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As I have said many times, and as was also stated in the article, with what tracks we do have being forced out of the urban areas, people aren't exposed to the sport now. Even if they are, they can't just hop on a bus or train like we did... Steve

Again Steve, the number of existing fans is still so insignificant compared to what we had years ago, that even if we all went regularly now, it wouldn't make a difference. As far as the distances needed for even a "local" team now, I was really spoiled in having two teams in London, plus. Arena, Crayford, Rye, Milton Keynes, Eastbourne, Reading, Oxford, and Canterbury all very doable. From having at least ten tracks from which to choose, only ONE of those survives now. THAT is what hurts. Steve

Okay, perhaps some of you do have your head in the sand - or at least can't comprehend what I said. Maybe that was a little harsh of me, but... How many actual speedway "supporters" are there left in Britain? I'm not talking about "ex-supporters". I'm not talking about new ones or potential ones? Even if every real, existing supporter in the UK attended live speedway, they alone would not be able to save British speedway. Look at the BSF... I am a real supporter with a life-long love of the sport, but I am one of several on here who physically CAN'T attend. There are a number on here who CAN attend, but WON'T. I am reluctant to include those as real supporters (they support speedway as it was 20 or 30 years ago - not the modern game), but being the nice guy that I am, I will include those as real and existing supporters. How many of those are there? If every one of those clubbed together and bought a minibus (that's how few of them there really are), and went to speedway in the UK at EVERY AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY, they wouldn't be able to save ONE track, let alone the sport as a whole. Look at the TV viewing figures that were mentioned in the article? If every one of those were a weekly speedway-goer, they couldn't save the sport alone. The sad fact is that there are not enough current speedway supporters in the UK to keep the sport afloat without a major reconstruction, major cash injection, and most importantly, a massive influx of NEW supporters. Which is why I said that "we supporters" can do nothing to stop the rot. And that is the sad reality... Steve

How - and why - is it worrying? There is nothing written there that we didn't already know. It's been covered to death on the BSF. I don't think the head-in-the-sand attitude comes from the supporters; we all know British speedway is in trouble. The apathy from supporters stems from the fact that realistically, there is bugger all that we supporters can do to stop the rot... Steve

Then there was Max Schreck, who starred as the original Nosferatu... He would probably have scored more points for us - certainly a team spot would have been something to get his teeth into... Steve

It was The Crown in Little Missenden, Steve. We used to go there and play darts with Jim Tebby. Ron was the manager before buying the pub, and as far as I know, it is still run by his son Trevor. Steve

Both Biggs and Hunter could be classed in that category of "what if???" Steve

Can't argue with that - with the possible exception of Plech. Steve

All of the riders here were very talented. Although Middleton had one very good season at Oxford, I would place still place Thomsen above him on the strength of his record at international level, particularly Gothenburg in '77. Both, though, could be considered under-achievers. I know Plech has a couple of World Final rostrums behind him, but I am still not totally convinced as he never pulled up any trees in the BL. Looking at some of the comments here, I think another worthy contender for a spot (based on all-time) would be dear old Jimmy Gooch. What about Simon Wigg??? Or perhaps Mike Broadbank? Steve

Very sad... One of the "old school".

Wow... Reading this gave me a really weird feeling. 1979 doesn't seem that long ago to me, but of the four riders you mentioned, Middlo is the only one still with us. Really sad and thought-provoking... Steve

I still have a couple of programmes too, but they are in storage. I really have to go and get all my stuff soon... Oh, and I also played darts at the Granby Halls once, when we had a major youth tournament. That shows how long ago it was!!! Steve

And Rohan, Jye, Layne, Danyon, Arran, and Dakota aren't??? I remember when speedway riders were called Norman, Harry, Bert, and Fred... Steve

Again, you claimed that I had stated - or at least implied - certain things, which I had not. No, it is not a case of me not respecting what you say, but yes, I do get pissy when I am accused of saying something I clearly did not. I also stand by my reaction to your comment about Lee needing Penhall around to motivate him. Yes, that is a remarkably bizarre claim, and if that really is true, then Lee is not the rider I thought he was... Steve

Closely followed on the BSF by "Tia"...

