Sean

Paul, count me in.. and i'll rally the family for that weekend.. and put word round the "old Hawks fans" i know off, and still keep in touch with. Lets "make it a date, friday at eight" once more

oh how the other half live eh ?? insects ?? hmm.. maybe ask Brian Harvey to do the PA.. he'll sort out the flys!!!! (Bryn.. its an "english telly" thing..don't worry !)

i think you have hit the nail on the head there Bryn.. by saying .. "I think this is a prime example as to just how difficult it has been, and will continue to be, to come up with some form of formula to "combine" everyone's different agendas in the CL." It is now at a point where we have to split the league, in order to accomodate all the diffrent needs of the clubs. it cannot go on much longer as it is, and i don't see a way past the end of this season with the incoming clubs.

i was thinking more along the lines of an amateur league, where smaller clubs could get started and build up riders and fans bases, before deciding to go professional. kind of like the CL now.. but along the lines of grasstrack where clubs have differing classes. cadet, youth and senior. not all clubs need to be professional. think of the chances of getting maybe Lottery grants and financial backing with Youth policies and youth racing, if the "Club" wasn't professionally linked to a league. i am not talking about breaking away and taking say half the riders now from any league and starting a "league". i am thinking away from the professional scene and taking the amateur and youth away from the BSPA. i know they are making the right moves with the U15's , but its too little.. too late in my view.. Bryn.. i am thinking along the lines of "sidewinders" in Australia. i don't know too much about the place, but i believe it is the training school kind of thing for Australia. do they have any professional meetings? If not.. how do they survive without gate reciepts?

Not while Morrish is still there at the Helm Bryn... means he will have to do something wouldn't it! and when the CL Chairmans meeting isn't held until 6 weeks before the season starts.. what chance of any changes.. when Its so much easier for them just to say..... "just carry on as we are..we haven't got the time.. its only the CL for christs sake!" what chance have we got of getting anything changed! my thoughts.. time for a pull away league..

with you on that Fb... about time the stand alones were grouped into a third division, there must be enough now to make a good third division.. lets see.. Boston, Buxton, Carmathen, Mildenhall, Wimbledon, Weymouth, Scunthorpe, Plymouth, Sittingbourne, thats nine, and only one less than the elite.. run with a A&B fixture set up like the Elite and bingo.. 16 meetings plus individs and k o cup.. maybe a trophy like the PL at the start of the season, north and south to make up the season and away we go.. far too simple for the BSPA to work out thou i am afraid!!

Referee.. Master Bates.. say no more... this guy gets away with it week after week.. at all levels.. its getting to the point where i go to a meeting and when his name comes up.. i am afraid, i wish for a rain off!..

Halifax's Shay Ground was one i remember, Bristol also had a footie pitch inside, Glasgow has one now, but i think its only a youth/boys club size pitch, they are the ones i know of that i have been to in my time.

idols.. hmm.. there have been so many.. Vaclav Verner..a whole new meaning to "riding the boards!" Zenon Plech.. pure class.. Bo Petersen.. slow starter but complete racing attitude, and such a laugh in the pits Kelvin Mullarkey.. never give up and never give in Scott Autrey.. never left that white line, but was always first to it!

Hughie Saunders testimonial arranged a game between the 1979 (correct me if i am wrong) Rockets, and the Hoddesdon Town team. the front of the programme had a cartoon drawing of a player with a quizzical look on his face facing a fully dressed rider with face mask and helmet on. i believe that hoddesdon were winning the match at half time until the Rockets said if they get beat they want a re match down on the track the following week!!

excellent.... but i would have been happy to buy a book if they were in that !!

and how long will WE all have to wait until they appear in the next publication from your fair hand?

Denise is fine, but has moved her sporting love towards the showjumping fraternity, and travels all over europe watching the sport. Sadly, Dennys father, (My Grandfather), Alan, passed away back in 1993, around a year after his wife (my grandmother) Betty.

you forgot .. Crazy, Mad, Insane, and "runitsthatbloodywomanagain" poor crazysusan, having a bit of a identity crisis !!

