quite sure from where this derived..!!) for the Hawks. Of course, in those days the track shop on the second bend was under the stewardship of our good pal Del Lewis; and it was never the same on that terrace after Del's tragic death in a motorbike crash. I remember Kestrels News fondly from its original (and only true!! ) incarnation: at Crayford. Blimey, that guy Williams was a visionary (though beer had much to do with it!!): as, surely, not only was this Speedway's first fanzine but also predated any Football fanzine. In fact, I don't think there was actually such a word/concept as Fanzine when Bryn dreamt up and delivered on the peerless Kestrels News!! I say, first Speedway fanzine..: but actually I've never heard of another.. Has there been anything to compare with Kestrels News..??

Fairly incredible to recall that when cigarette company, Gauloise sponsored events, the aforementioned 'bunny girls' would go around the crowd handing out individual examples of the company's product..! Strangely, though, when Durex sponsored the NL Fours the same thing didn't happen...!!

To do Speedway's finest ever terrace chant justice (and to clarify for those puzzled by this..) it was sung to the then popular Football chant, "Wem-bley Wem-bley, we're the famous Arsenal (or whoever..!) and we're going to Wem-bely"; and went, "Weatherley, Weatherley; and he rides for White City; and we're gonna win the League".. And I'll never forget singing it with the revised final line of "and we've gone and won the League" in the Monmore Green bar in October 1977! As you say, incredible that, that was 30 years ago..! And yes, lucifer sam: White City WAS another club I've supported over the years!!

Saw some smartly attired track rakers at the meeting at Marketa (the Czech Under 19s championship which you very kindly alerted to me) back in October. Mind you, they didn't actually DO very much raking!!!! As for the Plough Lane burgers.. Well, good they may have been in the '70s; but they were rank in the 2002'-05 era, where the GRA's rubbish staff proved that fast food can be neither fast nor indeed edible!!!

You're right!! It's my week for getting things wrong !! Yes, 'twas Viktor. Two of his team mates at the magnificent White City that afternoon (got all their autographs in my prog!!) WERE Vladimirs..: Paznikov (who I really can't recall anything else about.. ) and one of the two famous Gordeev brothers in the team, who made several World Finals (the younger one was Valeri); plus another rider who did well in a couple of WFs (indeed flirting with winning it in '73), Grigori Khlinovsky.

Remember meeting Vladimir Trofimov at White City (WTC Final '76) and he gave me a load of Soviet Speedway (and other) badges which was very nice of him. He was IMO the top USSR rider of his day and with a bit more luck could've moved just one notch up and made a World Championship rostrum. Any news of what he's up to now..??

Interesting..!! And a possible theme to develop here. I understand from another recently opened thread, that Billy Bragg has recorded a song called 'Speedway Hero' (don't worry if you've not heard of Billy Bragg, speedyguy!! ) Then there's 'Speedway Star', originally by Daniel Johnston and covered by the Pastels which I've just uncovered via Google. Blimey, how many songs about or linked to the sport are lurking out there..??!!

Gosh, a bit of a general question there, vicar!! Surely you don't want EVERY club in Speedway history named on this thread do you..??!! But seeing as I never pass the opportunity to give 'em a name-check , there's CRAYFORD HIGHWAYMEN 1968-1970 and CRAYFORD KESTRELS 1975-1983

"Fast-tracking of kids"..??!! Can't see any of that happening in respect of the World Championship. If Tai Woffinden had been riding in the mid-'70s I'd predict he'd have been a World Finalist by the time he was 20. Under the GPs I'd be surprised if he's allowed anything beyond a pointless 'wild-card' in a home GP before he's, what, 26/27.. By then will he be interested in applying himself to a championship from which he'd effectively have been prohibited for so long..?? The Ed Kennett situation suggests, perhaps not. But it'll be okay..: Greg Hancock will still be collecting his GP pension in it..!!