My "tone is not good"? Look at some of the stuff YOU have said here, and I haven't twisted anything. You said my post was "one of the craziest" because I didn't rate Sanders alongside a handful of legendary riders. You said I stated that Sanders as an "also-ran", which I didn't. You asked if I had even seen Sanders in that time period, because if I had, I would "know"... Nice tone there, eh? You said that Sanders was "obviously improving" - which he wasn't... Is that twisting things around to make you "look the villain"??? Please, let's back to the script... Steve

Not at all. You said my post was crazy because I stated that Sanders was an "also-ran" - when I never said anything of the sort...

Collins was still in that era with Sanders, and he had a first and a second in that period. What I am saying is that Billy never reached the level of those I mentioned, even though he was competing against them. Steve

Aapparently...

Please point out where I stated that he was an "also-ran". I stated that he was a "world-class rider". I stated that he was "a contender", meaning that he was regularly there or thereabouts, and on his day, could beat anyone. He was somebody that you wouldn't be surprised to see on a rostrum. That does not put him in the highest bracket alongside Penhall, Lee, Gundersen, or Collins. Yes, of course I saw him - several times - and I still treasure the photo I took of him and Simmo in the Wimbledon car park. I never said he had not improved, but I do not agree that he was still improving. I feel that he had reached his peak, and no, that doesn't mean I think he was "past his best". As stated previously, an 11.53 average over four matches means little. Stefan Salomonsson was pushing an 11-point average at the start of the 1979 season, and had beaten the current Top 3 in the world on their own tracks. Your point is? Oh, and Zenon Plech was on the rostrum twice; does that put him in the same class as multiple world champions - or even Sanders? You really have to stop getting offended when people don't agree with your opinions, particularly when they use reason and logic on the way to drawing a fair and well-balanced conclusion. Steve

I agree. We've seen some silly posts on here, and quite honestly, that wasn't one of them. However, that was quite possibly the most bizarre one I've ever seen... I was a Sanders fan, he was a world-class rider, and he was a contender, but I would never consider him a realistic threat to the few at the very top. Steve

IF!!! IF!!! I think Penhall would have won more, but we will never know because he didn't hang around. How do we know he would have kept Lee motivated? Yes, it's fun to speculate, but opinions mean absolutely nothing. Particularly with this era, there are more "if's" than ever, and for every "if" leading to one possible conclusion, there is at least one countering any argument. Think about it. If Penhall... If Carter... If Lee... If Sigalos... Even throw in : If Collins... If Sanders... Steve

Conjecture...

My exact point. It's incredible to think how ONE small change would have affected so much later. What if Peter Craven had broken the tapes in what turned out to be his final race? That affects the World Championship for years to come, not just the results, but even qualification, because we now have an extra person in the mix. Digressing slightly for a moment, here's the effect it has... I am sitting here writing this in Loveland, Ohio, because my dad's car wouldn't start - on the morning of March 15, 1971! Sounds crazy, doesn't it? Had the car started, he wouldn't have had to ride his motorbike to work, and he wouldn't have been hit by a car on the way home, smashing his leg. Had that not happened, he would have carried on playing cricket, would never have taken darts seriously and turned professional, and I would never have taken up darts as a career. Had I not played darts, I wouldn't have travelled to the US, and then moved here! Thing is, now think of what MIGHT have happened. I would have stayed in the UK. I could have been driving to a speedway meeting, and got in a car crash with, say, Gary Havelock in 1992. He might have been injured badly enough to stop him qualifying for the 1992 World Final. I know it sounds crazy, but one small change in my own personal history can have a monumental effect, not just on my life, but on the lives of others... Steve

I was there too, and I really can't argue with your assessment. In 50-plus years of watching speedway, I've seen some dominant performances, but Muller beats the lot... Steve