BertHoven

Subed, the thought of throwing Mr Andersen out of a window [any window] horrifies me!

Possibly not, Julie. A number of former riders and others have tried to introduce speedway to Spain over quite a number of years but have always failed in spite of their best efforts. I would like to see the latest attempt succeed. Even so I doubt that we would see a GP there in the forseeable future. BTW: PM in your inbox! Stay well, stay happy Ron.

I didn't forget them. I left them off my post to avoid a rainbow effect, Gemini!

I don't wany to be defeatist but I feel that as Sky and BSI combined are such a powerful element in speedway, nothing will be changed without their approval. I can't imagine them wanting to change the format after one year.

Chris Pusey's polka-dot leathers certainly gave a splash of colour in an era when most men wore black. Nigel Boocock wore blue, Ken le Breton wore white leathers, white boots and had an entirely white machine, predictably he was known as The White Ghost. Arthur Forrest of Bradford rode in black leathers but they were always highly polished. Surely, the pioneer of coloured leathers though was the great Belle Vue and England rider Frank Varey who wore bright red leathers. Because of this and his no nonsense, all-out riding style he was known in the various countries as The Red Devil! Great riders and great showmen - all sadly missed today.

Bring in cycle speedway. Much cheaper and much more sporting! Another wee advantage is that there would be no Mismanage Committee or Braindead Stupid Prats Assembly!

With you on that, Jill. Rip up the rule book - officially this time. Start with a blank A4 pad and get down to devising a totally new tome that will destroy the third rate Barnum & Bailey type farrago we fans have endured since the advent of Sky Sports and, to a lesser extent, BSI. All we ask for is that they give us back the s-p-o-r-t we know and love, speedway racing. The sport where the best team on the night wins. Simple isn't it? Stay well and stay happy, Angel Face. Ron.

Jeffster, No doubt you'll czechmate! Chess thought I'd throw that in - I'm board with serious moves. I feel like a king now though you probably think I'm a knave - but even that's better than being an old queen! BTW: Do they sell prawn sandwiches at Pardubice?

That really is an amazing record. I doubt if it would ever happen over here as riders seem to swop and change clubs on a regular basis. Mateusz. Thanks for the translation. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think that has something to do with our own........our very own.........Mismanagement Committee. It's a thinly disguised form of the old Rider Control. Recent Labels include Team Average 2003, Rider Grading 2004 and Team Average 2005. I believe the Summit Conference to design the 2006 label is to held in November.

I remember a Billy Hole who rode for Bristol some years ago - or am I getting confused - again? Maybe he had a son named Derek.

Good points, Little 'UN, but possibly far to comprehensive and wide-sweeping to have in place for 2006. I feel we should go with a limited review and revision of the major rules for next year. It would take quite some time to form a suitable body on the lines you suggest and establish with that body the terms of reference to which they must work. The framework they are given must be rigid. If not we may end up with yet another dog's dinner. They've given me so much indigestion over the past few years, that I fear another one may lead to ulcers. Your scheme, I feel, could be effective in time for the 2007 season if work brgan on it now but would the mandarins at Rugby allow it. As the Bard put it "To be, or not to be -that is the question." I really do feel that we supporters [in every sense of the word] have been seriously wounded far to often by 'the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune' fired by the Mismanagement Committee and their cohorts.

I did not say that the views of fans should not be taken into account. I stated that, in my opinion, it would be unwise to involve them in drafting the actual rules of the sport. My apologies if I did not make that clear.

Instinct tells me that it would be unwise to allow 'fans' any involvement in deciding the rules of the sport. As to the involvement of the televison company; the fact that they invest a fair amount of cash in speedway does, quite definitely, give them the right to a good measure of involvement. I personally wish this was not the case.

There is much to commend that approach, Andy, but I fear those who control the destiny of speedway are to entrenched to consider such, to them, radical action.

The abolition of the circus and the return of the sport of speedway! This would be achieved, in my opinion, by the abolition of the Joker, Tactical Rides, Tactical Substitutes, double points and [of course] the abolition of the play-off system. I realise that this may result in fewer matches but there would be compensation in quality would supercede quantity.

Hey Speedy, Thanks for the names. Having been a Manchester based supporter since 1946, those names bring back a few happy memories of the period. Enjoy your speedway next season again, my friend. It will be my diamond jubilee as a supporter. There aren't many of us very senior enthusiasts around [at least not at Belle Vue]. We are like a vintage wine - not sure about the improving with age business though! Ron.

I saw Mike ride many times at Hyde Road and always admired his style and his attitude to the sport. The sport is sadly lacking in men of Mike Beddoes's character now. He lost part of a foot in a track accident but returned to action and was soon a top quality rider again. Over the years I've oft wondered what happened to Mike after his eventual retiremnt. Many riders have slipped from my memory - Mike never did!

I feel it was virtually a foregone conclusion, Subed, that Mr Gollob would win this one simply because the track was prepared to his requirements. Perhaps at the next British GP the Cardiff track should be prepared to suit the English riders - but then that couldn't happen could it? It would be totally foreign to the British sense of fair play.

Well done, Lee Richardson!! It's no disgrace coming second to the mighty Gollob on his own track in a country where speedway is the national sport and Tomasz Gollob, the Polish equivalent of David Beckham. I repeat: Well done Lee Richardson. Anyhere other than Poland you would have won!

Well done, Tony! Commiserations to Jason.

You may be interested to know, Spartan, that in his early days as a rider Jimmy Gooch wrote a weekly column entitled Diary of a Novice in the Speedway Gazette, the forerunner of the Star [and a far superior publication]. I found Jimmy's column very interesting. I hesitate to apply the term 'hero' to any one speedway rider, and I cannot name an all-time favourite. I have been privileged to see so many great men that it would be very wrong, I feel, to single any one out for special mention.

Is it right that the Polish competitors should be allowed additional practice on the track - if this is happening? Does this not give them an unfair advantage? It sometimes seems to me that international speedway is loaded in favour of the Poles. I shan't make a prediction as such, but I really would like to see Mr Crump delay the coronation of Mr Rickardson even further. 'Twould be good to keep the a little suspense running, even if it is artificial!

Not a good idea, Unibabe, it immediately gives the impression of superiority, inferioroity and barrel scrapings! I emphase my original suggestion of First, Second and Third Divisions.

Sorry to have to disagree with your brain but the yellow and black helmet covers were standard issue when I first watched speedway at Hyde Road in 1946. My wife, Margaret, and I bought our first television set in 1954 [only one channel, BBC]. It was several years before speedway was televised. Colour television was, arguably, introduced generally in the mid 60s.

Tommy, You could try the official Belle Vue website at www. bellevuespeedway.co.uk. Click on the 'History' tab. There's a good selection of pics on there. Offhand I can't remember of there any from the '70s though. Ron.