You say the bottom six from the GPs..: then what about the top ten..: surely that's far too many to be allowed to stay in every year..? I'd say only the top four from the GPs stay in and only the next four go into the GP Challenge. Others who fear they're going to miss out on the top eight will need to compete in the World Championship rounds in order to try and qualify. This is NOT the sort of system I want to see really (there should be a world championship which stands alone in the year it's competed for, not one based entirely on the previous year..!); but if we have to stick with the GPs, this would at least mean that we don't have the sterile, pointless cosy boys club we currently see. The idea of missing out on qualification but this not mattering because you're bound to be nominated provided you come from the right country as we currently see happening makes an utter mockery of the sport..

Well done on the Crayford mention, pd..: I'd have been proud of that one!!! Looking back at the World Finals of what I'd consider to be something of a golden era (certainly the era I was going to World Finals more often than not..) you're certainly right that the Eastern Europeans did monopolise the bottom positions. 1975: bottom 5 all Poles & Russians; ditto 1976 (even though in Poland!); 1977: Poles & Czechs in the bottom four; 1978 & 1979: 4 out of the bottom 5, East Europeans; 1980 4 out of the bottom 5 this time (with Egon Muller the (slightly) odd man out!; and again 4 out of 5 in 1981. You mention Zenon Plech as an honourable exception but looking at the World Final stats from his era, it is remarkable to note that though he is one of a comparative few riders to have two rostrum positions to his name (in '73 and '79) he also finished in the bottom three no fewer than FOUR times ('75, '80, 81 & '83) The fact that the likes of Plech, Muller and Jancarz [2nd. in '68 but himself a bottom five finisher several times ('75,'76,'77 & '81)] suggests to me that the World Finals were consistently far more competitive than the current World Championship format. The likes of Greg Hancock are untroubled each year in remaining in the GP without seriously challenging for the title. There was no such comfort zone in the proper World Championship...

Oh come on..: I know this is the 'History' part of the BSF but surely there must be some posters out there who've bought a record since Del Shannon was in the charts (obviously not you, norbold!! ). No-one's heard of one of the biggest British groups of the 1980s, The Smiths..??!!

I just knew this was going to bamboozle speedyguy..!! Having any kind of a grip of popular culture is clearly not required to work for the SLP..!!!

Good God..: what on earth is the matter with you..?? How on earth is it "arrogant" for me to want Brendan to win..!!?? The point I was making is that unfortunately the title this year hasn't really been the truer reflection of the best in this current age range because there's only been two rounds so far and a number of the leading protaganists (including Bren of course who didn't ride at Northside) haven't even competed in both of those. I've no idea why a championship which was so excellently organised in the previous three years has somewhat disappeared off the radar in 2007..: let's hope it can go back to its former glory in '08. And as I said in my original posting, may the best rider win..!!

Ah, the Smiths... Certainly, of at least one of them, I'd say, This Charming Man... Though when it comes to saying What Difference Does it Make?, well as I said to young Master Lawson, "William, It was Really Nothing". After all, How Soon is Now? And lest we all Panic or Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before, I'm not Half A Person but when it comes to Speedway history moments like this, well: Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want or otherwise I'd have to say, Heavens Knows I'm Miserable Now..

As has been said, it's a great pity that this championship which had multi-rounds in 2004-06 has been so truncated in 2007; having said that and though, of course ,I hope the best rider wins on Friday, I do hope personally that Brendan is the winner as he has always been destined for this title and would IMHO - at this stage - be the most appropriate successor to Josh & Joe. Let's hope the glitches of this year can be overcome (wasn't it originally said that this year would be a 250cc championship..?? ) and that in 2008 it can return to a proper season-long, several venue series...

Hmm, that's a point. Also strange comment that the prog. is said to be in such good condition because" ..it has been stored in an air -tight container for 80 years". Seems strange that somebody would've kept something so 'throwaway' at the time (one reason why quite possibly this is one of just a handful surviving..) in such perfect storage conditions from day one and for so long..??!! The price isn't soaring yet but surely it is going to fetch a packet..!!? BTW, the reason High Beech produces nothing on a search is it's listed under King's Oak...

Can I be the first to say, then, that Filip Sitera will wake up on 6th. October 2008 as the World Under 21 champ..??

Hmm, is that where the secret stash of Jacobs money is secreted then..??!!!! Do you need a lift..?!!

Can only assume that Peter Wigley is your post man!!!!