yes Keith did have a fan club, run by my Auntie, Denise Sexton. I was a member from 1977 right thru the Hackney, Coventry, Milton Keynes and Long Eaton days upto 1987. I think, off the top of my head, at its height there was about 250-300 members from all over the country, and every time he changed clubs, the membership grew and the previous clubs supporters still contributed. there was an xmas disco some years, the ones i can remember clearly were at Milton Keynes Groveway stadium, and around Bletchley area near MK, one was a joint disco with the late Craig Fetherby's Fan Club, held in the railway club next to Bletchley train station, i was a member of both Fan Clubs ! two or three times i presented cheques to Keith from the fan club because my aunt was too shy to go onto the Centre green !! somewhere around i still have a sew on patch that was exclusive to the fan club members, i'll try and dig it out and see if i can put it on here, and i also have a membership card somewhere. My aunt used to work hard on the fan club, i can remember her being locked away in her room, with her photocopier whirring away, printing Keiths latest newsletter and having to help her carry loads of letters down to the postbox to post off to members. ok found them..... Hackney Vs Stal Gorzow Friday March 25th 1977 page 12 of the programme beneath the legendary "Snowys scene" supporters club news , there is a advertisement for... The Official Keith White Fan Club, contact Miss Barbara Seagers,xxx xxxxx xxx(i won't post the address) Dagenham, membership is 35p, and entitles the member to a fact sheet, welcome letter from Keith, Birthday and xmas cards signed by Keith, quarterly newsletters and an autographed photo. AND.... The Volkswagon Grand Prix, held at Hackney Friday May 12th 1978. Page 7, again in Snowys Scene, it says... Keith White Fan club, secretary Denise Sexton, xx xxxxx xxxxx xxx, Edmoton,London. so to conclude.. HE HAD TWO!

most memorable last heat decider.. hmm Tony mac.. i cannot believe you didn't mention Halifax v Hackney.. summer 1980( i think) at the Shay.. Zenon Plech giving the Hawks a 39-38 away win after being 16 points down at one point!!! i was only 9 at the time, and can remember Thommo, Chalky and i think Sean Willmott (my hero!) all scoring nil for the meeting, and Zenon needed a second in heat 13 to clinch victory... and celebrating with Zenon and sean in the pits with the travelling army of Hawks fans afterwards was magic!

We have met before then Shazzy, you should have introduced yourself!!! Sorry couldn't resist, but I have to confess I DO say LoRAM. yeah but being from Essex you can get away with it!!!!! Quick duck!

from what i remember of a few of them, Keith still attends the VSRA meetings with his father Vic,and still lives in the Leicester area, Barry now lives down in South Wales and gets along to the Cardiff GP each year. Sean Willmott emigrated to Australia back around 1998, Bo Petersen builds Riders Vans in the winter in Denmark and Caravans in the summer. Finn moved to Spain, Dave Kennett can be found supporting his son Edward when riding, Zenon Plech is still involved in the Polish National Set Up, Roman Jankowski was still riding in Poland last season, but i think retired at the end of it. Paul T will be able to bring you up to date with any others.

From the mid 70's and thru the 80's..... Ivan Mauger, Scott Autrey, and Mike Farrell round the County Ground 1977. Barry Thomas, Bo Petersen, Zenon Plech from the Hawks League runners up season of 1980 The Infradex Rockets with Fiala, Hubbard, Garrard, and Mullarkey round Hoddesdon in the 1979 league winning season. outside of teams i supported.. at Hackney, i used to love the Dukes visiting with Kenny Carter, the Bees with Tommy Knudsen and Ole Olson, the Aces with PC, Racers with John Davis, Ippo with Sanders and Louis...the list is endless. i could go on all night.. but there will be complaints!

Good result for the Roo Boy.. taking the spoils from the likes of Shane and Rusty and Kevin Doolan in the final too! well done Rory.

awwww i was looking forward to planning a trip out to Poland or Czecho.... oh well.... Sky will be getting my Viewing figure!

wow PF those photos of the Wembley indoor are great. i remember going to that as a wee young un, i'd have been about 10! brings back great memories of the Blue floor turning black, and the multi coloured straw bales for the safety stoppers! and the tremendous noise inside the arena of four bikes on full power! great sponsorship from Lada, but could you imagine how that would be seen nowadays, Lada cars paradeing the riders round!! the first and original indoors!

i am presuming..although nothing was said in the Press release....that the Britsh League cup has been scrapped! well i suppose something good has come from three days in the sunshine!

Ok, you lost me there! you posted an answer to Rach and then changed it....i answered it beforeyou took it off but didn't quote it!!

Early polls suggest we are split on this topic. will make interesting reading of your views behind your decisions.